June 2, 2024
And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name, we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!
2 Chronicles 14:11
As we continue our meditation on God's help, let us consider an approach for provoking the help of God - recognition, petition and resistance.
In 2 Chronicles 14, we see the story of Asa and Zerah. Zerah the Ethiopian came out to fight and attack Asa and the city of David. Zerah came with an army that was more than double the size of Asa’s army to attack the city. This was a problem that seemed too big for Asa and his five hundred and eighty thousand soldiers to fix (2 Chronicles 14:8), it was beyond them. At some point in our lives, we may face unexpected battles. Today, we will examine Asa’s strategy for invoking God’s help and fighting battles.
The first thing Asa did was repent. He acknowledged and recognized God’s power, as he was hugely outnumbered in this battle. He removed the pagan places of worship and commanded his people to seek and return to God, obeying His word with all their hearts. This requires repentance and the sacrifice of our will and pleasures to follow him (2 Chronicles 14:3-4).
The next thing Asa did was to resist. When Zerah came out to attack, Asa did not back down, he was not going down or giving up without a fight. James 4:7 – Therefore as we submit to God, we must resist the devil fervently. If you want God to help you, don't just throw in the towel, rather get up and resist the enemy. Stand your ground and resist the enemy in prayer and with scripture. Zerah likely brought the huge army to distract Asa and divert his attention from God, but Asa remained focused on God and drew close to Him. When you stand against the enemy, he has no choice but to flee from you.
Asa’s final act was petition to God, entrusting the problem into His hands, thus transforming it into God’s concern. In 2 Chronicles 14:11 (NIV), we read that Asa cried unto The Lord his God, he acknowledged and praised Him and then made a plea to God. He was not concerned about what the people said or thought, he was bent on calling for help and speaking out.
Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth, I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. (Psalm 61:1)
He was saying to God “we have this battle situation or “thing” ahead of us, we do not know what to do, but we are coming against it in your name”. When we make our requests known to God, He prevails. Philippians 4:6-7 reminds us not to be anxious about anything, but with prayer and supplication to make our requests known to God. Imagine being on the playground, bothered by a bully. Knowing your dad is strong, you confidently tell the bully, 'I will tell my father.' This approach applies to any situation bothering you; take it to your heavenly Father, don't face it alone!
Asa understood that God’s power is not limited by man’s weakness or strength. He recognized that it was not about him, but it was about God. He believed that the battle was not his but God’s. God wants to fight your battles, provoke His help and bring Him into that overwhelming situation you are dealing with. Don’t let man or that situation prevail against you. The numbers do not matter, when you rely on God and apply the three R’s He will step into that issue and give you VICTORY!
Song of Worship
I need thee o I need thee
Every hour I need thee
O bless me now my Saviour
I come to thee
Song: I Need Thee Every Hour by Robert Lowry
Prayer - For the rest of your life, where you have struggled, I pray that that struggle ends this morning, and that the help of God will be made manifest in the name of Jesus. So, it is, and it shall be in Jesus' mighty name we pray.
Bible in 1 year: 2 Chronicles 17-18; John 13