2 CHRONICLES 14-16.

Asa: In Hebrew means Hero.

Grandson of Rehoboam.

2 Chron 14:21. He had 14 wives. He wasn’t wise in that.

1.He put away all the homosexuals (They saw it as worship some way)

2.He removed all the idols. He demolished the altars and pillars.

3.He removed his grandmother. He might have been given some high power. She worshipped Asherah.

Vs.11. Asa called to the Lord.

Yahweh smote the Ethiopians. The Lord defeated the enemies.

10 years of war. Then 25 years there was no war.

You can do a lot of thing and if you don’t finish well that’s not a good thing.

Chr 14. Asa sought the Lord.

Later he did not trust in the Lord. He took the silver and gold and bribed a pagan king.

God sent his prophet to warn Asa. He didn’t listen. Hanani articulates the verse 16:9.

A committed heart. Whole heart. 100% of him needed.

ASA IMPRISONS THE SEER

One who has shifted his allegiance.

1 Kings 11:4. Solomon’s heart was not completely upon the Lord as he grew old.

His wife bend his heart. Asa began to oppress his own people.

Asa got a severe foot disease.

He didn’t seek the Lord.

He sought the physicians.

Truth # 1

“Regardless of our status and ministry positions we have to leave this world by finishing well or finishing bad.” SO how can we finish well?

14:4, 12, 15. They sought Him. Sought the Lord whole heartedly. They were seeking God with all their heart. They were not fighting the battle alone.

2 Chron 16:9. 7:14.

Asa was simply a steward.

Ps. 119:10. I sought you with all my heart.

Isa 55:6. Matt 6:33.

Truth #2.

“Our ministry leadership will be diminished if we stop seeking the Lord.”

We need to be connected to the wine.

1 Chron 10:13-14. Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord.

Saul did not enquire of the Lord.

Joshua and nation Israel suffered (Joshua 9:14)

Children f Israel did not enquire of the Lord

He didn’t consider the size of the opposing army. 2 Chron 14:10.

Truth #3.

We need to be confident and courageous no matter what the circumstances are and we need to be totally dependent on God.

14:11. Cried/Called.

This is his first military campaign. He had to seek out to the Lord. Prayer was the primary strategy that moved heaven to action.

Take away:

You may be facing insurmountable problems the victory may not be on your favor, may be millions of well trained soldiers are coming against to you. Don’t turn back from the Lord. Are your difficulties bigger than the God you serve. These battles needs to be won on our knees.

vs11. In his prayer Asa acknowledged their inability. It wasn’t a prayer seeking God’s favor for the plans he devised.

Carefully designed plan.

The lesson is:

Lord you are not interested in numbers.

His prayer was one of absolute dependence upon God. He knew the battle was ultimately against the Lord.

Vs.12. The Ethiopians fled.

Lesson:

About having the right perspective about the battle.

God was the one who was involved. God defeated the Ethiopians. It is not the military experties of Asa, it was not his brilliant strategy.

They were anhilated. There was no one left to fight for them. Total destruction. No survivors.

A loot of good plunders and spoils.

You cannot enjoy the spoils until the battle is won.

7. 2 Chron 15:17. Asa’s heart was wholly devoted all his days.

#You will enjoy some peace and stability.

Asa and his kingdom enjoyed peace for 25 years.

Truth # 4. “Don’t forget God after a victory.”

Asa forgot God’s past help and support and blessings.

We are fighting a real enemy. He is against everything that we are working on. We are under attack and we need to trust in God for his deliverance. We have to be careful that pride doesn’t fill your heart.

Scripture warns us that pride comes before destruction.

2 Chron 33: Mannasseh sought the Lord in trouble.

If we maintain humility.

Any success is not because of your leadership. It has nth to do with us and eth has to do with God.

We have ti guard against discontinuing habit of discontentment to walk with God.

When eth goes well and we can get lazy. We can go like we don’t need to do all those activities that replenishes and enables you. The spiritual food that satisfied you.

16:12. Disease in his feet.

Asa didn’t listen. You can get full of yourselves. Allow spiritual people to speak truth into your lives. He was greatly disappointed and put the prophet in to prison.

Truth # 5. The very people who were mightily used can become enemies when they turn away from the Lord.

Give right to people to put you back in to alignment. If you are in a spot where no one can correct you, then we are in a dangerous spot.

He oppressed his own people. He only sought positions.

Truth #6. When you are running from the Lord, when you know that your life is displeasing to God, you are always going to develop a critical spirit.

This is always the result of forsaking God’s word. We use and misuse people. iN HIS BITTERNESS HE NEVER SUGHT THE LORD.

Lesson # we need to seek the Lord anytime and every time the pain comes.

Hezekiah wouldn’t seek the Lord in his disease.

Make sure the battles you are fighting are the one’s that the Lord wants.

We need to die to the things that we need to.

Qn: Is prayer the first order of business when you face a crisis or is it a last resort?

Asa cried out to the Lord earnestly.

Have you reached to a place in your spiritual walk where no one can give you spiritual correction?

While God is on the search for men and women who is totally committed to him would he find you the heart of somebody that can strongly support?