THE LORD IS WITH YOU WHILE YOU ARE WITH HIM
1 IN THE THIRTY-SIXTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF ASA, BAASHA KING OF ISRAEL CAME UP AGAINST JUDAH AND BUILT RAMAH, THAT HE MIGHT LET NONE GO OUT OR COME IN TO ASA KING OF JUDAH.
2 Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying,
3 “Let there be a treaty between you and me . . . come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.
7 AND AT THAT TIME HANANI THE SEER CAME TO ASA KING OF JUDAH, AND SAID TO HIM: “BECAUSE YOU HAVE RELIED ON THE KING OF SYRIA, AND HAVE NOT RELIED ON THE LORD YOUR GOD, THEREFORE THE ARMY OF THE KING OF SYRIA HAS ESCAPED FROM YOUR HAND.”
2 Chronicles 16:1-3,7 (NKJV)
The God who helped Asa against the Ethiopians, who were a million plus (2 Chronicles 14:11-15); Would He not have helped him against the Northern kingdom of Israel, who were lesser in number and might, compared with the Ethiopians?:
“WERE THE ETHIOPIANS AND THE LUBIM NOT A HUGE ARMY WITH VERY MANY CHARIOTS AND HORSEMEN? YET, BECAUSE YOU RELIED ON THE LORD, HE DELIVERED THEM INTO YOUR HAND" (2 Corinthians 16:8 NKJV).
READ: 2 Chronicles 16:1,7,8
In other words, if God could help king Asa of Judah to prevail against the Ethiopians who were millions in number, because he relied on God; Would that God not have helped him against the nothern kingdom of Israel who were lesser in number, that made him to go to the king of Syria for help? (2 Chronicles 16:8)
1 NOW THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON AZARIAH THE SON OF ODED.
2 AND HE WENT OUT TO MEET ASA, AND SAID TO HIM: “HEAR ME, ASA, AND ALL JUDAH AND BENJAMIN. THE LORD IS WITH YOU WHILE YOU ARE WITH HIM. IF YOU SEEK HIM, HE WILL BE FOUND BY YOU; BUT IF YOU FORSAKE HIM, HE WILL FORSAKE YOU.”
2 Chronicles 15:1,2 (NKJV)
"FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND FRO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH, TO SHOW HIMSELF STRONG ON BEHALF OF THOSE WHOSE HEART IS LOYAL TO HIM. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on jyou shall have wars.”
2 Chronicles 16:9 (NKJV)
READ: 2 Timothy 2:11-13
The lessons that could be learnt from the situation of king Asa and the whole Judah and Benjamin are:
I. If you have been relying on God for help especially when you were lowly, but when things changed, you have experienced a lifting; then what you used to trust God for, you begin to trust the self or other man for—God may withdraw His backing from you (2 Chronicles 15:2; 16:8).
King Asa of Judah thought in himself, since he could afford to give silver and gold to the king of Syria, why then would he need to engage the king of the nothern kingdom in battles? He relied on silver and gold to settle his matter, instead of calling on God in prayer (2 Chronicles 16:2,3).
If you used to trust God to meet your needs through prayer by faith, and God has always been faithful in doing that. Over the years, whenever a need arises in your life or family, God has been faithful to meet such a need, even at your lowly state.
But now that God has changed your story, what you used to handle with prayer, you rather approach carnally—using money. The sickness you used to believe and trust God for healing on, you now decided to seek medical help.
Note: seeking medical help is not the problem, and it is not a sin, but losing your faith and start to approach things carnally and using the pattern of the people of the world because of comfort or availability of money.
II. In some other believers, when God moved them to another level of comfort, that is, they experienced lifting in what they do; then they decided to abandon their responsibilities in the kingdom, they would no longer be useful for God—either in their local church or the parachurch fellowship they belong (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Comfort and success can make you complacent, and your trust in God be lessened, if you do not know how to handle them.
Note:
• When God blesses you, that is the time to seek Him the more (1 Kings 11:1-11).
• Comfort and blessing should deepen your trust in God, not lessen it.
III. Some people have abandoned their love for God because of the blessings they received from Him:
4 "NEVERTHELESS I HAVE THIS AGAINST YOU, THAT YOU HAVE LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. 5 "REMEMBER THEREFORE FROM WHERE YOU HAVE FALLEN; REPENT AND DO THE FIRST WORKS, OR ELSE I WILL COME TO YOU QUICKLY AND REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND FROM ITS PLACE—UNLESS YOU REPENT” (Revelation 2:4,5 NKJV).
Note:
• The time of comfort is the time to be more fervent in the LORD.
• If God has blessed you, and has made you comfortable; He has done it that you may serve Him the more (Luke 1:74,75).
• God’s blessings should not be the reason for lukewarmness or apathy in your relationship with Him:
15 "I KNOW YOUR WORKS, THAT YOU ARE NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. I COULD WISH YOU WERE COLD OR HOT. 16 SO THEN, BECAUSE YOU ARE LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL VOMIT YOU OUT OF MY MOUTH.
17 BECAUSE YOU SAY, ‘I AM RICH, HAVE BECOME WEALTHY, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING'—AND DO NOT KNOW THAT YOU ARE WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED" (Revelation 3:15-17 NKJV).
If you have gone down in your faith, approaching things carnally, or you have abandoned the work you are doing for God and His kingdom before; repent now and move up in your faith and do the first work which you have abandoned.
You will not fail in Jesus’ name. Peace!