Another Lesson From A Battle

Daily Devotion for February 20, 2004

Abijah's son, Asa was confronted with a great multitude under Zerah, the Ethiopian. The enemy numbered one million and three hundred chariots (II Chronicles 14:9). Asa's army consisted of 580,000 men from Judah and Benjamin (II Chronicles 14:8). Another mismatch!

"Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (II Chronicles 14:2).
It was certainly right that he not go against this powerful enemy in his own strength. This man of God knew where his strength lay. It was in his God.

Therefore "Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O Lord, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee" (II Chronicles 14:11).

After praying to the Lord for deliverance, Asa didn't just sit there and wait on the Lord to perform some great miracle. Rather, he said, "in thy name we go against this multitude." Although our success in the Christian warfare depends upon the Lord fighting our battles, we must act with the resources the Lord has provided that He might grant victory.

"So the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. And Asa and the people that were with him pursued them...(II Chronicles 14:12,13).
Many of the deliverances we receive in life from the Lord's hands, are brought to us through human hands, sometimes our own. But even so, it would all be of no avail except the Lord blessed from first to last.

"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain" (Psalm 127:1).
We laborers need to build and we watchman need to watch. But we need to pray to and trust in our Lord.

Yours in hope,
Elder Wayne Crocker