ll Chronicles 14-16

"Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, 'Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty.  Help us, O Lord, our God, for we rely on You."  ll Chronicles 14:11

"For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."  ll Chronicles 16:9

In the beginning of King Asa's reign Asa displayed a deep desire to serve God in obedience and truth. ll Chronicles 14:2 tells us that Asa sought with all his heart to do "what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God." Asa sought to bring God's people back to God, and he removed many of the idols that were prevalent in the land.  Because of this God's people experienced God's blessings. Asa said at on point during this time, "The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought Him and He has given us rest on every side (ll Chronicles 14:7b)"

But then one day God's people were attacked by an enemy from another country.  This enemy's army greatly outnumbered King Asa's army.  King Asa knew he was helpless against such an army without God's help,so he prayed to the Lord for help.  Asa prayed in ll Chronicles 14:11, "Lord, there is no one like You to help the powerless against the mighty.  Help me, O Lord our God, for we rely on You, and in Your name we have come against this vast army.  O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You."

Asa knew that He was powerless in himself, but he also knew that with the Lord on his side a great victory could be won.  Asa depended on the Lord and proceeded in the Lord's strength. Because of his trust and reliance on the Lord, Asa won a great victory that day.  When seemingly insurmountable difficulties arise in our lives we also must turn to the Lord.  God is the all powerful God who can bring all His resources to our aid.  The Lord is the only One who can and will bring victory to us in our deepest and darkest times.  Like Asa we must say to the Lord, "we rely on You."  We must trust and rest in the Lord alone.

For many years Asa continued to be filled with a zeal for serving the Lord and doing the Lord's will. Then a time came, however, when King Asa and God's people were threatened by another country. This time King Asa did not go to the Lord in prayer for help.  King Asa relied on another country for help.  King Asa made a treaty with a pagan king from a pagan land that did not even acknowledge the Lord.  King Asa put his trust in a worldly king rather than in the Lord.  King Asa forgot to go to the Lord for his only source of help.

This should be a warning to us also.  We must always rely on the Lord alone in a time of need and crisis.  We must not panic and run ahead of the Lord.  We must not rely on our own devices or on human resources.  We must rest in trust in the Lord our God.  He will bring His sure victory in His perfect timing, if we rely on Him.  ll Chronicles 16:9 says, "For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."

Because King Asa relied on human resources that day the army who fought against him escaped, and King Asa did not win a victory that day.  Sadly, King Asa became bitter and angry until his death and did not continue to rely on the Lord.  We must rely and rest in the Lord alone for all our needs.  There is no other source of help, strength, protection, and love than from the Lord.  The Lord has to be the one to whom we run with all our needs.  He alone will "strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him."  If we are truly committed to the Lord, He will prove Himself strong on our behalf in every need.  We then will go from victory to victory in the Lord!