Prepared for Battle!!!!

I touched on this yesterday, but as I was reading, I decided I wanted to share more on this topic for today's Morning Sonshine! :-)

"And there came out against them [referring to Asa's kingdom] Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah. Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. And 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." 2 Chron. 14:9-11

In the historical narrative of this event from the book Prophets and Kings, we are told:

From every human viewpoint the vast host from Egypt would sweep everything before it. But in time of peace Asa had not been giving himself to amusement and pleasure; he had been preparing for any emergency. He had an army trained for conflict; he had endeavored to lead his people to make their peace with God. And now, although his forces were fewer in number than the enemy, his faith in the One whom he had made his trust did not weaken.

Having sought the Lord in the days of prosperity, the king could now rely upon Him in the day of adversity. His petitions showed that he was not a stranger to God’s wonderful power. “It is nothing with Thee to help,” he pleaded, “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.” Verse 11

The prayer of Asa is one that every Christian believer may fittingly offer. We fight in a warfare, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. See Ephesians 6:12. In life’s conflict we must meet evil agencies that have arrayed themselves against the right. Our hope is not in man, but in the living God. With full assurance of faith we may expect that He will unite His omnipotence with the efforts of human instrumentalities, for the glory of His name. Clad with the armor of His righteousness, we may gain the victory over every foe.

King Asa’s faith was signally rewarded. “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 unto Gerar: and the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves; for they were destroyed before the Lord, and before His host.” 2 Chronicles 14:12, 13

God tells us in His Word, "If God be for us, who can be against us!" Rom 8:31. But again, God isn't going to be fighting for us if we haven't been seeking Him. So let us do this today, without delay!

Review:

• Bible Thought: It's nothing for God to help, whether by many or with them that have no power! 
• Blessing: I constantly feel how weak I am spiritually when confronted by trials and obstacles. I have to constantly go running back to God and telling Him the same thing that Asa did! But He hears! And He works. He just needs us to get out of the way so He can work!
• Battles: I've got some big burdens on my heart (as most of us do!) I feel overwhelmed sometimes and don't know what to do, then I'm reminded, this is God's battle not mine. Let Him do His work. So my job is just to hold on to Him and surrender the battle to Him EACH and EVERY day!!