Day 26

Revival Under King Asa



2 Chronicles 13:1-22, 2 Chronicles 14:1-15, 2 Chronicles 15:1-19, 2 Chronicles 16:1-14, John 14:21

BY Erin Davis

Since the days of Cain and Abel, humankind has made its way to the battlefield. Brother against brother, tribe against tribe, nation against nation: as image bearers broken by sin, we are prone to draw swords in our quest for power and prosperity. 

Every history class covers the basics of this cycle. Someone rises to rule. Someone else wants what they have. Armies are assembled. Bullets fly. Warriors perish. White flags rise. Rinse and repeat. Rinse and repeat. 

But that’s just the lower story. There is another battle of greater significance. Here, the armies of heaven fight the armies of darkness, and the battle belongs to the Lord (1Samuel 17:47). Though 1 and 2 Chronicles are the archives of Israel’s kings, they also have a more interesting story to tell. 

When Abijah squared off against Jeroboam, humanly speaking, his loss seemed certain. What are four hundred thousand warriors against an army of twice as many men? (2Chronicles 13:3). Yet Abijah faced his enemy unafraid and announced, “But as for us, the LORD is our God. We have not abandoned him…” (v.10). Swords made of matter clashed at the same time supernatural weapons were unleashed, revealing that this wasn’t Abijah’s war to win. 

Then the men of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the men of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. 
—2 Chronicles 13:15 ESV

The next chapter records a new king and a new war. This time King Asa faced an enemy horde of one million soldiers (2Chronicles 14:9). Once the battle lines were drawn, Asa called out to the general of heaven. 

Then Asa cried to the Lord his God, “LORD, there is no one besides you to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, LORD our God, for we depend on you, and in your name, we have come against this large army. LORD, you are our God. Do not let a mere mortal hinder you” (v.11).

And again: “So the LORD routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled” (v.12).

Because of Asa’s devotion to the God who rescued him in battle, his nation enjoyed a brief moment of peace (2Chronicles 15), but like so many other rulers, Asa soon forgot his battlefield lessons and fought on his strength. Like those before (and after!) him, Asa’s self-sufficiency drew his people back into war. 

“For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth to show himself strong for those who are wholeheartedly devoted to him. You have been foolish in this matter. Therefore, you will have wars from now on” (2Chronicles 16:9).

You may not hold political power. You may never command a platoon. Still, the Spirit has preserved the lessons Israel’s kings learned the hard way so that we might choose the more excellent way (Romans 15:4). 

You have battles to fight today. I have skirmishes of my own. We only have two choices. Will we call out to the God of armies or rely on our own meager strength? Wars are won in the heart. Battles shake out in the heavens. Whenever the battle strikes, may we repeat the prayer that saved Asa’s hide. O Lord, we rely on you (2Chronicles 14:11).

Post Comments (43)

43 thoughts on "Revival Under King Asa"

  1. Catherine McVey says:

    Good morning She’s! Such great wisdom in these verses today and from all of you. Could I please ask you to add my dear friend Marsha to your prayer lists? She has been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer and it has already metastasized. She will start chemotherapy on Wednesday. Of course we are all devastated and still in shock. She was just so excited a couple of weeks ago to find out that she was going to be a grandma! Please pray for strength for her and her family as she begins treatment and for God to heal her if it be His will. Thank you! I appreciate all of you so much. Have a great weekend!❤️

  2. CandyBeth says:

    So let’s all go, out and be SALTY for our Lord!

  3. CandyBeth says:

    CeeGee and Lisa Chapek- thank you so much for sharing your insights! It really helped me get even more out of our readings today. What really struck me was when Asa reached out to the other king for help – I just saw him being responsible and taking care of his kingdom. Also with his illness – going to his doctors. Good adulting right? But No! God said to me. You need to look to me with your problems! So- so much for me patting myself on the back for being a responsible adult. God thank you for reminding me to always look to you in all things! Happy St Patrick’s day!

  4. KimN says:

    MARI V -Rejoicing with you and continuing to pray for you and yours!!!

  5. Lehua K. says:

    Michelle Patire – I had the same revelation about 2 Chronicles 15:7, both in how it spoke to me and reminded me of Galatians 6:9.

    Mari V – such great news!!

    Cee Gee – thanks for sharing, I didn’t catch that about the salt. I remember that salt was so precious back then, a valued commodity. And according to Jesus we are the “salt of the world” – He who lives in us helps to preserve us, and then as we go out and spread the Good News, His work in and through us helps to season others with salt as they accept Jesus into their lives ❤️ Dunno if that makes sense, that’s how I interpret it lol.

    Rebecca W – praying for you and Brett

    Gramsiesue – praise God that the scans were clear!!

    Kelly(Neo) – what a beautiful prayer! Thanks for sharing ❤️

    Happy Saint Patrick’s day ladies! And happy Aloha Friday :)

  6. Traci Gendron says:

    You wanted to say “Asa don’t do it, don’t do it!” But just like Asa we too can fall away from our reliance on God. We forget to remember just all He has and will continue to do for us.

  7. Foster Mama says:

    @ MARI V, Praise Jesus!!

    Arrow Prayer Request: Can you say a quick “God give her wisdom. Please undo any mess she’s made / making.”

    (I don’t know WHY when my morning time with Jesus gets delayed, I STILL choose to send sensitive text messages… choosing to be “timely” rather than seeking the Lord :/ )

    ♥️ We have a VERY important phone call later; please pray God’s hand is present in every breath ♥️

  8. lisa chapek says:

    I stared to look up words in John 14:21 in the Strongs concordance for the original meanings in the Greek. Wow, what I found!
    “The one who has (to hold in a sense of wearing, to have possession of the mind, to hold one’s self to a thing, cling, be in companionship with as in marriage or friendship) my commands (authoritative prescription – ie the only solution with the authority to heal) and keeps (to attend to carefully, to guard, to keep one in the state in which he is in) them is the one who loves (to welcome, entertain, be fond of, love dearly) me…I also will love (to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, love dearly) him and will reveal (to manifest, exhibit to view, to show one’s self, disclose, make known) myself to him. So every time his authoritative prescriptions are our clothing and the possessor of our minds and we attend to and guard them carefully, then we welcome and entertain (like having a meal) Christ and He welcomes and loves us dearly AND manifests all that He is to us and opens our eyes to see it. Wow what a promise!

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