Just as we can gain spiritual authority through how we live our lives, we can also lose spiritual authority by how we live our lives. Asa had lived for God and had gained great spiritual authority. It had been said that Asa’s heart was fully committed to God. However Asa lost his great spiritual authority. What changed in Asa’s heart to transform him from one who was establishing the kingdom of God to someone who turned away from God?
A threat arose to Asa’s security. A threat came up that Asa did not know how to handle. “In the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah and fortified Ramah to prevent anyone from leaving or entering the territory of Asa king of Judah. ” (2 Chronicles 16:1, NIV84) Asa was under siege from the enemy. Asa could not get daily provisions. Asa was trapped and surrounded by his enemy. Asa faced a great crisis.
A crisis is a god given opportunity to expose weakness, confess weakness and draw close to God.
Asa took his eyes off of God. Asa used what was dedicated to God to protect himself. Asa used what belonged to God to make a covenant with a people who did not love God. Asa entered into an ungodly relationship. Asa looked to someone else besides God to give him strength and protection. “Asa then took the silver and gold out of the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of his own palace and sent it to Ben-Hadad king of Aram, who was ruling in Damascus. “Let there be a treaty between me and you,” he said, “as there was between my father and your father. See, I am sending you silver and gold. Now break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so he will withdraw from me.” ” (2 Chronicles 16:2–3, NIV84)
Now the prophet of God came to visit Asa. The prophet wanted to speak into Asa’s heart and bring him to repentance. The prophet wanted to remind Asa about the character of God who always loves, strengthens and protects those who are fully committed to Him. The prophet warned Asa about the foolish course Asa’s life was taking. The prophet explained the consequences of Asa’s sinful decision. “At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: “Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the Lord your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand. Were not the Cushites and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” ” (2 Chronicles 16:7–9, NIV84)
Asa did not repent. Asa did not heed the prophet of God. Asa became stubborn and hardened his heart to the chastening of God. Asa tried to destroy those who spoke God’s heart to him. Asa became ruled by his anger and his bitterness. Asa forgot that the people were God’s people. Asa began to harm the people. “Asa was angry with the seer because of this; he was so enraged that he put him in prison. At the same time Asa brutally oppressed some of the people. ” (2 Chronicles 16:10, NIV84)
Sin has consequences. Asa began to feel the consequences of his turning away from God. Asa became sick but even in the sickness the pride that had crept in made Asa refuse to seek God. Asa was captive to his anger. “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from the physicians. ” (2 Chronicles 16:12, NIV84)
And so Asa died a sad and slow death. Two years of being sick and Asa refused God’s help. The time from Asa’s onset of pride to his death was five years. And Asa died because he stopped obeying God.
You can never rest on how you lived for God yesterday. You must choose today to live for God again. Each day you must choose to humble yourself. Each day you must choose God’s path. Each day you choose to walk with God or without God. At any time, you are free to reject him. Do not give in to the temptation to live a day in your own strength. Always seek the strength and the purpose of God.
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