King Asa & Victory In Your Christian Life -

Gods Game Of Thrones S2 E4

King Asa

Asa Is Judah’s 3rd King
He reigns 41 years
His name means “healer.”
Spiritual State = good
Tribe = Judah
Father is Abijah
Prophets are Azariah and Hanani the seer
Rules during the time of Jeroboam, Nadab, Baasha, Zimri, and Omri
Texts – 1 Kings 15:8-24, 2 Chronicles 14-16

IN HIS DAYS IT WAS QUIET (2 Chronicles 14:1)

2Ch 14:1 So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Asa his son reigned in his stead. In his days the land was quiet ten years.

Remember Abijah? Or Abijam? He was the king we studied last time that preached the red hot sermon. However his talk was louder than his walk. Abijah had a son named “Asa.” Asa reigned in the stead of Abijah after he dies.

Notice in 2 Chronicles 14:1 it says “in his days the land was quiet ten years.” I don’t think this is because he wasn’t listening to heavy metal and in a rock band with his friends. I doubt that he was doing those things but this means he wasn’t experiencing any war for those ten years.

This reminds me of when I first got saved. For a little while it was quiet. The LORD was letting me ease into it I believe. I wasn’t having big wars with the flesh. I wasn’t really in any spiritual battles. I had no idea that Victory in the Christian life was going to be a long hard battle.

Asa is shown to be a GOOD KING. This is refreshing because Jeroboam made his own religion, Rehoboam forsook wise counsel, and Abijah was wishy washy. Asa is one of my favorite kings. In his days the land was quiet about ten years and also he was using his member as…

INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

2Ch 14:2 And Asa did that which was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God:

If we will ever have victory in our Christian life than the LORD will be seeing us doing that which is good and right in the eyes of him.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Asa didn’t take after his father. I don’t see anywhere that he was being a ladies man like his fathers did. I don’t see where he was worshipping idols.

1Ki 15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.

Once again Jeroboam pops up. He reigned along time. He has popped up in every study so far. The fact that Asa was reigning while Jeroboam was reigning made Asa look even better. A man that has a little bit of morals will look like a saint compared to Jeroboam or the men in the White House today.

Jeroboam hadn’t ever recovered strength after his fight with Abijah and Judah. So Asa saw first hand that living wicked and not relying on the Lord would not get you anywhere.

1Ki 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.

Abishalom is David’s son Absalom. So Maachah is Absaloms daughter. Something to note is that Maachah is Asas grandmother. She was Abijah’s mother. This shows that the Bible will sometimes refer to a person as someone’s father or mother but is actually their grandparent. This will clear up confusion for you.

Asa reigned 41 years! That is a long reign. More than his grandfathers David & Solomon. Asa had a great blood line. He had a mighty man like David in his genes. David was also a Bible man. He also had a wise man like Solomon in his genes.

1Ki 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.

All the kings are compared to David. David is a type of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. You are a king today. You are compared to Jesus Christ and when it comes to your salvation you are seen just as good as he is! This is because he gave you his righteousness when you got saved. However when it comes to your everyday walk you should try to be as holy as Jesus Christ. That is striving for perfection literally. That is yielding your members as INSTRUMENTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Asa did that for the most part. He wasn’t in the body of Christ, he wasn’t “sealed unto the day of redemption, he wasn’t spiritually circumcised, he didn’t have his sins taken away. However he was doing the best he could at this time.

2Ch 14:3 For he took away the altars of the strange gods, and the high places, and brake down the images, and cut down the groves:

The people were up in the high places in groves where they would worship their strange gods. The gods that they had picked up from other nations. They would worship their graven images. Asa came through and cleaned house. He even “cut down the groves.” That is the trees where they were doing all this stuff in. Men like to do wicked stuff in the shadows.

Hos 4:13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good:

You can apply all this stuff for you practically today. You may not be a physical king like Asa but You are a king in Christ Jesus. And you are in control of how you live in your life. God doesn’t make you do anything. It is your responsibility to choose to do right. It is your responsibility to put Jesus Christ on the throne of your heart. Brake down your images just like Asa. If “INSTAGRAM” is causing you to sin than delete your account. Get rid of the filthy images. Get rid of the high places. Here it says Asa removed them but they seem to pop back up at the end of his reign.

1Ki 15:14 But the high places were not removed: nevertheless Asa’s heart was perfect with the LORD all his days.

Even though Asa got rid of them at one point…if he didn’t finish with them removed than they are counted as still being there. Try to finish with the high places removed. Quit going to the high places. That is your besetting sin. Cut down the groves so that you don’t feel comfortable doing that sin anymore. Don’t give yourself something to hide behind. Don’t get alone in a position where you can pet your besetting sin.

Another great trait about Asa is that he didn’t just quit thinking about God when times were good…he

INSTRUCTED THE PEOPLE TO WORK DURING PROSPERITY.

Things may be going good right now for you but they aren’t always going to be going good.

2Ch 14:4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

2Ch 14:5 Also he took away out of all the cities of Judah the high places and the images: and the kingdom was quiet before him.

2Ch 14:6 And he built fenced cities in Judah: for the land had rest, and he had no war in those years; because the LORD had given him rest.

If your living comfortably right now than you still need to build. The moment you get saved you start building. You are either building with wood and hay or your building with gold, precious stones, and pearls. Your either building in the sand or on a rock. You need to help someone in the ministry or start your own. Or do something for the LORD!

Asa instructed the people to seek God. Asa was living comfortably in prosperity. It will be like that in your Christian life. However if you want victory you need to be building for when the enemy comes over the hill. Right now I’m building my Bible knowledge. Right now I’m trying to get all of my Bible together. I want references and comments next to each verse in my Bible. I want a description at the beginning of each chapter. I want an outline at the beginning of each book. I want to memorize so many verses a week and read so many chapters a day. Then when trouble comes I’ve got me a word for it. If you have the word in you than you can give it to others. If somebody asks me a Bible question I want to be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh me a reason of the hope that is in me. Asa did something great for the people.

He…

INSTILLED THE WORD IN THE PEOPLE OF JUDAH

2Ch 14:4 And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

When I teach my main burden is to get Christians interested in the Bible. I want them to be n love with the word.

Psa 119:161 SCHIN. Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.

Job 23:12 says “ I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. “

If you put the word in you than that’s what is going to come out of you. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

The land was quiet for Asa for awhile. Then an enemy appears. Enemies are going to appear. It is going to happen. For you today , Paul said “all that live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

Rom 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Asa was about to see…

Innumerable Enemies Defeated

If you rely on the LORD you don’t have to be afraid of men. Asa is about to go from living with no real obstacle to seeing INNUMERABLE ENEMIES. This is one of my favorite stories in all of the Bible. You won’t hear many sermons on this story.

2Ch 14:8 And Asa had an army of men that bare targets and spears, out of Judah three hundred thousand; and out of Benjamin, that bare shields and drew bows, two hundred and fourscore thousand: all these were mighty men of valour.

Now that is a lot of Mighty men. They would be much more mighty than any of these fighters you see today. These guys here under Asa were raised up warriors.

2Ch 14:9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

A thousand thousand is 1,000,000. This is an innumerable amount of enemies coming at you. That is too many to count.

2Ch 14:10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

When your going up against an “innumerable amount” of enemies, if you want the victorious Christian life than you are going to have to be like Asa and be…

INSTANT IN PRAYER

2Ch 14:11 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.

You can tell Asa is an experienced prayer warrior. He said to the LORD “it is nothing with thee to help.”

Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for the LORD?

Isa 40:17 All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.

Have you ever heard the saying “that wasn’t nothing for him.” It isn’t nothing for the LORD to get in any situation you have and fix it.

If you want victory it will come through prayer. Paul said “pray without ceasing.” He was always “mentioning” someone in prayer. He said “let your requests be made known unto God.”

2Ch 14:12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa, and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

2Ch 14:13 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; and they carried away very much spoil.

The Ethiopians were “overthrown.” When it comes to your spiritual battles you need to let the LORD lead and go through them like a bulldozer. He will overthrow them like he did those tables. Let him do this until the enemies can’t “recover themselves.” The Ethiopians couldn’t recover. You need to take the hammer of the word and nail the coffin so shut on your pet sin that there isn’t left a crack for it to deep out.

So the Ethiopians were destroyed “before the LORD.” It was the LORD that swept through. Asa and Judah “carried away much spoil.”

2Ch 14:14 And they smote all the cities round about Gerar; for the fear of the LORD came upon them: and they spoiled all the cities; for there was exceeding much spoil in them.

2Ch 14:15 They smote also the tents of cattle, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, and returned to Jerusalem.

They carried away some spoil. Meaning they took away abunch of their stuff! I’m sure they left their rap CDs, I’m sure they left their country music behind, I’m sure they didn’t take their 10 seasons of friends DVDS, because all that stuff like that is why the Ethiopians were ungodly. Maybe they took some of their AirPods out of their ears and said HEY! I can use this to listen to PREACHIN! The Ethiopian was using it to listen to Morgan Wallen but Asa would use it to listen to some old Maze Jackson sermons or Billy Kelly or Danny Castle or James Lince. They might have took their iPads. The Ethiopians had porn on theirs. But Judah could wipe it clean, restore it and get the sermon audio app. In your Christian life when you get victory in battle you carry away some things with you. You carry away some war stories. You carry away experience. You carry away PATIENCE. Because tribulation worketh patience and patience experience.

As a king he was also trying to…

IRON THE WRINKLES OUT OF THE LAND.

After that great battle with the Ethiopians the LORD sent a preacher. This man’s name was “Azariah.” He is the one who preached the word of God straight and led Asa to IRON THR WRINKLES OUT even more than he already had.

2Ch 15:1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:

2Ch 15:2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.

That is a rough message. Notice that this isn’t something Azariah would preach if he were here at a camp meeting today. Today the LORD isn’t going to “forsake you.”

Azariah said “the LORD is with you”….”while ye be with him.” Today if your saved the LORD is always with you.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

2Ch 15:3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

During that time they had been “enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season.” A LONG SEASON. They hadn’t had a teacher. Many times Christians don’t act like christians and they go without a teacher. They never grow. They never get the victorious Christian life.

2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.

Israel had been without a teaching priest and “without law.” Many Christians today are “without a Bible.” It’s on their shelf, it’s in their car with the bonded leather peeling off, it is left in the church pew, they don’t know which Bible is right, they may have the right one but couldn’t tell you why it is the right one.

2Ch 15:3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.

2Ch 15:4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

Jas 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

If you make a move towards God he is waiting there with open arms. He wants fellowship more than you do.

2Ch 15:5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.

2Ch 15:6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.

2Ch 15:7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.

Paul says “be strong in the LORD and in the power of HIS might.” Don’t let your hands be weak.

1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;

Your labour is not in vain. The work that you do will be rewarded.

2Ch 15:8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the LORD, that was before the porch of the LORD.

He “took courage” because somebody preached what God wanted them to preach. That should be what good preaching does. It should give you courage. Asas response to hard preaching was perfect here. He gets rid of the idols out of Judah and Benjamin and out of the cities he had taken over.

1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

Then he “renewed the altar.” An altar then isn’t like the altar you probably use today. Practically speaking you can look at this and say you should renew your prayer life. Be instant in prayer.

2Ch 15:9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the LORD his God was with him.

2Ch 15:10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.

2Ch 15:11 And they offered unto the LORD the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.

2Ch 15:12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

If your going to have victory in your Christian life than your going to have to get to the place where God is the most important thing in your life.

2Ch 15:13 That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

Now we don’t do this today! This is proof every church in your town is dispensational whether they know it or not or almost all the church members would be dead because most Christians don’t seek the LORD.

So we couldn’t practice this literally in our life today. However you could say you need to get the people out of your life that are holding you back from seeking the LORD or doing the right thing. People will hinder you.

2Ch 15:14 And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

Many people are against people getting excited, people shouting, and things like that. There are people that are genuinely doing that from the heart. It isn’t all for show or just all in the flesh.

2Ch 15:15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

A lot of people think that they have done something too wicked or have lived for the devil so long that God wouldn’t want anything to do with them. But look at this verse. They sought him with their whole heart and HE WAS FOUND OF THEM. All they had to do was call on him. God is desiring for people to seek him. He’s not going to play hard to get. A lot of people act like God is up there playing hard to get or something. He isn’t playing no games.

Go to 1 Kings and you’ll find something else that Asa did when he got right with the LORD.

1Ki 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

The Sodomites are what the world calls “homosexuals.” Isn’t it something that God put that in the Bible. A king got his heart really right with God and kicked all of the sodomites out of the land. Yet people in leadership today are all about the sodomite. They don’t just stand up for the rights of the LGBT , they want to give them MORE rights than you have. What an ungodly trash pile we are in. The further you go with sexual sin the more wicked it will become. When your grandpa was in school they watched videos against the sodomites. Today most people are against pedophilia. When your an old man or an old woman they will probably saying a pedophile pervert can’t help that he loves little boys. Sin gets worse and worse. It’s not cute. It’s sick.

2Ch 15:16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.

Asa had to remove his mother from being queen because of her idolatry. That is how right with God he got. She made an idol in a grove. She had it up all pretty and decorated. She probably posted it on Pinterest and tik tok & all the other women loved it and gave it “likes” and “thumbs up” and “smiley faces.” Then Asa pulls up and cuts it down and stomps on it. Then BURNS IT!

There is something about burning the thing that is causing you to sin.

Act 19:19 Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.

Asa had to go against his own family. That is how right with God he had become.

Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

2Ch 15:17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.

Asa did not completely get rid of all of the high places. NEVERTHELESS the heart of Asa was perfect. This proves that perfect does not mean sinless. The LORD saw the heart of Asa that he was trying to Iron the wrinkles out. He was trying to clean house. At the end of the day the LORD knows you are made of sinful flesh. God isn’t stupid. He knows the holiness preacher has bad doctrine.

This verse can be a comfort. I’ll never be sinless but I can still please God and my heart can be considered right even though sometimes we mess up.

Now you shouldn’t approach this verse by saying you can keep a pet sin or two because Asa kept some of the high places.

However another good way to approach it is let it change the way you look at other Christians. Every Christian you know is going to have that smudge. He has everything right BUT he teaches this certain doctrine you don’t like. He has everything right BUT he’s divorced and remarried. Something along those lines. Every preacher has something about him that the devil will use to try and keep you from listening to him.

2Ch 15:18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.

2Ch 15:19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

He was trying to clean house. He was trying to make things straight. He was trying to be on the good and narrow way. He was trying to get in line the things that his fathers had turned around backwards. He came out in objection to some things that his father allowed.

So that brings us to our next point. King Asa heard the preaching of the prophet and he..

IMPROVED ON THE PAST.

We have already seen how he “took the sodomites out of the land.” That is something his grandfather didn’t even do. Under the reign of Rehoboam they were in the land committing abominations.

1Ki 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

It seems there remained a little remnant of Sodomites in the land during the reign of Asa (according to 1 Kings 22:46) but at least he attempted at one time to get them out.

We have seen how he wasn’t swayed by his grandmother Maachah. He removed her from being queen because of her idolatry.

Just because your dad was a drunk doesn’t mean you have to be a drunk. Just because he is a lazy slob that won’t work doesn’t mean you have to be one. If your mother is a whore that doesn’t mean you have to walk in her footsteps. You can break the cycle and improve on the past. Learn from history. You can see the negative effects those things are having on your family and you can choose the right way. My dad was a drunk that was talking to me about drinking with him when I was 12. As a 12 year old lost kid I saw the effects that sin had on him and I knew it was a bad decision. He died in his forties. The way of the transgressor is hard. His father did the same thing to him and his brother. They were drinking at an early age. You have to be the one to break the cycle. You may not love yourself enough to not do those things but what about your kid. Do you want your son growing up seeing a dead beat sissy. The drugs and alcohol make you weak. I’ve worked with so many people in factories. It is like a revolving door. They come in and they come out. I’ve trained so many people. These big tough and rough looking guys that drink and do drugs are the biggest babies. They act like that stuff makes you tough but it makes you weak. You can improve on the past! Don’t follow in your fathers foot steps if he is like Rehoboam and Abijah.

Inconsistency Of Asa.

Asas heart was perfect however he is still flesh. We all have inconsistencies. This means we all have room for improvement but no room to get puffed up. If your going to have victory in your Christian life than you should acknowledge your inconsistencies and realize where you need room for improvement.

2Ch 16:1 In the six and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah, and built Ramah, to the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

So we are in the 36th year of Asa king of Judah and he is in conflict with Baasha King of Israel. Baasha is building Ramah with the intentions of keeping trade and things from coming into Judah. He had the intent that he might let none go out or come in to Asa.

1Ki 15:16 And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days.

This is a picture of the Christian in battle with his flesh all the days of his life.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

2Ch 16:2 Then Asa brought out silver and gold out of the treasures of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Benhadad king of Syria, that dwelt at Damascus, saying,

2Ch 16:3 There is a league between me and thee, as there was between my father and thy father: behold, I have sent thee silver and gold; go, break thy league with Baasha king of Israel, that he may depart from me.

Asa is giving the treasure of the house of the LORD. Remember when his grandfather Rehoboam got into with the king of Egypt and the king of Egypt took the treasures from the house of the lord.

1Ki 14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:

1Ki 14:26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.

Asa giving the treasures of the house of the LORD to Benhadad king of Syria pictures the Christian selling out to the world and counting this world more important that the LORDS TREASURES.

Mat 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

Mat 6:20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

2Ch 16:4 And Benhadad hearkened unto king Asa, and sent the captains of his armies against the cities of Israel; and they smote Ijon, and Dan, and Abelmaim, and all the store cities of Naphtali.

2Ch 16:5 And it came to pass, when Baasha heard it, that he left off building of Ramah, and let his work cease.

So this foreign aid that Asa is getting works for awhile. It isn’t the way God wants things done. He should have just called on the LORD like before.

2Ch 16:6 Then Asa the king took all Judah; and they carried away the stones of Ramah, and the timber thereof, wherewith Baasha was building; and he built therewith Geba and Mizpah.

So Asa took all the supplies Baasha was using against him and used it for himself! This can be a good principal. Take the enemies sword and wack him with it like David did. Use the devils internet to get the word of God out.

Earlier we saw how Asa had a great response to preaching. He listened to it and applied the word to his life. Towards the end of his reign this didn’t happen.

One of his inconsistencies was that he was…

Insulted by the preaching.

2Ch 16:7 And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand.

Hanani the seer preached against the inconsistency of Asa. He exposes the fact that instead of relying on the LORD he relied on the king of Syria to help him in the matter of King Baasha.

2Ch 16:8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand.

When Asa and Judah cried to the LORD about that one million man army the lord delivered them. Why wouldn’t they cry on him to deliver them in the situation with Baasha building Ramah? Always trust in the LORD. Is anything too hard for the LORD?

2Ch 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.

Remember it said before that Asas heart was perfect. This preaching of Hanani had to be blistering because that got personal when he said the LORD “shews himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.”

Hanani is quick to tell him that he is acting a fool and that he is going to be war the rest of his life. The more deep in sin you get as a Christian the bigger fight with the flesh your going to have. The more you feed the flesh the stronger it becomes and the stronger it becomes the harder it is to turn it down.

Now your going to see Asas horrible reaction to the preacher.

2Ch 16:10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time.

Some people would love to put the preacher in prison every Sunday. They are in Canada right now. It’s coming to a church near you.

2Ch 16:11 And, behold, the acts of Asa, first and last, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel.

We’ve been looking at the books of 1 Kings as well , along with Chronicles. 1 and 2 emphasizes The kings of Israel. 1 and 2 Chronicles emphasizes the kings of Judah.

Now we are going to see something that pictures our Christian walk with the LORD when we aren’t living right.

2Ch 16:12 And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease wasexceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians.

Asa was diseased in his feet. His walk was messed up. If you quit listening to the preacher, quit reading your Bible, stop serving the lord, then you will see yourself get diseased in your feet.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

Asas feet was lookin ugly. They probably started calling him names. He probably wouldn’t even go swimming anymore at the pool parties because he was so embarrassed about his ugly feet. He went to an Asian massage parlor and one of the employees threw up when they took his shoes off. He couldn’t warm his feet on his wife’s legs anymore because she said “eww get them things off uh me.” She probably said your feet STINKETH ASA!

A messed up walk will get in your marriage and in your every day life with people. You will be a miserable Christian with a bad testimony.

2Ch 16:13 And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign.

It doesn’t seem like he finished his course with joy but maybe he did.

He sought the physicians instead of the LORD. He didn’t like what the preacher said so he went to the doctor.

2Ch 16:14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him.

It seems he didn’t finish as good as he started spiritually but he made sure his coffin had sweet odours and divers kinds of spices. I’d rather finish my course better than I started it and be buried in a cardboard box than to not finish as well as I started and be buried in an air conditioned coffin. Maybe I’m reading too much into it but it looks like he didn’t finish as well as he probably would of wanted to. Nevertheless as a whole I believe his heart was mostly right with the LORD. Especially compared to other kings.