Bible Reading: 2 Chro. 16; 1Thes. 2:1-10.
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great: yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.” – 2 Chronicles 16:12 (KJV)
Asa started well as the king of Judah as he sought the face of the Lord and did things that were good and right in the eyes of the Lord. And God gave him rest all round. However he became overconfident such that when the King of Israel confronted him, he decided to use his wisdom rather than ask God the way out. He sought the help of another King to fight theIsraelites ( 2 Chronicles 16:1-6). This is the problem with a number of believers. When they give their lives to Christ or when God gives them a major victory, they are fervent for the Lord, seeking his face and pleasing him. However as they get more comfortable, they begin to use their wisdom rather than rely on the same God that saved them and gave them victory.
But our God is merciful, at such times, when you make mistakes, he either reminds you or send his children to you to warn you of the error. This is what he did to Asa, the king of Judah in 2 Chro.16:7 when he sent a Seer, Hanani to him. But, like many believers today, rather than accepting his error, he imprisoned the Seer and began to oppress his subjects.
Have you relied on your wisdom to do some things wrongly and the Lord has prompted you? Rather than fighting or punishing the messenger of God to you, you need to repent, ask for forgiveness and seek ways of pleasing the Lord. If Asa had repented of his sin, he would have been forgiven by God and most likely ended well. Instead, his arrogance led to his affliction and death in sin. It is sad that he lost the opportunity of getting rewarded for the good things he started with. May you end well and strong in Jesus name.
However, to end well, you need to watch your anger. Ecclesiastes 7:9 (KJV) says: “Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.” Most people have lost their blessings to anger and pride. In addition, there is a need to do a regular check of your alignment with God such that if there is any area where you transgress you can quickly seek the face of God for mercy knowing that you are to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil 2:12).
Prayer point: Father, search me for anything that may work against my finishing well and let it be uprooted now from my life in Jesus name.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero