2 Chronicles 14:9-12 (MSG) 9-11 Zerah the Ethiopian went to war against Asa with an army of a million plus three hundred chariots and got as far as Mareshah. Asa met him there and prepared to fight from the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. Then Asa prayed to God, “O God, you aren’t impressed by numbers or intimidated by a show of force once you decide to help: Help us, O God; we have come out to meet this huge army because we trust in you and who you are. Don’t let mere mortals stand against you!” God defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and Judah; the Ethiopians ran for their lives.
Philippians 3:7-11 (Phillips) Yet every advantage that I had gained I considered lost for Christ’s sake. Yes, and I look upon everything as loss compared with the overwhelming gain of knowing Jesus Christ my Lord. For his sake I did in actual fact suffer the loss of everything, but I considered it useless rubbish compared with being able to win Christ. For now my place is in him, and I am not dependent upon any of the self-achieved righteousness of the Law. God has given me that genuine righteousness which comes from faith in Christ. How changed are my ambitions! Now I long to know Christ and the power shown by his resurrection: now I long to share his sufferings, even to die as he died, so that I may perhaps attain as he did, the resurrection from the dead.
Observation
God is not impressed by human or occult power, huge numbers, stellar human achievements about which any might brag or any self-achieved righteousness. He is also not deterred by strongholds or barriers that we see as impossible or chronic. There are no insurmountable or overwhelming odds or numbers for Him. He is the Almighty, Everlasting, One True God. No other god we can conceive or embrace compares in the slightest way to Him. King Asa trusted in this against impossible odds when everything depended upon it. Paul abandoned all he had humanly earned as a Pharisee when he recognized, embraced, and lived in this knowledge – “For his sake I did in actual fact suffer the lossof everything, but I considered it useless rubbish compared with being able to win Christ.”
The most remarkable, amazing, miraculous thought is that this God calls Himself our Father, our Redeemer, our Teacher, Comforter, the Lover of our souls. He meets us on our wayward track, walking beside us on the sinful, prideful pathways we have chosen on our own and draws us toward a better way – His way. He is not impressed or deterred by our seeking “self-achieved righteousness” – those things that we do, we accomplish, to primarily bring us praise, acceptance, favor from those around us. He is impressed by our depth of submission, degree of obedience and absolute trust in Him -that genuine righteousness that comes from faith in Christ.
Impact on Me
I know all of this. I have experienced His miraculous power and love over my long relationship with Him. Nonetheless, I can be knocked down and forget when I run up against that long-standing stronghold that prayer doesn’t seem to impact or a dear friend who is a lovely child of God faces lethal and painful medical battles or even when another hidden emotional wound is unearthed to bring pain all over again. These are the tribulations Jesus told us we would face. He also told us the He has overcome them all.
So, I let Jesus help me up off the ground and we go forward together. I want to be like King Asa who kept his eyes on God and not on the battle he faced: “Then Asa prayed to God, ’O God, you aren’t impressed by numbers or intimidated by a show of force once you decide to help: Help us, O God; we have come out to meet this huge army because we trust in you and who you are. Don’t let mere mortals stand against you!’” My God can overcome overwhelming odds, bring down long-standing barriers, protect and defend me from any enemy, bring healing for any wound, and provide any and all I need in any given moment – in His way and timing. I am foolish when I allow myself to think that my own strength, wisdom, knowledge and abilities are sufficient – “I can handle this one; I know what to do here; no need to get God’s input.”. Far better to walk alongside as the Holy Spirit leads, guides and directs my path.
Devotion
Lord God, Father, Redeemer, Protector, Teacher, Lover of my soul, I worship You alone. All the praise belongs to You. Lord, make me like King Asa and the Apostle Paul in my submission and dedication to You. There is nothing the enemy can devise or set in motion that surprises or causes You to change Your plans. I want to walk out Your will and purpose for me and my life. I want to be what You have called me to be and do all that You have called me to do. Make it so, in Jesus’ name.
Pressing On In His Footsteps 