Our text teaches an important lesson to every child of God who after seeing the salvation of God freaks out at the next challenge they face. In the battle in 2 Chronicles 14, the size of the Ethiopian army was twice the size of Asa’s army of 580,000! Asa knew well to call upon the Lord, recognising the battle was not his but the Lord’s and the Lord gave victory (2 Chronicles 14).

What then happened when Israel’s king came against him (2 Chronicles 16) because the latter was losing people to the righteous land of Judah? Why did Asa not look to the Lord who delivered the Ethiopians into his hands? There are two conjectures:

• time and success had dulled his intensity in seeking God; he forgot the covenant with God and went to make covenant with man (king of Syria), and
• when the seer Anani came to tell him of God’s displeasure, he became angry (2 Chronicles 16:10). Ego and pride had made him incorrigible by God. He became an oppressor of the people of God.

Much as it true that leadership is necessarily the essence of authority, it can easily shift into the exercise of power. The minute that happens, it begins to inflict damage on both the leader and the led. Compare the Asa of 2 Chronicles 14:6-8, 2 Chronicles 15 with the Asa of 2 Chronicles 16:10,12! From passion for God to disdain! What caused the loss of motivation for God, the loss of self-discipline to seek God?

Watch out and may we learn from this. Selah



Pastor Afolabi Oladele