I'm going to do prayers this evening.
2 Chronicles chapter 14.
!
Well, as we pray this evening, and especially as we've been thinking of the matters in our prayers,
we realise how often there is that variety in our prayers, the highs, the lows, the challenges that we often face.
And we've been looking at the Lord's Prayer recently.
We've begun looking at it.
And as we just share some words from this passage this evening, it's in light of the Lord's Prayer as well,
because there we are reminded who we are praying to.
We've looked at that part of the prayer which says,
Our Father who art in heaven.
It is about that relationship that we have with the Lord our God as his people.
Not just as the Lord who is the creator of all things, but the Lord who is indeed our Father.
We've thought of John 3 verse 1.
How we read there,
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God.
And that is what we are.
So there's great reminders for us as we turn to Scripture at such difficult times to pray,
because sometimes we just don't know what to pray.
We feel that just sense of burden for people, for situations,
and especially as we think of young Caleb tonight, just we wonder, what do we pray?
But let's not just think, what do we pray?
But let's think, who are we praying to?
So that whatever our words are, even if they're just the groanings of our heart,
they are known by God.
And they are known by God who is our Father in heaven.
And the wonderful thing about Scripture at such times as this,
is that it speaks into the reality of every situation that we find ourselves in.
We see prayers throughout the Scriptures that remind us of just how many different prayers there are.
You think of the many psalms that are prayers,
and the variety that you find in the psalms.
There's both delight and rejoicing,
but there's also crying to the Lord in trouble.
There's crying out to him for help.
There's crying out with questions,
such as we may have at these times.
But we thank God that he has given us that in his word,
the reality of all the different situations that we find ourselves in.
And even when you reflect on Jesus' prayers,
we've read John 17 recently as we were looking at the Lord's Prayer,
that wonderful prayer where Jesus prays for his people,
where he prays for you and for me.
And even as we think of those who we are praying for this evening,
we can have that assurance that the Lord has prayed for them,
that we come through his name.
But we also see the challenge of prayer with Jesus.
You think of his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane,
how he was in agony, how he was praying to the Father,
if it be your will, let this cup pass me by,
but not my will be done, but yours.
The challenge that there is in that prayer.
And isn't there such a blessing that we can come to all of these passages in Scripture
and just remind ourselves we come to God.
We come to the Father in heaven.
As there begs daily reading today, very apt for today,
a reminder to pray was the heading of it.
How there are times when we can try and go on in our own strength,
managed by ourselves,
but we are reminded that we can't.
And we are often taken to those points
where we remember we cannot manage by ourselves.
No matter how much we would love to,
we depend on God.
And as the begs said in his daily reading today,
for when you pray and watch what God does,
you discover that he does far more
than you had even dared ask or thought to imagine.
And that is a hope that we have as we pray tonight.
That we pray and we watch what God does.
We don't know what it will be.
We don't know what the outcome will be.
But we watch what God does.
And God is able to do far more
than we ever dared ask or thought to imagine.
So our Lord reigns.
And that is our hope as we come in prayer.
And as we see with Asa here,
we see that element of prayer in his experience as well.
Prayer in good times,
prayer in difficult times.
But whether it's success or otherwise,
it was not dependent on his power.
It was all dependent on God.
On God who reigns on high.
We see in verse 2 there how Asa's reign begins
in a good way.
It begins by getting his priorities right.
He begins by,
Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord,
he took away the foreign altars,
the high places.
He broke down the pillars,
cut down the ashram.
He got rid of the idols that people were worshipping.
And so he began with this.
And he made God the focus of worship.
And they enjoy a long time of peace.
But then an army arises against their nation.
And trouble comes.
But he is ready to trust God.
Even in the midst of that,
when there seems a likelihood
that their victory would be slim.
But he prays.
And he organises his troops.
And so there's a reminder to us
that whether it's in the good times
or the difficult times,
we pray.
And we do as God asks.
We look for God's help and blessing.
And may we continue to pray with that confidence
that Asa has here,
that his God reigns,
our God reigns.
And just three things very briefly
as we look at this passage.
First of all,
we see that Asa felt powerless.
We see secondly,
he cried out.
And then thirdly,
he went to battle.
So he felt powerless.
When you read the beginning of the chapter,
verse 1 through to verse 7,
you see peace mentioned often.
Times of peace are mentioned.
And it tells us that there was no war in those years.
There was peace for 10 years.
They had this period
where it all was well.
But it's never just wasted in that sense.
It's not just a case of things going on well.
As we saw in verse 2,
Asa was making it clear for the people,
this is a time we worship God.
Things may go well,
but we still worship God.
And when we have that
in our times of peace,
we are far better prepared then
for when the times of challenge come.
Because we see that comes
in Asa's experience.
The Ethiopian army
arises against him
and his people.
And from there
comes trouble.
War is imminent.
What do they do?
You look at the numbers.
The numbers are recorded for us here.
And you think,
what's the purpose in that?
In verse 8,
Asa had an army of 300,000 from Judah
and he had 280,000 men from Benjamin
that carried shields and drew bows.
All were mighty men of valor.
You think,
well,
there's half a million soldiers that he has.
But then when you look at verse 9,
you see a number there as well.
Sarah,
the Ethiopian,
came out against them
with an army of a million men
and 300 chariots.
So the numbers are there for us
to show that this is
two against one.
Asa's army
is outnumbered
two to one.
And there's this sense of
where do we go?
What do we do?
How are we going to go
into this battle?
What can I do?
Would be Asa's cry.
Where can I go?
Well,
what did he do?
He did what we see
in verse 11.
He cried out
to the Lord,
his God.
He wasn't dismayed.
He wasn't discouraged.
He cried out
to the Lord.
And that's
a powerful reminder
to us
at this time.
We enjoy
times
of peace
and times
of blessing.
But where do we turn
when we feel powerless
or when we feel powerless
for others?
And what we do,
we feel that sense
of powerless
nature
because what can we do
for Caleb?
What can we do
for the family?
Well,
we can do the greatest thing
of all.
We cry out
to God
for them,
for us,
for all
who are going through
these difficult times.
We cry out
to God.
And that's never
a waste
of time.
The psalm,
one of the psalms
that we sang
had mentioned
that how often
you see people
around saying,
where is your God now?
What is your God
going to do?
How will God
help
in this situation?
Why has God
allowed this
to happen?
We don't lose
hope
in the midst
of it,
even though people
might say these
things.
They would maybe
say to Asa,
if you look at the
numbers,
how are you going
to manage
two against one?
It's a hopeless
situation,
a powerless
situation.
But no,
it's not
because he has
the Lord
with him.
So whether it's
peace or trouble
we are in,
what a blessing
to know
that God
is there
for us
to call upon.
So he felt
helpless,
we may feel
helpless,
but that's what
takes us
to God
because we
cannot do it,
but he can.
And that's
what we see
here,
secondly,
with Asa.
he cries out
to the Lord
from feeling
helpless and
powerless.
You see in
verse 11
here his
prayer.
And it's
only a few
words,
and yet it
says so
much to us.
Asa cried
out to the
Lord his
God,
O Lord,
there is
none like
you.
What
confidence
he has.
There is
none like
you.
To help
between the
mighty
and the
weak,
help us.
O Lord,
our God,
for we
rely on
you,
and on
your name
we have
come against
this multitude.
O Lord,
you are
our God,
let not
man prevail
against you.
That's his
prayer.
It's only
one verse,
and yet it's
full of
so much
for us.
He cries
out to
God,
and it's
obvious,
it's the
God he
knows.
It's
obvious that
the ten
years of
peace that
they have
enjoyed,
has been
a time
of a
close
relationship
with
God.
Because
he's able
to say
these things
with confidence.
There is
none like
you to
help.
There's
been peace,
there's
been no
war,
so it's
not like
they've
seen it
time and
time again.
Here is
maybe a
new situation
for many
of the
people,
but Asa
is confident
in this
situation,
there is
none like
you to
help.
And when
we come
into
trying
situations,
difficult
situations,
new
situations
for us,
there is
none like
you to
help.
There is
none like
God to
help.
There is
nothing too
difficult
for you.
When it
says there
is none
like you
to help,
another way
of translating
it that may be
closer is,
Lord, in the
scheme of
things, this
is nothing
to you.
In the
scheme of
things, this
is nothing
to you.
That is
who God
is.
He is
powerful,
he is
able, he
reminds us
in so many
different ways,
this is
nothing to
you.
We are
in your
hands, we
are committing
others into
your hands
because there
is nothing
too difficult
for you.
there are
times when
we can
feel alone,
times when
we maybe
feel, where
is God?
John Knox,
I'm sure
you've heard
of him,
a reformer
in Scotland,
he was used
by God in a
mighty way,
but he said
this, a man
with God
is always
in the
majority.
A man
with God
is always
in the
majority.
Why was he
saying that?
because there
were many
times when
he felt
alone,
when he
felt that
there was
maybe no
one to
help around
him, and
yet he was
able to
say a man
with God
is always
in the
majority.
And that
is who
is on
our side
as well.
He doesn't
leave his
people.
He doesn't
abandon us
in our
time of
need.
Asa knew
that.
He went
and cried
to the
Lord,
there is
none like
you to
help.
Between the
mighty and
the weak,
it doesn't
matter who
we are,
it doesn't
matter what
situation
we're in,
mighty or
weak,
he is
able to
help.
Oh Lord,
we rely
on you.
That is
our cry
to the
Lord of
the
impossible,
to the
one who
is able.
next week
we're going
to be with
the children
God willing
in the
hall.
We're going
to be
focusing on
the armour
of God.
That's going
to be our
focus.
But this
isn't just
something we
teach young
people.
This isn't
just something
to teach
the children.
First and
foremost,
it's to
remind
ourselves.
Take up
the armour
of God
as it
says in
Ephesians
6.
That's what
we need
at this
time.
That's
what we
need
day by
day.
All
these
bits
of armour
that help
us to
know God
with us,
to help
us know
God's
protection.
And with
that we
stand.
With
that we
defend
ourselves
against
the
attacks.
We have
that armour
of God
to help
us.
His
word,
the
spirit,
faith,
all of
these
things.
We
have
them.
We
rely
on them.
We
depend
on
them.
That's
what
Asa
was
depending
on
here.
Oh
Lord,
there
is
none
like
you
to
help.
That
is
what
we
have.
That
is
who
we
have.
We
cry
out
to
God.
Back
in the
16th
century,
he was
a man,
Sir
Walter
Raleigh.
He
used to
come,
it
with
requests
to
such
an
extent
that
one
day
she
said
to
him
when
he
had
come
with
another
request,
Riley,
when
will
you
stop
coming
to
me
begging?
Sir
Walter
reply
was,
when
your
majesty
stops
giving.
And
there's
a great
reminder
to us
there.
God
doesn't
say,
when
will
you
stop
coming
with
your
requests
because
he
never
stops
giving.
He
never
says
to
us
enough,
you've
had
your
fill.
Instead
he
says
come,
cast
your
cares
upon
me
for
I
care
for
you.
And
so
let
us
cry
out
to
the
one
with
whom
all
things
are
possible.
So
Asa
cried
out,
O
Lord,
you
are
able,
there
is
none
like
you
to
help.
But
you
see,
thirdly,
hear us
well.
He
went
into
battle.
In
verse
12,
the
Lord
went
into
battle
with
him.
So
the
Lord
defeated
the
Ethiopians
before
Asa
and before
Judah
and the
Ethiopians
bled.
Asa
didn't
just
say,
Lord,
that's
it,
I'm
done.
He
went
into
battle.
You
see
that
as
you
read
on
how
they
pursued
after
the
Ethiopians.
They
went
into
battle
two
against
one,
but
they
went
with
God
on
his
side.
They
went
in
confidence.
They
went
relying
on
God,
on
his
name.
They
went
relying
and
believing
that
he
was
able
to
fight
for
them.
And
look at
the
way
it
says
in
verse
11,
O
Lord,
you
are
our
God,
let
not
man
prevail
against
you.
Let
not
man
prevail
against
you.
It's
like
he's
saying,
Lord,
show
us
your
glory
in
the
midst
of
this.
Let
not
man
prevail
against
you.
They
wanted
to see
the
glory
of
God
in
the
midst.
They
wanted
to see
God
fighting
for
them
that
they
might
praise
his
name.
And
it's
a
reminder
to
us
as
well.
We
go
into
battle.
When
you
think
of
the
armour
of
God,
it's
to
go
into
battle.
It's
because
we're
in a
day
by
day
battle
against
an
enemy
who
wants
to
defeat
us.
But
as
we
take
up
the
armour
of
God
and
as
we
pray
to
God,
we
do
so,
Lord,
that
we
might
see
your
glory.
Not
that
but
for
his.
That
even
through
the
most
difficult
of
times
and
experiences
as
has
been
prayed
that
we
would
see
God
working.
That
we
would
see
God
giving
blessings
in
extraordinary
ways.
That
we
would
see
a
witness
to
those
around
us
who
have
maybe
no
thought
of
God
at
this
time
and
yet
who
are
showing
an
interest
in
the
situation
that
Caleb
and the
family
find
themselves
in.
That
the
witness
of
the
church
that
the
prayers
of
the
church
that
the
love
of
Christ
that
the
church
shows
will
be
a
witness
to
all
around.
Let
the
glory
of
God
be
seen
in
it.
But
again
the
glory
of
God
the
peace
of
God
would
shine
upon
them
as
a
family
and
upon
all
who
need
the
Lord
in
special
ways
at
this
time.
Asa's
with
all
our
fights
are
with
the
Lord
on
our
side.
As
Psalm
18
verse
29
says
with
help
from
God
I
can
advance
against
a
troop
and
rout
them
all
and
with
the
aid
my
God
will
give
I
can
leap
over
any
wall.
That's
what
Asa knew
in his
experience
here.
With
the
help
of
God
I
can
advance.
God
was
with
him.
And
as
we
go
into
the
battle
of
prayer
that
we
go
with
faith
that
we
go
with
confidence
in
God
that
we
do
not
lose
heart
as
we
pray
even
in
the
most
difficult
situations
but
that
we
pray
with
faith
with
confidence
in
God
the
God
who
is
able
the
God
who
there
is
none
like
you
to
help
that
is
the
same
God
that
we
pray
to
as
well
a
man
called
Lancelot
Andrews
he
was one
of the
translators
involved
in the
King
James
Bible
back
in
1611
there's
a
prayer
of
his
recorded
and I
think
it's
a
great
little
prayer
for us
to
think
of
even
as
we
think
of
how
we
pray
to
God
just
now
he
prayed
this
!
He
was
praying
for
God
all
encompassing
in
every
way
surrounding
him
and
that's
our
prayer
for
those
in
need
tonight
it's
our
prayer
for
ourselves
be
within
me
to
strengthen
me
without
me
to
keep
me
above
me
to
protect
me
beneath
me
to
uphold
me
before
me
to
direct
me
behind
me
to
keep
me
from
straying
round
about
me
to
defend
me
that's
our
prayer
for
those
in
need
and
for
ourselves
may
we
keep
praying
keep
praying
for
those
in
need
keep
praying
with
confidence
we
feel
helpless
for
ourselves
and
for
others
but
we
are
reminded
we
have
a
great
God
we
have
a
father
in
heaven
to
come
to
who
hears
who
answers
our
prayers
as
he
knows
best
asa
cried
to
the
Lord
O
Lord
there
is
none
like
you
to
help
we
cry
to
the
Lord
in
the
same
way
because
there
is
none
like
you
to
help
O
Lord
between
the
mighty
and
the
weak
help
us
help
us
Lord
keep
praying
help
those
who
need
you
let
us
pray
Lord
our
gracious
God
we
thank
you
that
we
have
your
word
we
have
that
assurance
from
it
we
have
that
confidence
in
it
O
Lord
there
is
none
like
you
to
help
between
the
mighty
and
the
weak
help
us
O
Lord
we
pray
to
be
all
around
them
day
by
day
Lord
be
our
guide
be
our
shepherd
as
we
ask
it
all
in
Jesus
name
Amen
we
we're
going
to
conclude
by