King Asa: Kingdom-focused Prayer

As a young pastor, Ben Jennings asked God to make Himself more real to him.

Struggling with an overwhelming workload, Ben found that it wasn’t always easy to be quiet before the Lord and to sense His presence. So Ben prayed words to this effect, “Lord, will You make me more aware of Your presence? Show me how to keep my thoughts more steadfastly on You. Teach me how to be more intimate with You as I go about serving You.”

About that time, a young man who occasionally visited Ben’s church became convinced, for some unknown reason, that Ben had thwarted his plans to marry a certain young woman in the congregation.

It became an irrational, growing obsession with him.

“I ought to hit you,” he said. Then later, “I ought to kill you.” Still later, “I am going to kill you.” It reached a culmination one morning when he held up a pistol while driving his car around the parking lot. Later Ben discovered him standing outside his house. As he ran for his car, Ben called out in terror, “In the name of Jesus, (you evil spirit) come out of him!”

Ben never saw the young man again, but for the next three weeks he lived in mortal fear for himself and his family. The police could do nothing because no crime had been committed. To spare his family from distress, he did not tell them about the danger, but sought God continually to save them from harm. His circumstances led him to a completely new level of walking in prayer.

One afternoon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, Ben got alone with God and prayed, “Lord, I cannot take this anymore. I see no answer. Can You help us? What shall I do?”

Inaudibly but clearly, the Lord seemed to answer, “Remember your prayer to Me a few weeks ago? You asked Me to make you more aware of My presence—to keep your thoughts more consistently on Me. Well, hasn’t this episode helped to accomplish that?”

Ben acknowledged that the Lord had, in fact, answered his prayer. It was in a way entirely different from anything he had expected, but when the reality struck him, he gave thanks to God.

A marvelous peace returned to his spirit and he began to be able to trust the Lord in a relaxed way for His protection. The danger ended, but Ben’s awareness of God’s presence continued and is increasing to this day!

Have you ever been in a situation where the only prayer you could think to pray was, “Help, Lord!”? Did you, as Ben did, begin to focus more intently on being aware of the presence of the Lord in the midst of your situation? Asa, as a young king of Judah, was faced with similarly dire circumstances when his nation faced annihilation from an invading army. In his helplessness, he was driven to the Lord to seek help. As you read the story of Asa and study his prayer, you will find some important principles to apply to your own prayer life.

THE KING AND HIS KINGDOM

Asa was the third king of the southern kingdom of Judah, following his father Abijah to the throne in 910 BC. He ruled for forty-one years and is considered to be one of the good kings.

According to 2 Chronicles 14:2, “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” His rule was marked by stability and spiritual revival in the nation.

As a young king, he immediately began a national cleansing from the sins of his predecessors. Idols were broken down and altars to pagan gods were destroyed. In addition to putting away evil, he also pointed the nation in the right direction. “He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands” (2 Chronicles 14:4). Because of his commitment to the Lord, the first ten years of his reign were peaceful.

Then came a great test of his faith. A massive army from Ethiopia came against Judah and its much smaller army. It is in the context of this invasion that we find Asa’s prayer in 2 Chronicles 14:11. The result of this beautiful prayer expressing dependence upon God was an overwhelming victory for Judah over the forces of Ethiopia.

Following the victory, God sent a prophet named Azariah to remind Asa and the nation that this victory had come from the Lord. According to the Scriptures, Asa took courage at those words and led Judah in a renewed time of revival and commitment to the Lord. Second Chronicles 15:8-19 records an amazing time of spiritual vitality and celebration for the nation. God’s response to their worship was to grant them another long period of peace.

Unfortunately, Asa did not finish well. After thirty-five years as king, another crisis arose with the northern kingdom of Israel. Baasha, king of Israel, began to make preparations for war against Asa. Instead of relying upon the Lord as he had done in the past, Asa turned to his own plans and schemes. He took money from the temple and used it to encourage the king of Syria to attack the Israelites. It was a brilliant move that caught Baasha off guard and made him abandon his intended war against Judah.

However, Asa’s strategy was not what the Lord had intended. God sent the prophet Hanani to Asa to deliver a rebuke for his lack of trust. In other situations, Asa had turned to the Lord for help.

Here, however, he had trusted in his own wisdom and plans.

John Piper helps us apply this to our own lives:

“There is a great lesson here. So many times when we rely on ourselves and our own resources, things seem to go well for a season. But things are not well when we have stopped hoping in God and started hoping in what man can do. We miss tremendous blessings and we bring unnecessary hardship on ourselves. Look at the blessing Asa missed in verse 7b: ‘Because you relied on the king of Syria, and did not rely on the Lord your God, the army of Syria has escaped you.’ God would not only have protected Asa from Baasha and Israel, he would have given the entire Syrian army into the hands of Asa. But Asa threw it away by trusting in money and intrigue instead of God.”

Asa compounded the problem by his response to the prophet’s words. Instead of repenting, he got angry and threw Hanani into prison. Lack of repentance always leads to more sin and difficulty.

Several years later, Asa developed a serious disease of the feet. His heart now set against trusting God, he turned only to physicians for help. He died from the disease, with these latter lapses of faith marring the legacy of this godly king of Judah.

CRISIS IN THE KINGDOM

Early in his reign Asa had made it a priority for the people in his kingdom to seek the Lord in prayer, and to be obedient to Him. “He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to obey his laws and commands” (2 Chronicles 14:4). The fortified places had been built up during the time of peace the Lord gave to Asa. He was confident that the Lord was giving them favor for their devotion and obedience, and that He was protecting Jerusalem. “The land is still ours, because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought him and he has given us rest on every side” (2 Chronicles 14:7b).

One day, that peace was threatened by Zerah the Cushite, who “marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots” (2 Chronicles 14:9). Asa and his much smaller army went out to meet this challenge (2 Chronicles 14:10). Severely outnumbered, he faced his enemy across the field of battle. Recognizing that Judah was facing certain defeat without the hand of God, Asa prayed a short, desperate prayer. You know the kind, because we’ve all prayed them: “Help, Lord!”

THE ROYAL PRAYER

“Then Asa called to the Lord his God and said, ‘Lord, there is no one like you to help the

powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you’” (2 Chronicles 14:11).

THE ROYAL REQUESTS

1. “Lord, there is no one like you . . .” Asa gave recognition to the Lord as the only God.

Amazingly, in the face of battle, Asa did not fail to focus on who God is. “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:22). Such acknowledgment lines up exactly with Jesus’ teaching on the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). In an age of plurality of gods, Asa’s prayer acknowledged the One True God.

2. “. . . to help the powerless against the mighty.” Asa recognized that God is able. He went to battle totally overwhelmed, far outnumbered, and in the natural, headed for sure defeat. Rather than rally his troops around false courage, he declared his powerlessness before God and his men. It is critical in prayer that we acknowledge our own inadequacies and our dependence upon God. Like Asa, we are going to come against what seems to be “mighty,” whether it is a personal sin issue we are dealing with, or family members who are resistant to the gospel, or a huge stronghold of the enemy, such

as abortion. We will often find ourselves feeling overpowered as we struggle against what seems to be mighty. Like the ten faithless spies who went into the land of Canaan (Numbers 13:31-33), we see giants in the land, and we picture ourselves as mere grasshoppers. Like Asa, we need to focus on the Almighty God, not the seemingly mighty opposition arrayed against us. “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit” (Zechariah 4:6).

3. “Help us, O Lord our God . . .” Asa’s first response to the impending crisis was to turn to God for help. “Give us aid against the enemy, for the help of man is worthless. With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies” (Psalm 60:11-12). “Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake” (Psalm 79:9). “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Perhaps no other prayer is prayed with as much frequency or fervency as, “Help, Lord!”

4. “. . . for we rely on you . . .” Asa recognized that the nation’s survival depended entirely upon God and not upon himself. An essential part of our prayer life is confessing that apart from God we are unable to do what He calls us to do. Jesus taught the same principle in John 15:5: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” The prayer of reliance is one that honors God and acknowledges His power. It is the deep-seated desire to “stay attached” to the vine!

5. “. . . and in your name we have come against this vast army.” When Asa prayed in God’s name, he declared that he was coming to do battle in the authority of God. He was not going to do this in his own strength. In the Bible, the name of someone always means something significant. When Abram received the promise of God, his name was changed to Abraham, signifying that he was to become the father of many nations. Jacob’s name (“Deceiver”) was changed to Israel (“Prince of God”).

God’s name, likewise, denotes power. Acknowledgment of God’s name is an acknowledgment of His authority and power and is a key element in any effective prayer. As Christians, we pray in the name of Jesus. That’s not just a nice way of closing our prayers. Rather, it is bringing the power and authority of Jesus into our request and situation. We have no power before God except through the name of Jesus. It is not the size of the army or the opposition that matters. In our prayer life it is not the obstacles we face that we must look at. It is the powerful name of Jesus. “Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes” (Psalm 44:5).

Asa came against the army of the Cushites in the name of the Lord: “And in your name we have come against this vast army.” This is reminiscent of his forefather David in his struggle against Goliath: “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied’” (1 Samuel 17:45).

6. “O Lord, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you.” This is a wonderful example of a God-centered, kingdom-focused prayer. Asa’s prayer ultimately is a concern for God’s honor and glory. Judah was so identified with God that for the nation to experience defeat at this point in its history would, in the eyes of the pagan nations around it, be a defeat for Judah’s God.

KINGDOM FOCUS

We must learn to pray God-centered, kingdom-focused prayers. It is not so much our needs as God’s purposes that we must be concerned for. When we face issues as a nation that impact morality and ethics, we must ultimately pray, “Oh God, do not let man prevail against You and Your standards and Your holy Word.” “Arise, O Lord, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence. Strike them with terror, O Lord; let the nations know they are but men” (Psalm 9:19-20). The greatest prayers of the Bible have been passionately concerned for the glory and reputation of God. To pray like

the king is to pray God-centered, kingdom-focused prayers.

GOD’S RESPONSE

1. God gave Asa the victory. “The Lord struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled, and Asa and his army pursued them as far as Gerar. Such a great number of Cushites fell that they could not recover; they were crushed before the Lord and his forces” (2 Chronicles 14:12-13).

2. God sent a prophet to encourage Asa. “The Spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. He went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Listen to me, Asa and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. . . . But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:1-2, 7).

THE ROYAL REACTION

“When Asa heard these words . . . he took courage” (2 Chronicles 15:8). In the rest of chapter 15 we find a time of religious revival in which the idols were removed and the altar of the temple was repaired. All Judah followed the king in this time of reaffirmation of their faith. In 2 Chronicles 15:14-15 we read, “They took an oath to the Lord with loud acclamation, with shouting and with trumpets and horns. All Judah rejoiced about the oath because they had sworn it wholeheartedly. They sought God eagerly, and he was found by them. So the Lord gave them rest on every side.”

King Asa’s courageous response to and wholehearted acceptance of the Word of the Lord shows us something very important. When a leader prays a powerful prayer of authority based on the Lord’s will, it prompts acts of obedience from those who are following. God will then move to bring about victory in lives or situations, and perhaps \give additional words of encouragement or instruction.

The response of Asa and the people of Judah to the Word was enthusiastic acceptance. They had just experienced a victory from the hand of the Lord. Now their hearts were set upon seeking God and experiencing the joy and peace of His presence in their midst. It was a significant time of spiritual revival in the life of Judah. Isn’t this what we desire as the people of God today?

Imagine if the church reaffirmed its faith wholeheartedly as Judah did. What if it was said of your congregation that all the people were seeking God eagerly? It begins with prayer.

MAKING IT YOUR OWN

Lord, teach me to pray. Teach me to rely upon You. Whatever obstacle or enemy I face, I come against it in Your powerful name. Do not let my lack of faith or weakness bring shame to Your name. Rise up, O God, and make Your name known among the peoples. Revive Your church in our day. May we be a people who seek You eagerly as did the people of Judah long ago.

DIGGING DEEPER

1. There are still many gods worshiped in the world today. Idols are everywhere and can even trip up the most steadfast Christian if he or she is not careful. Is God the only god in your life, home, family, workplace, school or church? What have you set up for yourself as an idol (TV, shopping, food,  the Internet, your spouse, your kids)?

2. Write down one time in your life when you have felt powerless against the mighty circumstances surrounding you. Perhaps you are facing an impossible situation right now. Are you trying to overcome this problem in your own strength? If so, why? What would it take to lay it down at the feet of Jesus, who says to you, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God”(Mark 10:27)?

3. When you are in need of immediate help, do you first turn to God, or to man? In other words, do you pray, “Help, Lord!” or dial 911 as your first response? Where is your dependence in times of crisis?

4. Why is it important to face the enemy in the name of the Lord?

5. Have you ever experienced a powerfully clear answer to a prayer? What was your response? Did it bring a clear change in your behavior as we see in this story of the people of Judah?

6. Has there ever been a time in your life when you can say that God gave you “rest on every side”? If so, reflect on the circumstances of that time. What was your part and what was God’s part?

7. Think of a situation in your life where you needed God’s help. Write a prayer that reflects how King Asa would have prayed under the same circumstances you now face.

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