July 20th
2 Chronicles 32:7-8
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles." And the people took confidence from the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
There are crises in our lives that are so overwhelming we wonder how we will overcome them. We see little help or hope to assist us in dealing with our devastating dilemmas. We can’t find a suitable solution for our situation.
But our text gives us hope that nothing is too big for our big God. There is nothing we encounter that He can’t engage. There is nothing so overwhelming that He can’t overcome.
The the king of Assyria had been besieging the Israelites cities and decimating everything that stood in his way. There was no one who could stand against the multitude that was with him. Everything in their path was destroyed. Now they were encroaching upon the kingdom of Judah. “He encamped against the fortified cities thinking to win them for himself” as he had done with every other city that he had attacked. But God had other plans for His people.
Hezekiah, the king of Judah, moved quickly to enhance his fortifications around Jerusalem and to encourage his disillusioned people. He sealed off the water supply to prevent the invading army from having access to water. He then repaired and reinforced the city walls. Then finally, he made an abundance of weapons and shields for his people. He did everything physically possible to prepare for the ensuing battle.
But Hezekiah knew that the people were frightened and feeble. They had heard of the massive Assyrian army and the reports of the devastation and destruction that lay in their path. He knew that physical preparation was not enough and that he had to under-gird it with mental and spiritual preparation.
So he gathered the people together and gave them encouragement. This gave them the confidence they needed to stand strong in the battle. His words helped them to have hope in the midst of a horrific situation. He told them not to be “afraid or dismayed” but rather to be “strong and courageous”. He continued his encouragement with an explanation of why they didn’t need to be afraid. He said that the Assyrians relied on the multitude of their soldiers and their military might. He said with them was “an arm of the flesh”. Their power was based on what was before them. They were limited to what they had on hand for the battle. But, Hezekiah quickly added, “but with us is the Lord our God.” He encouraged the people that their power was not based on what was before them, but what was beyond them. It was not based on what they had on hand for the battle, but on the mighty hand of God who would be with them in their battle.
Those three simply words “but with us” changes everything. They should be our mantra when we are overwhelmed by our circumstances. They should be our cry when crises overtake us. “But with us” gives us hope when we are hopeless and help when we feel helpless. When we find ourselves “afraid or dismayed” by life’s difficulties we should affirm these three words. “But with us” should enable us to encounter anything that arises against us. This is the phrase that will empower us to be “strong and courageous” in any crisis. This is what will give us the confidence we need to stand against anything that stands against us, knowing that the Lord is with us "to help us and to fight our battles".
Today don't be afraid or dismayed by what you battle. Praise God that He has come to help you and fight your battle. He is with you. He is for you. He will help you. God forward in faith believing the God is faithful to be with you in your struggle. Plant your feet firmly in this phrase, "But with us"to gain the confidence you need to confront the crises that you face.
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