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King Asa Gained Victory by
Prayer
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2
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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." [2Chronicles 14:11]
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3
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A son of Rehoboam, King
Abijah, died and his son,
Asa became the king of
Judah.
Asa honestly tried to be
a good king before God.
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4
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As the king, Asa, always
wondered how to best make God rejoice.
He thought only of God
and sought God's pleasure and did not try to get the people's compliments.
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5
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King Asa removed the
foreign altars God hated and cut down
the Asherah poles and
smashed the sacred stones.
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King Asa gathered the
people and commanded them this order to obey
only God.
"From now on,
observe only God's law and commands."
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God was pleased by Asa's
great faith and actions.
So God helped Asa to do
everything well.
Judah become an abundant
and peaceful country after King Asa ruled over it.
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8
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"Let's build a
castle and put walls around them, with towers, gates, and bars. The land is
still ours, because we have sought the LORD our God. We have sought Him and
He has given us rest on every side." King Asa made them build it to keep
more peace with God.
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9
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However, Zerah the
Cushite came to fight Judah with more soldiers than those of Asa.
They had three hundred
chariots.
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10
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Asa's army and Zerah's
army prepared to fight the battle in the Valley of Zephathah. Asa's army
appeared to be poorer than Zerah's army to the eye. It was obvious that Zerah
had the advantage on the battle.
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11
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Asa, who served God
well, prayed to God before the battle. Although he had a smaller army, he
believed that, if God helped him, God could win what looked like a
disadvantageous battle.
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King Asa prayed,
"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."
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After praying he started
to attack Zerah's army with the faith that he had in God. God helped Asa who
had prayed and then went into battle.
Many Zerah's army fled
before Asa and Judah.
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14
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Asa's army kept pursuing
them far away with confidence.
Asa's army won the
battle.
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15
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Asa's army took away
many valuable things including many flocks of sheep and camels from the enemy
and brought them back to Jerusalem.
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16
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Through this victorious
battle, the village people around it were afraid of God staying with Asa's
army.
They realized how God
had helped his people.
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17
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God helps people who
live as God's words says and do what God rejoices in.
When we follow as God's
words as King Asa had done, God will also give us peaceful hearts and
blessings in all that we do!
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18
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When we face a
difficulty like King Asa we should believe in God and be a prayer warrior.
God helps people who trust in God's power and pray to God. Then He can
resolve your difficult problems. I hope that you become faithful people who
have a great love for God like King Asa.
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