October 28th, 2012
II Chronicles 13 (1 Kings 15:1-8)
“The Quintessential Superpower”
Bible Memory Verse for the Week: What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? — Romans 8:31
Background Information:
- Rehoboam’s son Abijah gains more extended treatment in Chr. Than he does in 1 Kgs 15:1-8 (where he is called Abijam). The author of Kings does little more than record that Abijah was unfaithful. The Chronicler presents him in a very different light, depicting him as a champion of orthodox Yahwism. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 162)
- The story plot is larger than Abijah versus Jeroboam. It is a test of the resolve between the two kingdoms over the issue of the Davidic covenant and the question of vindication on the part of the Lord. (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 465)
- (v. 4) Abijah’s speech is propagandistic, given the military context of the address; “psychological warfare” is not a modern development. (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 466)
- (v. 4) The exact location of “Mount Zemaraim” is uncertain. The town of Zemariam lay with the territory of Benjamin (Jo 18:22); so the battle must have occurred on the border between the “country of Ephraim” (Israel) and Judah, perhaps near Bethel (v. 19), on the northern boundary of Benjamin. (Frank E. Gæbelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, 481)
- (v. 5) Whatever the exact point of using the word salt is, in this context it must mean an irrevocable covenant (see Nm 18:19 for a similar use). They were in a state of rebellion against God’s own order. (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 161)
- (v. 5) We do not know how the expression “covenant of salt” (v. 5) originated, but we may safely surmise that it refers to a perpetual covenant, in the light of Nm 18:19. The word “forever” spoke volumes to the Chronicler, as it does to the Christian. It was for the Chronicler the basis of a sure hope that a descendant of David would once again rule over God’s people. For the Christian it is amplified by NT claims that Jesus is the significant Son of David who has inherited the Davidic covenant. (Leslie Allen, Mastering the OT, 1, 2 Chr, 272)
- (v. 5) The importance of introducing the concept here is that to reject the rule of the Davidic king is tantamount to rejecting the rule of God himself. for ever to David and his sons: see on 1 Chr 17 and 2 Chr 6:42, etc. for the background to this in the Chronicler’s thought. That he regarded the dynasty as eternally established is, of course, most emphatically supported by this verse. a covenant of salt: cf. Lv 2:13 and especially Nm 18:19. The precise social origins of this expression are unknown, but it clearly means an eternal covenant. (H.G.M. Williamson, The New Century Bible Commentary, 1 & 2 Chr, 252)
- (v. 6) In order to create dissension and separate Jeroboam from his troops, Abijah refers to his northern counterpart in the third person and characterizes his leadership as “rebellion” against Solomon (13:6), since he was formerly a court official under David’s successor (1 Kgs 11:26). Implicitly, Jeroboam has rebelled against God since God has given the kingdom to David and his descendants (2 Chr 13:5). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 466)
- Deuteronomy 20 = God’s instruction to Israel as they prepared to enter into war.
- (v. 14) Following the Mosaic instructions for the placement of priests in battle (see Nm 10:8-9), Abijah’s army was to be led by the music of the priesthood (see 1 Chr 25:1; 2 Chr 20:22; 13:14). Elsewhere in the OT the appearance of God as Israel’s divine Warrior occurred at the blast of trumpets. The priests’ trumpets announced that Israel fought with the help of her God. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 290)
- (v. 18) The word translated “subdued” (v. 18) is an important final comment on Jeroboam’s ill-fated attempt to resist God. It is the same word that is elsewhere rendered “humbled” (7:14; 12:6). That is, it refers to that submission to God which constitutes the first step in repentance following rebellion against him. This, of course, is precisely what Jeroboam has not done. The force of the use of the word here, however, is to show, with some irony, that he who will not humble himself before God will yet be humbled by God, and with none of the ensuing advantages. Self-affirmation against God is an option for his creatures. But it is inevitably temporary, and must bring final and great cost. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 165)
The question to be answered is . . . What does the Chronicler hope to communicate by his obviously selective history of Abijah’s short three year reign?
Answer: That although Abijah may have been a part- time worshiper of the Lord our God, when push came to shove, Abijah showed that He believed in the God of the Universe and tried to communicate to his wayward Northern brothers the futility and ultimate stupidity of opposing God.
The Word for the Day is . . . resign
What can we learn from Abijah’s understanding of God as the quintessential superpower? :
I. It doesn’t matter what the odds, God will win (2 Chr 13:1-3, 8, 12, 13-18; Ps 33:13-17; Prv 21:1, 31; Isa 31:1; Zec 4:6)
To use Abijah’s own words, the essential conflict was between those who “resist the kingdom of the LORD” and those who could say, “God is with us; he is our leader” (vs. 8, 12). There can be no success for those who set themselves against the God of their fathers (v. 12). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 163)
Now, Abijah comes to his point: “See, God is with us at our head” (13:12). The true priests of Aaron’s line are about to blow their war trumpets; once that has been done, and battle has been joined, there can be but one outcome. Abijah implores the northern army, “O Israelites, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors; for you cannot succeed” (13:12). (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 164)
There is no attribute more comforting to His children than that of God’s sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials, they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children ought to more earnestly contend to than the doctrine of their Master over all creation—the Kingship of God over all the works of His own hands—the Throne of God and His right to sit upon that throne…for it is God upon the Throne whom we trust. — C.H. Spurgeon.
II. You don’t ask for God to be on your side; you simply make sure you are on God’s side (2 Chr 13:4-12)
Arguing against God is arguing against the very power that makes you able to argue at all. — C.S. Lewis.
Before the battle, Abijah made a speech that won him not only the battle, but also a place in history. In summary, Abijah said that Israel was guilty of apostasy because she had neglected the worship of God at the Jerusalem Temple and had set up a rival system of worship. The situation was tantamount, according to Abijah, to saying, “We [Judah] keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you [Israel] have forsaken Him” (13:11). Thus, Israel was fighting against the Lord by fighting against Judah and would lose (v. 12). (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 86-87)
As Deuteronomy states over and over, God will be worshiped at the place where He chooses to dwell. God’s presence could, and should, never be taken for granted. It is always an act of grace when He comes near to man in fellowship. The Temple site, chosen by God, was Mount Moriah–the place where God provides (Gn 22:14). Jeroboam’s disregard of God’s choice of Jerusalem and his denial of God’s gracious gift and a substitution of human effort. God’s presence was being beckoned by human enticement, as if God had need of man’s worship and praise. (John Sailhamer, Everyman’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 87)
All the true Aaronid priests, together with the Levites, have been driven out of the north. Jeroboam has replaced them with his own “priesthood,” consisting of anyone who is able to come up with the price of the consecration offering (13:9; see also 11:14-15)! These not-priests, moreover, preside over the shrines “of what are no gods” (13:9). Spiritually, then the northern kingdom is entirely bereft and powerless. (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 164)
. . . we must be very careful that this good news does not lead to spiritual arrogance. To say that God takes sides in the world is not, necessarily, to say that God is on our side–no matter who the “our” might be. The question rather must be, are we on God’s side? (Steven S. Tuell, Interpretation: 1 & 2 Chr, 165)
Abijah warned the northern Israelites that they had violated their relationship with God. The northern tribes had spurned divinely ordained leaders of worship and served idols instead of the living God. Therefore, God would not come to their aid in this battle. (Richard L. Pratt, 1 & 2 Chr, A Mentor Commentary, 290)
The second half of Abijah’s speech contrasts Jeroboam’s forsaking of the Lord’s temple and his banishment of the Levitical priesthood with Abijah’s compliance with the Mosaic law related to the proper worship of God (13:8b-12). Like the first half of the address, this segment includes a rhetorical question based on the conviction that Israel ought to know they are the party in the wrong (13:9). The installment of a pseudo-priesthood aside (13:9b), the most damning indictment against the northern tribes are “the golden calves that Jeroboam made to be your gods” (13:8b).
The punch line of Abijah’s oration is eminently theological and decidedly practical: “God is with us” (13:12a). What kind of folly is it to “fight against the LORD (13:12b). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 467)
Chesterton’s words give me great comfort. He said, “I came to the conclusion that the optimist thought everything good except the pessimist, and that the pessimist thought everything bad except himself.” We can learn from this that Christians should be neither optimists nor pessimists, but both. Christians must have the right balance and be pessimistic enough to see the sin of man. But they must be optimistic enough to know that God is sovereign, and he will have his way. -Chuck Colson (David Kinnaman, Unchristian, 236)
III. You especially endear yourself to God as the ultimate superpower when you trust in His name (2 Chr 13:5, 12, 14b-18; 1 Sam 2:30b )
The verb “prevailed” (were victorious NIV), v. 18, has connotations of strength. The weaker has proved strong, because of his reliance on God. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 164)
The battle-shout was an act of faith that this would ensue (cf. the shouting which attended the capture of Jericho, centuries earlier, Jo 6:20). The faith of the men of Judah was, therefore, no mere theoretical faith. They were prepared to take the step that would at once identify them as men of faith, and put their God to the test. Here is a discipleship that is prepared to let major decisions hang utterly upon the reality of God and his power to vindicate, and as such is worthy of imitation. (J. G. McConville, The Daily Study Bible Series, 1 & 2 Chr, 165)
Before they even knew what was happening, Judah had been outflanked. Abijah may have been a great preacher, but he was not much of a general. Unbeknownst to Abijah, Jeroboam had sent a detachment of troops to ambush Judah from behind, while he and the main body of his troops remained to tackle Abijah’s army head-on. Trapped, Judah “cried out to the LORD” (v. 14). (Paul O. Wendland, The People’s Bible, 2 Chr, 164)
The entire battle report turns on a key verb–the men of Judah are victorious “because they relied on the LORD” (13:18). The word “rely” means to lean on something or someone in the sense of trust; it is used later of King Asa (14:11; 16:7-8). The significance of the attached phrase “God of their fathers” should not be lost—God has done this kind of thing before! The capture of Bethel is significant because it means the cessation of the calf-cult worship there for a time (13:19). Selman notes that the retaking of Bethel provides ironic commentary on the calf-cult of Jeroboam, since the bovine images used as a battle palladium (much like the ark of the covenant at Shiloh) are unable to protect their own sanctuary (cf. 13:8). By the time of Jehu, the calf-cult has been reestablished in Bethel (2 Kgs 10:29), perhaps as a result of King Baasha’s Ramah campaign (2 Chr 16:1). (Andrew E. Hill, The NIV Application Commentary: 1 & 2 Chr, 468)
It is always amazing to me, that some people, when bad things happen to them, blame God. And then proceed to be angry, rebellious, and antagonistic towards God. I find this amazing. Now if God did cause their problems, and if God has all power and all knowledge and is in all places at one time to oversee their problems, I would think the LAST attitude they would want to cultivate is rebellion. Submission, repentance, humility, apologetic . . . yes! But rebellion?!? This person who rebels against God and at the same time sees God as the cause behind all their problems is nothing but a mindless fool! — Pastor Keith
The divine preservation of the cosmos is a free act of God. As God was free to create or not to create all things, so is God free to continue or not continue all things in being. Yet God continues by grace to uphold all things by the word of his power. (Thomas C. Oden, The Living God, 280)
CONCLUSION/APPLICATION: What should I learn from this passage about my relationship with Christ?:
A. No matter what you are facing, if you are “in Christ” you will win (Ps 44:6-7; 60:12; 108:13; 144:10; Prv 2:7; 21:31; Rom 8:37; 1 Cor 15:57; 1 Jn 5:4; bk of Rv)
Pilate tries to intimidate Jesus. He says to Him, “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” Obviously the true answer to Pilate’s question was “No!” Pilate had never met a prisoner who was less able to be intimidated than Jesus. The fearlessness of Jesus was disconcerting. Pilate assumed that such fearlessness must be rooted in the prisoner’s ignorance. It must be, he thought, that Jesus simply did not realize who He was dealing with. The reverse was the case. Pilate did not realize whom he was dealing with. (R.C. Sproul, The Glory of Christ, 154)
Jesus is to the church as a hand is to the glove. Once the hand leaves, it may retain the shape, but the power is gone, there is no longer any substance. Once Jesus leaves the building the rest is meaningless drivel. —Steve Brown
. . . to think that people today are incapable of understanding Christian truth of having their minds transformed is to underestimate the Holy Spirit and the power of God. (Veith; Postmodern Times, 228)
God wants us to experience weakness so we learn to lean more heavily upon Him. —Kevin DeYoung
Those who label as simplistic a thoroughly Biblical approach to dealing with the problem of substance abuse among Christians woefully underestimate God’s power, God’s Word, God’s love and God’s grace. In short, they underestimate God Himself.
…Scripture however, does not recognize “can’t help myself” excuses for sin. You do or do not because you will or will not sin. (William L. Playfair, MD, The Useful Lie, 165-66)
There’s nothing worse than insecurity. So many people live in fear because they are uncertain about what comes next and their standing before God, if they even believe in God. On the flip side, there’s nothing better than being absolutely sure that the most powerful Being in the universe adores you as His own child. This is precisely the confidence the Holy Spirit offers us. (Francis Chan, Forgotten God, 103)
Charles Spurgeon once said, “The way you defend the Bible is the same way you defend a lion. You just let it loose.” (Donald W. McCullough, The Trivialization of God, 123)
. . . God often works by contraries: when he means to give victory, he will allow us to be foiled at first; when he means to comfort, he will terrify us first; when he means to justify, he will condemn us first; when he means to make us glorious, he will abase us first. A Christian conquers, even when he is conquered. When he is conquered by some sins, he gets victory over others more dangerous, such as spiritual pride and security. (Richard Sibbes, The Bruised Reed, 95)
We should not be surprised that one of the great causes of feebleness in the Church today is the unbelief in the mighty power of Jesus. (Andrew Murray, Receiving Power from God, 93)
God does not help those who help themselves. Instead God helps those who are helpless and confess it.
To experience God’s power, we must first admit that we are weak.
Instead of mourning over the sins we cannot master, the pride, self-will, lack of love, or disobedience, let us come to the root of the matter and confess our terrible sin of unbelief. Let our faith grow in the greatness of God’s power revealed in Christ. . (Andrew Murray, Receiving Power from God, 94)
We forget that both the biggest human contribution and the greatest human weakness are irrelevant in the face of God’s infinity. God’s unlimited power is neither strengthened by our contribution nor lessened by our weakness. (Gary L. Thomas, Seeking the Face of God, 142)
B- Christ is the Head. We need to be very careful that we are not asking Christ to support our agenda and that we are confident that we are working for Christ’s agenda (1 Sm 12:15; Ps 91:14; 116:13, 17; 118:26; 124:8; Prov 18:10; Isa 50:20; 53:6; Jer 25:29; 29:1-34; Mt 7:24; Lk 6:47-49; Acts 5:26-29; Rom 3:9-23; 2 Cor 12:9-10; Phil 2:10; Col 3:17; Jas 1:22-27 )
Stop praying, “Lord, bless what I’m doing,” and start praying, “Lord, help me to do what you are blessing.” — Rick Warren
Were there even one datum of knowledge, however small, unknown to God, His rule would break down at that point. To be Lord over all creation, He must possess all knowledge. And were God lacking one infinitesimal modicum of power, that lack would end His reign and undo His kingdom; that one stray atom of power would belong to someone else and God would be a limited ruler and hence not sovereign. (A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, 108)
God makes use of men as the doctor does of leeches. Neither should we then stop to consider the evilness of those to whom God gives power to act on us or be grieved at their wicked intentions, and we should keep ourselves from feelings of aversion toward them. Whatever their particular views may be, in regard to us they are only instruments of well-being, guided by the hand of an all-good, all-wise, all-powerful God who will allow them to act on us only in so far as is of use to us. It is in our interest to welcome instead of trying to repel their assaults, as in very truth they come from God. And it is the same with all creatures of whatever kind. Not one of them could act upon us unless the power were given it from above. (Jean Baptiste, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, 22-23)
We ought to conform to God’s will in poverty and all the inconveniences poverty brings in its train. It is not too hard to do so if we fully realize that God watches over us as a father over his children and puts us in that condition because it is of most value to us. Poverty then takes on a different aspect in our eyes, for by looking on the privations it imposes as salutary remedies we even cease to think of ourselves as poor.
If a rich man has a son in bad health and prescribes a strict diet for him, does the son think he has to eat small amounts of plain or tasteless food because his father cannot afford better? Does he begin to worry about how he will exist in the future? Will other people think that because of his diet he has become poor? Everybody knows how well off his father is and that he shares in his father’s wealth and he will again have what is now forbidden him as soon as his health is restored.
Are we not the children of God of riches, the co-heirs of Christ? Being so, is there anything we can lack? Let it be said boldly: whoever responds to his divine adoption with the feelings of love and trust that the position of being children of God demands has a right, here and now, to all that God Himself possesses. Everything then is ours. But it is not expedient we should enjoy everything. It is often necessary we should be deprived of many things. Let us be careful not to conclude from the privations imposed on us only as remedies that we may ever be in want of anything that is to our advantage. Let us firmly believe that if anything is necessary or really useful for us, our all-powerful Father will give it to us without fail. To those gathered round to him our Savior said: If you evil as you are, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father. . .? (Father Jean Baptiste, Trustful Surrender to Divine Providence, 58-59)
If people ask, “Why did God make evil?” the proper reply is that everything God made is good. Only unmaking can produce evil. If the further question is asked, “Why had goodness to be of such a kind that it could be parodied by evil?” the only reply is that it is a mystery. That is the kind of world we live in. Just as ours is a world where three-legged men with eyes in their shoulder-blades are inconceivable, so a world where goodness is unpervertable is inconceivable.
The Christian must always be ready to accept that there are unfathomable mysteries. There are bound to be where there is an unfathomably omnipotent and mysterious God. St. Augustine tells of a questioner who asked, “What was God about before he made the world?” and was answered, “He was making hell for those who pry into his mysteries.” (Harry Blamires, On Christian Truth, 77-80)
Anyone is qualified to represent a god that is worthless. To represent the Lord God Almighty, however, a person must live by God’s standards, not man’s. Those appointed to positions of responsibility in your church should not be selected merely because they volunteer, are influential, or are highly educated. Instead they should demonstrate sound doctrine, dedication to God, and strong spiritual character (2 Tm 3). (NIV Life Application Study Bible, 731)
“Duties are ours, events are God’s; When our faith goes to meddle with events, and to hold account upon God’s Providence, and beginneth to say, ‘How wilt Thou do this or that?’ we lose ground; we have nothing to do there; it is our part to let the Almighty exercise His own office, and steer His own helm; there is nothing left for us, but to see how we may be approved of Him, and how we roll the weight of our weak souls upon Him who is God omnipotent, and when we thus essay miscarrieth, it shall be neither our sin nor our cross.” (Samuel Rutherford, quoted in Ruth Bell Graham’s; Prodigals and Those Who Love Them, 106)
Nothing is clearer than the fact that the Christian gets power from God in exact proportion to the extent of his self-surrender. The reason of this is obvious. It comes to pass by the action of a necessary law. In the human body the privation of any one of the senses intensifies the power of those that remain. If, for example, the sight is lost, the touch and taste become more acute. It is exactly so among the three factors of our life — body, soul and spirit. Whatever any one surrenders is carried over to the credit of the others, and inures to their strength. “As the outward man perisheth, the inward man is renewed day by day.” — A. J. GORDON.
For effective victory over Satan believers must recognize that on the basis of the work of Christ Satan is a defeated foe. They are called upon to take a firm stand against the devil. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (Jas 4:7). Any attempt to flee from the devil would be useless, but in claiming the victory of Christ man can put the devil to flight. In order to experience victory over Satan believers cannot remain “ignorant of his designs” (2 Cor 2:11). Recognizing that he is a powerful and crafty foe, they must “give no opportunity to the devil” by allowing sin in their lives (Eph 4:25-27). Instead, they must “be sober, be watchful,” alert to the danger from the devil, and firmly resist him in faith (1 Pt 5:8, 9). Eph 6:10-17 repeatedly stresses the need to take a firm stand against the satanic enemy. (The Zondervan Pictoral Encyclopedia of the Bible Q-Z, 285)
The essence of Satan’s strategy . . . is to weaken a Christian’s faith in such precious and great promises as, e.g., Rom 8:28 (“in everything God works for good with those who love him”), by means of the lie that the tribulations and misfortunes that befall Christians can deprive them of any hope for a bright future (1 Thes 3:2-5). Satan’s game plan is to destroy the Christian’s confidence that God’s plans are “for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). So to be victorious against Satan, Christians must understand the necessity of being armed with “the shield of faith” i.e., of having an arsenal of promises from God’s word (cf. Rom 10:17) ready for use as a shield to quench all the fiery darts of Satan (Eph 6:16). According to 1 Pt 5:9 Christians must resist the devil steadfastly in the faith. Since the promises of Scripture are the proper object of faith (Rom 4:20), Christians must use, against each temptation to become discouraged, at least one of God’s “many and very great promises” (2 Pt 1:4). If tempted, e.g., to be covetous and despondent about not having enough of this world’s goods to be financially secure, the Christian must “fight the good fight of the faith” (1 Tm 6:12) by affirming that, since God will never leave us nor forsake us (Heb 13:5f.), covetousness is totally contrary to childlike faith in God. By meditating on this and similar promises of “the faithful God” (Dt 7:9; cf. Heb 10:23; Ti 1:2) until filled by “all joy and peace in believing” (Rom 15:13), Christians perform the essential task of holding their “first confidence firm unto the end” (Heb 3:14). (The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Volume Four, 343)
The one who would have God’s power must lead a life of self-denial. There are many things which are not sinful in the ordinary understanding of the word sin, but which hinder spirituality and rob men of power. I do not believe that any man can lead a luxurious life, overindulge his natural appetites, indulge extensively in dainties, and enjoy the fullness of God’s power. The gratification of the flesh and the fullness of the Spirit do not go hand in hand. “The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other” (Gal 5:17). Paul wrote: “I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection” (1 Cor 9:27; see ASV, Greek; note also Eph 5:18). (R. A. Torrey, The Baptism with the Holy Spirit, 75-76)
God cannot use a proud man. “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Pt 5:5). The man who is puffed up with pride, self-esteem, cannot be filled up with the Holy Spirit. Paul saw this danger for himself. God saw it for him, and Paul writes, “Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure” (2 Cor 12:7). How many men have failed here! They have sought God’s power, sought it in God’s way, and it has come. Men have testified of the blessing received through their word, and pride has entered and been indulged, and all is lost. (R. A. Torrey, The Baptism with the Holy Spirit, 78-79)
Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need, sovereignty and humility, righteousness and penitence, limitless power and a cry for help? This paradox staggered me when I first ran into it; it also wrecked all my previous attempts to write about love. (C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves, 4)
The fact is, I need God to help me love God. And if I need His help to love Him, a perfect being, I definitely need His help to love other, fault-filled humans. Something mysterious, even supernatural must happen in order for genuine love for God to grow in our hearts. The Holy Spirit has to move in our lives. (Francis Chan, Crazy Love, 104)
Let us recognize before we do warfare that the areas we hide in darkness are the very areas of our future defeat. Often the battles we face will not cease until we discover and repent from the darkness that is within us. If we will be effective in spiritual warfare, we must be discerning of our own hearts; we must walk humbly with our God. Our first course of action must be, “Submit…to God.” Then, as we “resist the devil…he will flee” (Jas 4:7). (Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 16)
Christianity must reverse its current image and become dynamic, genuine, and real. If we can prevent the message from being watered down by casual Christians, outsiders will begin to experience believers who have been (and are being) transformed by their faith and who are working in humble and respectful ways to transform the culture. In the Bible Paul puts it this way: “This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live.” (1 Thes 4:11-12). There is nothing more powerful than the Christian life lived out in obedience; there is nothing worse than a flat, self-righteous form of faith that parades around in Christian clothes. (David Kinnaman, Unchristian, 83)
I believe the reason most of us don’t enjoy our anointing is fear. We are afraid to claim this power because we’re afraid to really follow the Spirit’s leading. Because He may not lead us where we want to go. He may lead us where we don’t want to go. He might even ask us to climb up on a cross after we get beaten half to death. — Buddy Briggs (1-21-09)
C- Faith in Christ is what pleases Christ. Don’t be an idiot and alienate yourself against the universe’s ultimate superpower. Trust in the Lord. (Ps 9:10; 13:5; 20:7; 40:3-4; 44:6; 115:8-11; 118:8-9; 125:1; Prv 3:5-6; Isa 12:2; 26:4; 31:1; Jer 39:18; Na 1:7; Mt 15:28; Mk 9:23-24; 10:52; 11:22-24; 16:13-14; Lk 1:45; 5:20; 7:9, 50; 18:8; Jn 3:15-16; 6:29-36, 40, 47; 11:40; 20:27; Acts 5:39; 13:48; 16:31; Rom 4:3-9; 16-24; Gal 3:5-14; 5:5-6; Eph 2:8-10; Gal 5:5-6; Heb 11:6; 12:2; 1 Pt 1:7-9; 1 Jn 5:4-5, 13)
This, then, is the essence of sin; man’s rebellion against recognizing his dependence on God in everything and the assumption of his ability to be independent of God. (Richard L. Pratt, Every Thought Captive A Study Manual for the Defense of Christian Truth, 29)
Needless to say, this view of human reason contradicts the biblical point of view as it has been explained in previous lessons. The fall of man involved the entirety of man; all aspects of his personality were corrupted by sin. As a result, reason is not the judge of truth; only God can act as such a judge. Moreover, sin has so affected mankind that even rational abilities are not neutral. Christians seek to use their reason in dependence on God. Non-Christians seek to be independent in their thinking there is not neutral ground on which to deal with unbelief. Human reason can be as much a hindrance as a help to faith in Christ. As St. Augustine once said, “Believe that you may understand.” To rest our faith on independent reason is to rebel against God. Reason must rest on our faith commitment to Christ and our faith must rest on God alone. (Richard L. Pratt, Every Thought Captive A Study manual for the Defense of Christian Truth, 74)
Biblical authority must never depend on human verification for it is the unquestionable Word of God.
The problem with much of the popular tactics used by many defenders of the faith today may be summed up as a problem of authority. The apologist must see clearly that the non–Christian is in need of forsaking his commitment to independence and should turn in faith to the authority of Christ. If however, trust in Christ is founded on logical consistency, historical evidence, scientific arguments, etc., then Christ is yet to be received as the ultimate authority. The various foundations are more authoritative than Christ himself. If beliefs in Christian truth comes only after the claims of Christ are run through the verification machine of independent human judgment, then human judgment is still thought to be the ultimate authority. (Richard L. Pratt, Every Thought Captive A Study manual for the Defense of Christian Truth, 79-80)
The Church of our day is sadly lacking in that separation from the world. The intense attachment and obedience to Christ, the fellowship with His suffering and conformity to His death, and the devotion to Christ on the throne seem almost forgotten. Where is our confident expectation of the never-ceasing flow of living water from the throne of grace which gives the assurance that the fullness of the Spirit will not be withheld? No wonder the mighty power of God is seldom known and felt in our churches! (Andrew Murray, Receiving Power from God, 73)
True peace does not come from extreme indifference, nor does it originate from becoming so “spiritual” that you fail to notice the world around you. Peace is the fruit of being confident in God’s love; it is born of the revelation that, regardless of the battle, “Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 Jn 4:4). You are not self-assured, you are God-assured. (Francis Frangipane, The Three Battlegrounds, 55)
On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of the conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, does no one believe a word of it? The churches are children playing on the floor with their chemistry sets, mixing up a batch of TNT to kill a Sunday morning. It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping god may wake some day and take offense, or the waking god may draw us out to where we can never return. (Donald W. McCullough, The Trivialization of God, 14)
God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply. — Hudson Taylor
Worship point: When you finally come to recognize the omnipotence of God, the omniscience of God, the omnipresence of God along with the mercy, grace, justice, compassion, love, patience and grace of God . . . the only thing you will be able to do will be to worship Him.
Spiritual Challenge: Contemplate what the Scriptures say about God. Meditate upon what all of creation reveals about the nature of God. Then consider what a fool you are to do anything but resign yourself to the will of God and trust in the Lord with all your heart.
It is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God; to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord . . .
We know that by his divine law nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in this world; may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may not be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumptuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole people? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth , and power as no other nation has ever grown; but we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, through the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too Proud to pray to God that made us:
It behooves us, then, to humble ourselves before the offended Power to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness:
Now, therefore, in compliance with the request, and fully concurring in the views, of the Senate, I do by this my proclamation designate and set apart Thursday, the 30th day of April, 1863, as a day of national humiliation, fasting, and prayer. And I do hereby request all the people to abstain on that day from their ordinary secular pursuits, and to unite at their several places of public worship and their respective homes in keeping the day holy to the Lord, and devoted to the humble discharge of the religious duties proper to that solemn occasion.
(President Abraham Lincoln; PROCLAMATION OF A NATIONAL FAST DAY, March 30th, 1863)
May all your expectations be frustrated,
May all your plans be thwarted,
May all your desires be withered into nothingness that you may experience the powerlessness and poverty of a child and sing and dance in the compassion of God; who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN
By Brennan Manning
Quotes to Note:
The import of Abijah’s sermon was not likely lost on the post-exilic community for which the Chronicler wrote. The theocracy stood on twin pillars: the Davidic covenant and the temple cult, both the foci of Abijah’s condemnation of the North. The post-exilic community had enjoyed the reinstitution of the temple cult; the revitalization of Israel awaited the reestablishment of political freedom under Davidic rule. The Chronicler is so often treated as if he offered no eschatological expectation and was an advocate of the status quo; that reading of Chronicles, however, cannot grapple adequately with the forcefulness with which the Chronicler reiterates the eternality of God’s promises to the house of David (1 Chr 17; 22:10; 28:6-7; 2 Chr 6:16; 7:17-18; 13:4, 8). The post-exilic community might be under foreign domination, but the kingdom remains secure: God always was the real king of Israel (13:8), even when no descendant of David sat on a throne. (Raymond B. Dillard, Word Biblical Commentary, Vol. 15, 110)
Victory begins with the name of Jesus on your lips, but it will not be consummated until the nature of Jesus is in your heart. — Francis Frangipane
Christ:
The Quintessential Superpower
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