Bible Study - Living (3) - Act with Courage - 2 Chronicles 15:1-9 - August 4, 2019

Bible Study – Living (3) – Act with Courage – August 4, 2019


This is lesson three (3) in our series entitled “Living A Godly Life in an Ungodly World.”


Our focus scripture is 2 Chronicles 15:1-9.


Persistent problems call for courage.


In our focus scripture, GOD introduces us to a prophet which is not mentioned any where else in the Bible. The Prophet Azariah son of Oded had an encouraging message from GOD for King Asa as we read in our opening scripture ----


Let’s read 2 Chronicles 15:1-7:

Living (3)15 The Spirit of God came on Azariah son of Oded. ² So he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Asa and all Judah and Benjamin, hear me. The Lord is with you when you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you abandon Him, He will abandon you. ³ For many years Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without instruction, ⁴ but when they turned to the Lord God of Israel in their distress and sought Him, He was found by them.

The name Azariah means “The LORD my helper.” Azariah brought a message of encouragement to King Asa. Some may read this scripture and get the impression that GOD may be fickle, that is if you abandon GOD, HE will abandon you. But we know that GOD never forsakes us or leaves us. The Old Testament covenant was based upon keeping the law whereas the New Testament covenant is based upon GOD’S Grace. Why? JESUS fulfilled the law by living a sinless life. When we accept JESUS as our Savior, GOD imparts to those who accept HIM sinless perfection because the shed blood of JESUS cleanses the person of faith in JESUS from all sin.

So many people think that GOD may have abandoned them but HE never abandons anyone. Well, some may think, didn’t we just read in the scripture that “if you abandon HIM, HE will abandon you?” Yes, and that is living under the old covenant of the law whereas since the passion of JESUS, all who place their faith in HIM are living under the new covenant of “GOD’S Grace.”

A person may abandon GOD/JESUS because Satan feeds him or her a lie that what that person has done is so bad that GOD does not want to have anything to do with him or her and that is a lie. GOD loves all and HIS love for us is greater than our sin. However, forgiveness for our sins by GOD requires action on our part. What does John 3:16-17 reveal to us:

¹⁶ “For God loved the world in this way:^[j] He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.

JESUS willingly gave HIS life by the shedding of HIS blood just for you. YES! You! If you had been the only person on earth in all eternity to accept JESUS as your Savior, HE would have died just for you. Now, that is as personal as it gets. Why was HE willing to give HIS sinless life for you to have eternal life through faith in HIM? It was because of HIS love for you and all who will place their faith in HIIM.

Notice in our scripture, when a person turns to GOD, he or she will find HIM. Why? Notice – “sought Him, He was found by them.”  When you want to find HIM, HE makes certain you will because HIS desire is to have an intimate, personal, loving relationship with you. GOD’S Desire is for you to know HIM and not just know about HIM. How do you get to know GOD? How do you get to know your very best friend? Spend time together communicating with each other and getting to know each other. You hold nothing back because GOD knows everything about you but HE wants you to honest with HIM and to trust HIM. Such intimacy builds an intimate relationship. Hold nothing back.

The revelation of GOD and HIS love for all people is that HE allowed HIS only Son JESUS to come to earth in the flesh of JESUS and live as a human. As GOD, yet subject to all the temptations of humans, yet without sin, JESUS walked among humans in the flesh, revealed truth and GOD’S power. Study HIS Word to learn truth and ask HIM to forgive you for all your sins and ask HIM to come into your life. It is CHRIST in you that results in you being a Christian, not the Christian institution which you may become a member.

The Prophet Azariah continued ---

⁵ In those times there was no peace for those who went about their daily activities because the residents of the lands had many conflicts. ⁶ Nation was crushed by nation and city by city, for God troubled them with every possible distress. ⁷ But as for you, be strong; don’t be discouraged,^[a] for your work has a reward.”

The times in which the Prophet Azariah was referring, there was no peace because of conflicts within and without. Azariah was referring to the times that Israel was being led by Judges. The Israelites would go astray and GOD would punish them to get them back on track. They would stray from GOD and HE would have to guide them back to HIM. This pattern repeated itself over Hebrew history.

Christians will have many conflicts both within and without but they are to “be strong; don’t be discouraged: because GOD has a plan for them. When we do the work of our LORD there always is a reward.

Being a Christian does not mean you will be free of conflicts.

What can we learn from this?

-         Often, we are strong against our external enemies but weak against our internal enemies. We need courage to fight both external and internal battles.

-         GOD allows trouble to come into our lives to hem us up to get our attention to look to HIM for help. Psalm 139:5 expresses this idea “You have encircled me; You have placed Your hand on me.” GOD has to corral us at times to get our attention.

-         GOD sent HIS SON JESUS to earth to live a sinless life in the flesh and to give HIS life to pay, in full, for the sins of every person who will place their faith in HIM. What did the Apostle Paul write in 2 Corinthians 5:22 - ²¹ He (GOD) made the One (JESUS) who did not know sin to be sin^[l] for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

-         Salvation is not free, it cost the life of JESUS so that all who place their faith in HIM are born Spiritually into GOD’S family and have eternal life.

-         But it takes a decision to be born-again Spiritually. Are you willing to ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for HIM to come into your life? That is what it takes. It is not the magic of words but the attitude of your heart. JESUS stands at the door of your heart and is knocking and only you can open the door of your heart and let HIM in. Revelation 3:20 - ²⁰ Listen! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and have dinner with him, and he with Me. You see the latch to open the door to your heart is on the inside of you. You control access.

As Christians, we battle both external and internal enemies. As Christians, the indwelling Holy Spirit is our strength and guides us through these battles. As we gain victory, we must be vigilant and not relinquish the victories back to the enemy as Azariah described as the land or areas King Asa and his army had captured. When we conquer areas in our lives, we must be careful not to allow the enemy, Satan, to reclaim territory we have conquered.

How do we accomplish this? “Never give up the pursuit of GOD!

No matter what comes our way, as Christians, we must keep our eyes upon JESUS or else the angry waves will over take us. GOD is our strength through our faith in JESUS. When JESUS’ disciples were in a fierce storm on the sea in a boat, JESUS was asleep. JESUS’ disciples were afraid and woke JESUS up. They went to the right source. They asked HIM, “aren’t YOU concerned that we are about to die?” JESUS rebuked the wind and the waves and HIS disciples were amazed. WHO is this that can speak and the wind and waves obey HIM? It was a learning experience. The storms in our lives could well be learning experiences to seek the LORD.

Let’s read 2 Chronicles 15:8-9:

⁸ When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage and removed the detestable idols from the whole land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities he had captured in the hill country of Ephraim. He renovated the altar of the Lord that was in front of the portico of the Lord’s temple. ⁹ Then he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, as well as those from the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who had settled among them, for they had defected to him from Israel in great numbers when they saw that Yahweh his God was with him.

When King Asa heard these words, he continued cleaning the area which he had authority of all that was detestable to GOD.

As Christians, we need to be vigilant and continuously examine our lives and cast out everything that is detestable to GOD.

Gee, how do we know what has crept into our lives that should not be in our lives? We need to ask the Holy Spirit to examine us and reveal that which we need to confess and deal with. We can do that any time as we talk to GOD but another good time is when we take part in the LORD’S Supper. That is the time when we come into the presence of our LORD and HE, in essence, sits with us to have a meal. Much can be discussed over a meal. The LORD’S Supper is a special, most precious time for us to come together and be very open and honest with each other. A time of confession, reflection and listening as we come together.

We read that King Asa renovated the altar of the LORD where sacrifices were made. The fact that the altar needed repair was evidence that it had been neglected. As Christians, we often neglect coming to the altar and confessing our sins and seeking forgiveness. One may ask, “But I thought Christians live under GOD’S Grace?” That is true but we need to maintain the fellowship with GOD and clutter hampers that fellowship.

In 1 John 1:5-9 we read, “⁵ Now this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light, and there is absolutely no darkness in Him. ⁶ If we say, “We have fellowship with Him,” yet we walk in darkness, we are lying and are not practicing^[c] the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say, “We have no sin,” we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say, “We don’t have any sin,” we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

NEVER GIVE UP THE PURSUIT OF GOD! No matter what comes your way.

DO NOT ALLOW ANYTHING TO COME BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. UNCONFESSED SIN IS ALWAYS A BARRIER. Blessings!!!

What is the land GOD has given you? Just something to pray about.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10:

⁹ Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name ^[c]Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” ¹⁰ And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my ^[d]territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So, God granted him what he requested.

What is the land GOD has given to you? What territory do you desire for GOD to enlarge for you? Why?