Endeavour To Persevere (Lesson 3)

Persevere- to continue in a course of action even in the face of difficulty

2 Chronicles 16:1-9 NASB

(1)  In the thirty-sixth year of Asa's reign Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and fortified Ramah in order to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to Asa king of Judah.

(2)  Then Asa brought out silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and the king's house, and sent them to Ben-hadad king of Aram, who lived in Damascus, saying,

(3)  "Let there be a treaty between you and me, as between my father and your father. Behold, I have sent you silver and gold; go, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel so that he will withdraw from me."

(4)  So Ben-hadad listened to King Asa and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel, and they conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim and all the store cities of Naphtali.

(5)  When Baasha heard of it, he ceased fortifying Ramah and stopped his work.

(6)  Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber with which Baasha had been building, and with them he fortified Geba and Mizpah.

(7)  At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him, "Because you have relied on the king of Aram and have not relied on the LORD your God, therefore the army of the king of Aram has escaped out of your hand.

(8)  "Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubim an immense army with very many chariots and horsemen? Yet because you relied on the LORD, He delivered them into your hand.

(9)  "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars."

If we are to persevere, we must not forget God’s past blessings.  The Ethiopians and the Lubim both had huge armies.  Asa looked to God for answers in this situation and God delivered.  Here we see Asa failed to trust God.  Instead, he bargained with Aram and as a result, God sends wars his way. 

When we fail to remember the past blessings of God, it weakens our defenses against the wiles of the Devil.  We need to remember that the same God who delivered us from yesterday’s problems will undoubtedly deliver us today and tomorrow. 

That is how we persevere.