“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him,” {2Ch16:9}. God brings trials into our lives to test us. Matter of fact: God tries all people, whether saved or lost. It is how we handle these trials that matters, and shows a multitude of things about our relationship with God. {2CH16:9} is not a magic spell, or a way to get God over a limb.

Asa at the first sought the Lord as he ought, but later he forsook the Lord in not seeking counsel from the LORD. This is the way with many saints, they start out well, and somewhere down the road they become self confident or under-confident in the Lord.

I. ASA STARTED OUT GOOD.

1. Asa trusted the Lord in his earlier days of his reign: 2 Chr 14:2-12

A. The ratio was 1 million of the Egyptian Ethiopians army and the 16th Chapter we find also the “Lubim,” which are the “Libyans” had come against them with their enemy.

B. {2Ch14:11} “And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, [it is] nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou [art] our God; let not man prevail against thee.”

2. “The LORD [is] with you, while ye be with him”; 2 Chr 15:1-4

A. David’s admonition to Solomon: 1 Chr 28:9

B. God’s admonition to the Lost: Isa 55:6-7

3. Asa renewed the worship in the land: 2 Chr 15:8-9

4. God is seeking the repenting sinner, the repenting saint all who will come after Him whole-heartly.

II. WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO RECEIVE THE BLESSING.

1. Have a heart perfect toward God.

2. Many are the passages that tell what we should do to please God: Psa 37:3-9

A. Forsake our own way of thinking, and ways: Pro 3:1-12

3. Commit all unto the Lord: Pro 16:3

4. Don’t fret over worldly goods, but seek the higher things: Luke 12:22-24

5. Whether we fret or not, tell God all about our troubles: Php 4:6-8

III. WHERE DID ASA FAIL?

1. {2Ch14:11} At the first he put his, and his kingdom’s life totally in the hands of almighty God:

2. He went to the battle with great confidence in God against a million soldiers plus three hundred chariots.

A. That was better than two to one against them, and their foe was one of the fiercest armies of that time.

B. Nevertheless, He trusted God.

3. {2Ch16:8} Asa panicked with a smaller, and not near a deadly foe came up against him, and sought out a worldly way to remove the threat.

A. He used worldly wisdom, and it worked, but not to the same extent if he had used godly wisdom.

B. He forgot that God looks for ways to help those who trust Him!

4. Asa became angry with God and put the prophet in Jail, and oppressed some of the people.

5. He came down with a disease, and was so angry with God he suffered: 2 Chr 16:12

A. It seems that Asa’s problem was pride!

B. Nevertheless, God says in 1 Kings 15:9-14,23-24;

6. After all is said and done: Asa trusted God whole-heartily at the first, but pride caused Him to trust His own opinions, thoughts, etc., and not God’s way: Pro 3:5-7

7. Wherein, is our place and cause of failure in obtaining God’s blessings?

A. The troubles that Asa had were trials, and all saints must go through, but He handled the last ones badly.

{2Ch15:2} “The LORD [is] with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” {2Ch16:9a} “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him.”