What to do when Surrounded? What to do when Outnumbered?
These are perhaps two different titles which can be given to these thoughts. Both of these circumstances are extreme or difficult circumstances. They take place around battles. Every Christian will come to points along the way when he will find himself “surrounded” or “outnumbered” in the Christian battle. What is a Believer to do in these tight spots?
Father and son kings Abijah and Asa give us a Biblical pattern on what to do when we are in extremity. No matter if it is surrounding or outnumbering we face, the strategy remains the same. Today we may not face this type of battle, but there are many other battles a Christian will face. What must we do?
II Chronicles 13-14
- Cry out to the Lord—13:14; 14:11
- Abijah and Judah cry to the Lord when they are in battle in front and behind. They have an army of 400,000 while their enemies have 800,000.
- Asa cried to the Lord when the chariots far-outnumber their soldiers.
- Crying out to the Lord demonstrates reliance and resting upon the Lord. Prayer is an evidence of humble faith!
- Exercise strong faith in the Lord
- Abijah and the people of Judah exercise reliance upon the Lord God—vs. 18
- Asa and the people of Judah exercise resting upon the Lord God—vs. 11
Both reliance and resting are the same word meaning to lean, trust, support, depend, or stay.
God was the stay, to the point that they cried out in prayer.
- Asa’s faith and confidence in God is seen in the recognition that for God to help, “it was nothing.” It takes no effort at all for the omnipotent, creator God to speak the demise of any enemy. His resources for battle are never depleted; they do not depend upon many or few. God is not limited by manpower and machine! The Christian today has the same resources and help promised to him in the avenue of prayer.
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. II Chronicles 14:11
- Watch the Lord bring the victory—13:15-16; 14:12-15
- Abijah and the children of Judah watched the Lord smite the enemy. They could trace the movement of God’s hand to a time on their knees. God works when we rely upon Him.
- Asa and his army were used by the Lord to destroy the enemies of the Lord so that they were not able to recover. God’s host was able to spoil the enemy and the fear of God fell upon those who heard of these things. All can be traced back to a time when God’s people decided to rest upon God.
- What a blessing that Asa and his people were able to be included in the host of the Lord which brought about the victory.(14:13) It is so important to be on the Lord’s side and not fighting against Him. Abijah’s words to Jereboam and Israel speak well to this: And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with sounding trumpets to cry alarm against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.(13:12)
- Always remember Believer that the Captain of the Lord’s Host, the Captain of our salvation is on our side. He marches forth to battle with us. Let us stay upon Him!(Joshua 5:14; Hebrews 2:10)