(Revival Under Asa)
Introduction — God Works in Every Season
Good morning, church family.
Open your Bible with me to 2 Chronicles chapters 14 through 16.
Before we even read a verse, let’s set our hearts on one truth: God is not limited.
He isn’t tied to the economy, or politics, or the weather, or the news cycle.
God can bring revival in any season—in drought or harvest, in war or peace, in inflation or abundance.
He can work now.
The story before us today proves that.
It’s about a revival that happened during prosperity.
Think about that.
Most of us assume revival comes after a disaster—after a prodigal hits rock bottom, or a nation trembles under judgment.
But the revival of King Asa came when things were good.
Let’s read a few verses from 2 Chronicles 14.
(2 Chronicles 14:2–7)
> “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God… He commanded Judah to seek the Lord… and the kingdom was at rest under him.”
That’s the headline: “The kingdom was at rest.”
No famine. No invasion. No panic in the streets.
And yet God sent revival.
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I. Reformation and Revival — Close but Not the Same
Now we need to pause on two words that show up again and again in Scripture: reformation and revival.
Reformation is when God’s Word shapes your life and habits.
You tune out the noise and start obeying Scripture in practical, daily ways.
It’s when a nation tears down idols and puts the law of God back in the center.
Asa did that. He removed the pagan altars, cut down the Asherah poles, and cleaned house.
But revival is different.
Revival is when God’s Spirit breathes life into the soul.
It’s when the heart is pierced with conviction and filled with joy.
Reformation is what you do in response to God’s Word.
Revival is what God does in response to your surrender.
You can have reformation without revival—people can clean up habits and still have empty hearts.
But you cannot have revival without reformation.
When the Holy Spirit brings life, He always brings obedience with it.
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II. Asa’s Heart — A Life of Seeking
So what made Asa different?
The key word is right there in the text: seek.
Nine times in forty-eight verses, the chronicler says Asa “sought the Lord.”
That’s nearly once every five verses!
God raised up three prophets to drive this home:
Shemaiah, during Rehoboam’s reign, saying: “Humble yourself.” (12:6–7,12)
Azariah, during Asa’s reforms, saying: “Seek the Lord and you will find Him.” (15:2–7)
Hanani, near the end of Asa’s life, saying: “Rely on the Lord, not on human alliances.” (16:7–9)
Humility. Seeking. Reliance.
That’s the prophetic rhythm of Asa’s life.
And that explains why, when the Ethiopian general Zerah marched toward Judah with an army described as a million men, Asa didn’t panic.
He prayed.
Listen to his simple, strong prayer (14:11):
> “Lord, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on You.”
And the Bible says the Lord struck down the Ethiopians.
The victory belonged to God.
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III. What It Really Means to Seek the Lord
But let’s dig deeper.
What does it mean to seek the Lord?
Scripture gives us a rich picture:
> “Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.” (1 Chr 16:11; Ps 105:4)
“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near.” (Isa 55:6)
“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.” (Jer 29:13)
Seeking isn’t casual.
It’s like looking for a loved one’s face in a crowded airport.
Your heart pounds until your eyes meet.
That’s the intimacy God invites.
Seeking involves:
Turning from sin and idols
Setting your heart to obey
Praying with perseverance
Longing for God’s presence more than His gifts
It’s wholehearted or it’s not seeking at all.
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IV. Three Fruits of Wholehearted Seeking
1. Peace — Rest on Every Side (2 Chr 14:2–7)
When a nation or a soul genuinely seeks God, peace follows.
Not just political peace, but that deep inner rest Jesus called “My peace I give unto you.”
Judah enjoyed a long season of calm.
Walls were rebuilt, gates secured, communities strengthened.
And the chronicler is clear about why:
> “The land is still ours because we have sought the Lord our God; we sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.”
Seeking the Lord brings peace that programs and policies can never manufacture.
2. Power — Victory Beyond Human Strength (2 Chr 14:9–15)
Next came power.
When the Ethiopian host advanced, Asa didn’t trust his fortifications or count chariots.
He prayed.
God scattered the enemy and magnified His name.
You will never face an army of a million, but you will face impossible odds—addiction, fear, grief, family conflict, spiritual warfare.
The principle stands: God’s power shows up when we seek His face.
3. Perseverance — Joyful Covenant Faithfulness (2 Chr 15:12–15)
Finally, perseverance.
Judah entered into a covenant “to seek the Lord… with all their heart and with all their soul.”
And verse 15 says, “They rejoiced because they had sworn with their whole heart.”
Real joy always follows real surrender.
When the heart is all-in, obedience stops feeling like drudgery and starts tasting like delight.
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V. A Warning from Asa’s Later Years
Now, if the story stopped there, we could all go home smiling.
But Scripture tells the whole truth.
Years later Israel threatened Judah again.
Instead of praying, Asa made a treaty with Ben-Hadad, king of Syria.
It looked smart politically, but spiritually it was a disaster.
God sent Hanani to rebuke him:
> “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (16:9)
Instead of repenting, Asa imprisoned the prophet.
Later, when a disease struck his feet, he “did not seek the Lord but only the physicians.” (16:12)
Three downward steps:
alliances with the world, anger at rebuke, and trust in human remedies.
A sad ending to a bright beginning.
And it warns us: yesterday’s prayers cannot carry today’s battles.
Seeking the Lord must remain present tense.
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VI. A Word for Us Today
So what does Asa’s life say to a twenty-first-century church sitting in the world’s most prosperous nation?
It says don’t confuse blessing with self-sufficiency.
Don’t think, “I earned this.”
It’s grace.
It’s God’s patience.
It says don’t stop at reformation.
Good habits, moral reforms, church programs—they matter.
But only the Spirit gives life.
It says keep seeking.
Day by day. Decision by decision.
Because character that stands in crisis is built in the quiet choices of ordinary days.
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Call to Action
Friend, today is the day to seek the Lord.
Not tomorrow.
Not when life gets hard.
Now.
Maybe for you it starts with a prayer of surrender.
Maybe it’s laying down a secret sin.
Maybe it’s saying, “Lord, I’m ready to rely on You again, not on my own strength.”
God is searching—right now—for hearts fully His.
Will He find one in you?
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Conclusion — Seek Him and Live
The chronicler sums it up with one simple sentence that could be the banner over your life and mine:
> “Asa sought the Lord.”
That’s the story.
That’s the invitation.
Seek the Lord and live.
Seek the Lord and find peace.
Seek the Lord and know His power.
Seek the Lord and keep seeking—until the day we see His face.
Amen.
