Daily Devotional for Thursday, August 6

The Defeat of Ahaz

“Wherefore the Lord his God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria; and they smote him, and carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter,” 2 Chronicles 28:5.
When a sports team is defeated, they do not start off the game losing, there are things that happen within the game that leads to defeat. In basketball, it may be too many bad passes or no rebounding. In football, it may be too many penalties or too many fumbles that lead to defeat. There is a progression that takes place when someone experiences defeat, especially spiritual defeat.
The Scripture states in James 1:14, 15, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” In your spiritual life you become defeated when you as low sin to progress in your life.
Ahaz constantly practiced things in his life that led to him being defeated spiritually and as King. Ahaz made molten images to Baalim, Ahaz burned incense to idol gods, sacrificed his children like the heathens practiced, he burned incense in the pagan places of worship, Ahaz became progressively worse in his wickedness, so the Lord delivered him up to captivity.
In your life sin starts in your thoughts, as you begin to linger on the thoughts, it progresses to action, as you indulge in the practice of sin it leads to. Spiritual separation from God, which causes defeat in your spiritual life. Exercise yourself by applying God’s word in your life, praying daily and attending church. Let those things be what you practice, so God can give you strength and strategy to avoid spiritual defeat.

FINAL THOUGHT
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Andrew McClung