After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah. He laid siege to the fortified cities, thinking to conquer them for himself. 2 Chronicles 32:1 NIV
Hezekiah was a great king. He had served God well, removing the high places that were offensive to God and re-instituting temple worship as God desired it to be done. The Bible tells us that there was no king like him before or after and that he held fast to the Lord and did not stop following Him. Yet after all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, he was under attack! I love that God includes statements like this in the Bible! It’s important for us to understand that even when we are on the right track and serving God faithfully, we will be under attack from the enemy. I would go so far as to say that we may even incur more attack when we are serving God faithfully, simply because Satan wants to stop us from impacting others for Christ.
When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to wage war against Jerusalem, he consulted with his officials and military staff about blocking off the water from the springs outside the city, and they helped him. They gathered a large group of people who blocked all the springs and the stream that flowed through the land. “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find plenty of water?” they said. Then he worked hard repairing all the broken sections of the wall and building towers on it. He built another wall outside that one and reinforced the terraces of the City of David. He also made large numbers of weapons and shields. 2 Chronicles 32:2-5 NIV
We can learn a lot from Hezekiah about the way we should handle things when we are under attack.
- He consulted with those around him and solicited their help. It’s extremely important not to battle the enemy alone! Isolation is never helpful when we are under attack. God has placed us in a body of believers for a very good reason. We are stronger together!
- He worked hard repairing all that was broken, reinforced his defenses and increased his weapons. As soon as you realize the enemy is attacking, take some time to evaluate your own spiritual life. What needs to be repaired? In other words, where are you the weakest? Have you been spiritually lazy in any specific area? Make the necessary adjustments to not just fix what may be broken, but to reinforce your defenses against the attacks of Satan. Make sure you are utilizing all the weapons God has given you and taking full advantage of the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6.
He appointed military officers over the people and assembled them before him in the square at the city gate and encouraged them with these words: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people gained confidence from what Hezekiah the king of Judah said. 2 Chronicles 32:6-8 NIV
- Keep a strong spiritual perspective, reminding yourself that God is greater than the enemy who attacks you and He is the One who will fight your battles!
- Encourage others who are under the attack with you. We can either help others gain confidence in the Lord or we can add to their discouragement. Determine from the start that you will speak truth from the Word of God that will impart strength instead of whining and complaining about the difficulties you’re all encountering.
“This is what Sennacherib king of Assyria says: On what are you basing your confidence, that you remain in Jerusalem under siege? When Hezekiah says, ‘The Lord our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria,’ he is misleading you, to let you die of hunger and thirst. Did not Hezekiah himself remove this god’s high places and altars, saying to Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You must worship before one altar and burn sacrifices on it’? “Do you not know what I and my predecessors have done to all the peoples of the other lands? Were the gods of those nations ever able to deliver their land from my hand? Who of all the gods of these nations that my predecessors destroyed has been able to save his people from me? How then can your god deliver you from my hand? Now do not let Hezekiah deceive you and mislead you like this. Do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to deliver his people from my hand or the hand of my predecessors. How much less will your god deliver you from my hand!” 2 Chronicles 32:10-15 NIV
- Recognize the lies of the enemy for what they are! In every attack, Satan will feed you an unending string of lies. Do not cave in and listen to them.
King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. And the Lord sent an angel, who annihilated all the fighting men and the commanders and officers in the camp of the Assyrian king. So he withdrew to his own land in disgrace. And when he went into the temple of his god, some of his sons, his own flesh and blood, cut him down with the sword. 2 Chronicles 32:20-21 NIV
- Cry out to God in prayer! Hezekiah took his concerns to God and asked Him for deliverance. You can read Hezekiah’s prayer in 2 Kings 19:14-19.
So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side. 2 Chronicles 32:22 NIV
Next time you are under attack, implement the same strategies as Hezekiah and remember that the enemy is no match for our God!