I’m in 2nd Chronicles in my bible readings and I came across the account of passage I’d read in another book quite recently (I think I blogged on that as well). Anyway its the story of the time when the King of Assyria, the superpower of the time, came to invade Israel.

How the King of Judah, Hezekiah, responds and the counter response of the Assyrians is a framework of how spiritual warfare happens in our lives.

1 – we feel or perceive an attack.

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

2 – we respond with biblical truth

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 32:7-8

3 – the enemy responds with his deceived thinking which he believes is truth.

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’? 2 Chronicles 32:10-12

4 – he follows that up with boasting mixed with more lies

“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? 2 Chronicles 32:13-14

5 – he then tries to sow doubt into the people about their leader and their God

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 32:15

6 – time to spread the fear beyond just the individual in a way they can identify with

Then they called out in Hebrew to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to terrify them and make them afraid in order to capture the city. 2 Chronicles 32:18

7 – naturally affected by the attack, we turn to God in our desperation

King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz cried out in prayer to heaven about this. 2 Chronicles 32:20

8 – The Lord is always victorious (graphic first verse coming up)

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 32:21

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