Invasion

 

    When you are following God, in the beginning things seem to be going well.  You may feel untouchable, strong.  It is an important time of healing done by the Holy Spirit in your soul.  However, as you do grow stronger and you have a closeness with God that grows deeper, people of the world begin to take notice.  

    People notice how God blesses you and the people of the world want it, but can't put their finger on what it is.  They don't understand that they could have that same closeness that brings them their own personal blessings.  Instead they attack what you have.  It becomes an invasion into your life: personal, professional, or physical.

    King Hezekiah spent years making Jerusalem beautiful again.  He invested what God blessed him with into making the world around him beautiful, comfortable, and a blessing to those around him.  This attacked the Assyrian King, Sennacherib.  Instead of figuring out how Hezekiah crawled out of nothing and became this king, he invaded to destroy it.  

    Hezekiah was well prepared with the guidance of his officials and warriors.  He stopped up the wells, so that Sennacherib could not have access to their water.  He had God's army fighting for him and he did his part to prepare.  

    When the verbal and mental attack began, Hezekiah began to pray.  Verbal attacks in some ways are worse than physical attacks.  They leave mostly untreated damage that no one else can see.  When he insulted God, it was all over and Judah knew it.  Sennacherib returned home disgraced to be killed by his own sons.

    Sometime later, Hezekiah became ill to the point of death.  He prayed to God and repented of his hidden sins of pride.  God's heart softened and allowed him to live and to continue to succeed in all he did.  When Hezekiah did die, his son Manasseh became the next King of Judah.

2 Chronicles 32