HARDER EFFORTS CAN’T REPLACE OBEDIENCE 

I was speaking with two ladies when the Lord dropped a Word in my heart for one of them. I did not know who in particular when I got the word. It was simple: 

God said, “No matter how much you have invested in the wrong relationship, turn back now”. 

One of them confided later that she knew she was in the wrong relationship but she does not know where to even start. It has been on for so many years- the man is not even a child of God. She cried but I am not sure if she had the courage to obey God. 

Amaziah was preparing for war. He took stock of his military strength. He realized that he needed to hire mercenaries for the battle. 

“He also paid about 7,500 pounds of silver to hire 100,000 experienced fighting men from Israel” 2 Chronicles 25:6 NLT

After such a huge investment, a word came from the Lord: 

But a man of God came to him and said, “Your Majesty, do not hire troops from Israel, for the Lord is not with Israel. He will not help those people of Ephraim! If you let them go with your troops into battle, you will be defeated by the enemy no matter how well you fight. God will overthrow you, for he has the power to help you or to trip you up.” 

2 Chronicles 25:7-8 NLT  

You do not win battles by personal struggles but by divine alignment. No matter how much you struggle without divine backing, it will end up as a loss. 

Amaziah asked a question that we would all have asked: 

Amaziah asked the man of God, “But what about all that silver I paid to hire the army of Israel?” 

The response of the man of God is the reassurance that we all need when we need to obey God but the flesh does not find it comfortable.

The man of God replied, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this!” 

2 Chronicles 25:9 NLT

Friends, no matter what you have to say bye to, God can give you much more.

Say bye to that ungodly relationship, he can bless you with someone better. 

Say bye to that ungodly business, he can bless you with better ideas and ways of making a profit. 

 Harder efforts cannot replace obedience!