The book of Isaiah was written 700 years before Jesus died. It was a prophetic word of what was to come. Isaiah 53:4 says, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.”

Verse 5 says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed.” Verse 6 declared us as the ones He died for.

It says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” I love the word all because it means everyone without exception.

My cousins are archers. Sin means to miss the mark of God’s standard. We cannot earn salvation. It is a gift that was purchased for us through the death of Jesus. In receiving His gift we gain eternal life with Him forever.

1 John 2:2 says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Propitiation describes Jesus’ sacrificial death, as appeasing God’s wrath on our sin. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 

Jesus died in our place. Isaiah 53:10 says, “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin…” 

Verse 11 says, “He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many.” Romans 3:24 says, “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 1:7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” 

The enemies of Judah were on their way to come against them. 2 Chronicles 20:12 says, “…For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

The Lord sent a Levite to speak His words to him. Verse 15 says, “…Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God.” Great words for us to remember. 

The Lord brought an amazing victory. He sent ambushes and defeated their enemies. Verse 32 says, “And he walked in the way of his father Asa, and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the Lord. “

Yet he derailed at the end. He allied himself with a wicked king to make ships. Verse 37 says, “…Because you have allied yourself with Ahaziah, the Lord has destroyed your works. Then the ships were wrecked…”

Ask: “Holy Spirit, are there any alliances in my life that are opposing God’s will and ways?” Finishing well glorifies Him.

The story of Asa’s derailment continued. He became diseased in his feet. 2 Chronicles 16:12 says, “…yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians.” Asa starting out seeking the Lord through each situation. Then near the end of his reign he sought man.

Jehoshphat was Asa’s son. 17:4 says that the Lord was with him because he, “…sought the God of his father, and walked in His commandments and not according to the acts of Israel.”

Verse 6 says, “And his heart took delight in the ways of the Lord…” He sent out his leaders and Levites to teach the people the Book of the Law. He allied himself with Ahab who was the wicked king of Israel. He went out to battle with him to help him.

In 19:2 the Lord sent a seer to speak to him.. It says, “…Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you.” The Lord stayed him hand during his reign. I encourage you to read chapter 20.

I’m reading through 2 Chronicles. I want to showcase two kings. They started well, but they derailed in the end. 2 Chronicles 14:2 says, “Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God.” He removed the altars of the foreign gods, and commanded Judah to seek the Lord. 

An army with a million men and three hundred chariots came against them. Asa had 500, 800. In verse 11 Asa cried out to the Lord saying, “…Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us O Lord our God, for we rest on You…”

The Lord struck the Ethiopians.  They were overthrown and could not recover. Then Asa and the people entered into a covenant to seek the Lord.  15:16 says, “…and sought Him with all their soul; and He was found by them…”

Then Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah. Asa entered into a treaty with another king to help him. God sent a seer to Asa saying, “…in this you have done foolishly…” 16:9

Unbelief comes from a fiery dart that penetrated unbeknown to us. It snuck in because we didn’t recognize it. The seed thought was planted and has been flourishing. It seeps into our thought process. We don’t recognize the lie for what it is. Inner lies are like termites. They quietly destroy foundational truths. The fruit is evident through our fleshly reactions. Let’s look at some of them.

Anger, bitterness, fear, worry, irritable, critical, jealousy, selfishness, negative inner dialogue, unforgiveness, and the list goes on. What is their common denominator? Unbelief. We have veered from God’s truth. We have forgotten what He has done in our lives.

David wrote Psalm 145. Verse 4 says, “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Verses 5-7 gives us the power of meditating on God’s ability instead of our lack.

The moment we get derailed, our flesh will manifest. Also in that moment we can course correct through expressing thankfulness to the One who deserves all praise. The devil hates praise. Psalm 22:3 says that the Lord Himself is enthroned in our praises.

The children of Israel got derailed because they turned aside from God’s pre-scripted will. Psalm 78:37 says, “For their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant.”

Verse 41-42 says, “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power; the day when He redeemed them from the enemy.”

What is God’s will for our lives? Thanking Him for everything. I remember the story of Betsy and Corrie Ten Boom. They were taken to the concentration camp. Their barracks was full of fleas. Miserable. Yet Betsy said that they must thank the Lord for the fleas. They did.

That was the only barracks where the guards did not come inside. They were able to have Bible study with their barrack mates. What circumstances have you complained about instead of giving thanks?

We complain because of unbelief in our hearts. Hebrews 3:12 says, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” Unbelief is a distraction that derails us.

Why do we complain? Our flesh does not like to be instructed, nor deprived of exerting its influence over our thoughts. Remember. Not every thought we have is from our origin. Ephesians 6:16 clearly states that any thought against ourselves, others, or our circumstances targets our faith.

Thoughts that distract or derail us are fiery darts. Our flesh hates to suffer. Suffering crucifies our flesh. 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”

Note. The devil shoots fiery darts to undermine and destroy our faith. The Lord sets us in fiery trials to purify and strengthen our faith. Verse 13 says, “But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings…”

Paul knew suffering. He encouraged the folks in Philippi through his letter. Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!” 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Rejoice always.” Verse 18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Let’s go back to the children of Israel. Exodus 15:1-21 recorded their song of praise after the Red Sea deliverance. Then they journeyed for three days. No water. They complained. The Lord again provided water.

They journeyed again. Exodus 16:2 says that the whole congregation complained. In verse 3 they looked back to the past. They forgot the part of their crying out for deliverance from the brutal Egyptian slavery. Instead they remembered the food they used to eat.

It says, “…we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full!…” Then the Lord brought out His provision for the present which lasted 40 years. Fresh bread in the form of manna, quail, and neither did their clothes and shoes wear out.

Looking back into our past is futile. We cannot change one thing. Our past is passed. Lot’s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt. Looking back distracts us from what the Lord wants to do for us and through us in the present. Jesus set His face like a flint. Isaiah 50:7. Luke 9:51.

1 Samuel 12:20-21 says, “…do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside; for then you would go after empty things which cannot profit or deliver, for they are nothing.”

The Lord set His course for Jonah. Yet His prophet turned aside. What was the outcome? Jonah found himself inside the belly of a great fish. Jonah 2:5 says, “The waters surrounded me; weeds were wrapped around my head.” Can you picture it?

Verse 6 says, “I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God.” The Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Verse 10.

I encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit what distracts your heart from following His will and ways for your life? Distractions are the devil’s effective tool to pull us off course. They are designed to derail our faith. Distractions cause us to vacillate and be unstable. James 1:8.