Then Rezin, Aram’s king, and Pekah (Remaliah’s son and king of Israel) approached Jerusalem with one thing in mind—war. They laid siege to Ahaz but were unsuccessful in defeating him. 2 Kings 16:5 (The Voice)
The above passage of scripture reveals that there are forces and folks (enemies) that go about with one thing in mind – WAR!Their preoccupation is provoking conflicts just to trigger a fight with you. They would go to any length – as far as forming strategic alliances to engage you – Rezin and Pekah!
They are kings and princes (VIPs) who have influence, some literally others, spiritually. If you’ve lived long enough, I am sure you would have had an encounter with such. As with most warriors, they have a proven strategy to first lay siege to you.
To lay siege or besiege means:-
- to surround a place with an army and prevent the people there from getting food and supplies, as a way of getting control of it
- to gather round a person or place in a way that threatens or annoys them
- to make more requests, offers, comments, or complaints than someone can deal with
Do you feel surrounded, restricted, incapacitated and exhausted? You may be besieged.Friend, you are under siege when your “food and supply” – sustenance and source is cut off. When you have poor health, no money, no house, no child, no wife, no job or no right to live or work – that’s siege! If you are currently being harassed, threatened or annoyed by or about anything – that’s siege! Perhaps you are dealing with unexplainable circumstances and unreasonable demands – that’s siege!
The goal of the enemy is to eventually wear you out in order to make the conquest easy but no weapon formed against you will prosper.Let’s look at the second part of our text in various translations:
… besieged Ahaz, but they could not overpower him. (NIV)
… they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. (NLT)
… and they besieged Ahaz, but could not overcome him. (KJV)
… attacked, but they could not capture it.(CEV)
… they surrounded Ahaz, but they weren’t able to defeat him. (CEB)
… and they lay siege to Ahaz, and they have not been able to fight.(YLT)
Friend, your enemy will not be able to overpower, conquer, overcome, capture, defeat or fight you! Since he
surrounded, harassed and attacked without success – he’s the looser!
If after he unleashed the armies of poverty, sickness, abuse, divorce, heartbreak, death, bankruptcy and unemployment and you’re still standing, then you’re the winner!
You may have been besieged but undefeated. That’s a good reason for a praise party.
Now thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:14a