The King’s remarkable godly leadership is shown not only in how he handles crisis, but what he does after the crises. I find it fascinating how he is constantly given over to prayer. When he is overwhelmed by the proposed invasion of the Assyrians, he first goes into the house of the Lord and then sends word to the prophet for prayer support and direction (Isaiah 37:1).
We must never be so flustered and frustrated that we forget to pray. May the Almighty always give us enough presence of mind to know that all of our help comes from the Lord. The Psalmist said “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1,2). Never be so flummoxed that prayer is omitted from the equation. How often the enemy tempts us to leave the place of prayer. However, can I remind you today, The Lord promised us strength for the battle and victory over every trial. We have seen too many miracles and acts of God to prevent our resolve to pray.
The pernicious attacks of the enemy serve only as instigators to pray and as precursors to new miracles. As Hezekiah continues his inspired prayer vigil, he is divinely encouraged with these words, “And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria and I will defend this city” (Isaiah 38:6).
Somebody needs to know right now that the Lord will deliver you, even today. It cannot be overlooked from the passage that even before the battle was fought the enemy was insisting on Hezekiah’s surrender. The plan was to frighten him into subjection – to terrorize and subjugate him with diabolical words of aggression and domination, insinuating that faith and trust in God was useless at this point (37:10). However, Hezekiah knew better – It’s never over until it’s over. Hezekiah intensified his prayer efforts and campaign, even bringing the enemy’s letter into the sanctuary (37:14). He incessantly, fervently prays. None can dissuade him from believing that Israel’s God is not only the One, true and living God but that He is supremely, the prayer-answering God (37:16,17).
What a shining example of prayer King Hezekiah sets for us. When he could no longer go to the house of the Lord to pray, he turns his face toward the wall and prays (38:2). Prayer has very little to do with venue or location. It is an attitude of the heart, the location of the soul, as one petitions the Master.
It must be carefully noted that when deliverance came, Hezekiah vigorously worshipped. His worship now seemed to take on a more intense tone and depth. To have the sentence of death removed from one’s life is no trite matter. In extreme gratitude and elation Hezekiah declared, “. . . But thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind my back (38:17). Brethren, too often when deliverance comes, we fail to appropriately worship. I mean just to be alive today is such cause for excessive praise and worship. May we all be found guilty today of extreme worship! Like Hezekiah, I am glad to have the sentence of death removed. We take praise into overdrive! We go now for extreme worship.
October 7th, 2023
