“Because you have prayed to Me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria,” Isaiah 37:21
I know from experience that there are many times in life when we pray and it feels like they’re just bouncing back off the walls and coming straight back to us. But even if that’s how it feels, that’s not the truth. Twice in today’s reading God mentions how the prayers of His people have reached Him and He is acting accordingly to save them from their troubles.
“I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears.” Isaiah 38:5
God inhabits the praises of His people. He is with us and not against us, even if it may *feel* like He is against us. God is here and present and active in our lives no matter what the circumstances may look like. He works all things for the good of those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. Don’t give up your prayers. Don’t give up seeking His purposes for your life. Don’t give up in looking for His activity in your life, He’s there, He is listening and He IS acting on your behalf, even when, no especially when you don’t realize it. J
If God is for us then who can be against us; right? If God is for us then who can be against us? My friend, God is for you and is not against you. The blood of Jesus has paid the bounty against your head. You have been redeemed from the pit and no one can take you back there. No matter how hard Satan tries he can’t steal you out of God’s hand. No matter what, you are saved. There is NOTHING more powerful than the redeeming blood of Christ. Nothing.
Nothing you do can counteract its power. Nothing that Satan does can render the blood of Jesus in your life powerless. Nothing. He can only make you THINK that it is powerless, that you’re powerless. But he’s a liar.
Just like Sennacherib bragging big words against the nation of Israel and their God, Satan touts big statements that, while based in fact, have been twisted around in such extreme measures that they are no longer truth but plain old lies. And I think it’s extremely important that we inspect what Hezekiah did with those lies.
“Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD;” Isaiah 37:14-15
After receiving this news of the coming destruction from the hands of his enemy Hezekiah goes straight to God and literally “spread it before the LORD” and prayed. This is such a perfect example for us today of what we need to be doing when we receive news of coming devastation. We need to spread it out before the LORD and ask Him what’s going on. When it looks like our world is coming to an end, we too need to pray like Hezekiah, “So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone are the LORD.”
We need to keep in mind that even when we’re not telling other people about what’s going on, someone out there is still watching what God is doing in your situation. Whether it’s the doctor with the negative test results, or the bankers with the negative account balance, you name it, there are faceless people out there involved in your situation that will notice when there has been a change. It might even be the “enemy” himself. The king Nebuchanezzar comes to my mind. He was the one who condemned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to the furnace yet it was as they were in the furnace that he noticed that their God was WITH THEM IN THE FURNACE. So that when they emerged from the fire and their clothes weren’t burned and didn’t even smell like smoke it was the very one who had thrown them into the fire who praised their God and placed them then in very high government positions of authority and honor.
Who knows that your current fiery furnace isn’t the very circumstance that someone will see you going through it, praise God and promote you to a higher position of authority and honor. Don’t give up my friend. This too shall pass, it always does. And when it does you will be better for having gone through it. You will be stronger and God will be more amazing to you than He was before. Not that He will have changed, but your opinion and knowledge of Him will have.
He’s on your side; don’t doubt that for a single moment. He loves you more than you could ever imagine and nothing could ever change His opinion of you. Nothing. You never know what you could happen all because YOU prayed….
Be Still by StorySide: B
Don’t Give Up by Calling Glory
Finally Free by Nichole Nordman
Tamar Knochel 
AMEN!!! Such a timely word in a season needed!! Thank you my dear sister in Christ!!
As I was writing it I knew it would be for somebody! I could feel it.