Prevailing Prayer

Hezekiah models a wonderful prayer for us in the first part of Isiah 37. When the enemies came in with power and intimidation, Hezekiah laid it out before the Lord and called on the One he knew was really in charge of all things. The resultant words and events proved his prayer was on point. 

Isaiah 37:21–22 (ESV) Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him:...

Notice the phrase from God. "Because you have prayed to me". Israel had begun to turn to Egypt for help. The temptation was to trust the powers of politics. But sometimes God lets the enemy do something we know our earthly ambitions have no power against and we are left with prayer. It is then we learn that prayer is what we should have been practicing all along. Let us note also that the WORD of the Lord comes after Isaiah prays!

God is now full tilt against the braggadocious king of Assyria:

Isaiah 37:23 (ESV) “‘Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the heights? Against the Holy One of Israel!

I love that line from the Lord. Prayer identifies us with God. He fights as our representative when we pray to Him.

Then God speaks of Assyria as He sees Assyria - as a tool in His hand that He has the power to control and has been using all along. 

Isaiah 37:26–27 (ESV) “‘Have you not heard that I determined it long ago? I planned from days of old what now I bring to pass, that you should make fortified cities crash into heaps of ruins, 27 while their inhabitants, shorn of strength, are dismayed and confounded, and have become like plants of the field and like tender grass, like grass on the housetops, blighted before it is grown.

The king of Assyria thought his military might and genius brought him victory. It was the Lord. This was planned and Isaiah knew it as God's prophet long ago. Back in Isaiah 10, we hear this for the first time. 

Isaiah 10:5 (ESV) Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!

The enemies of God's people are God's tools to accomplish God's purpose in His people. And that purpose is always to draw them back to Him.

Isaiah continues to give Sennecharib a wake-up call about his place in the universe:

Isaiah 37:28 (ESV) “ ‘I know your sitting down and your going out and coming in, and your raging against me.

God knows all things at all times. Nothing is out of His purview. Moreover, God has the power to instantly turn Assyria around and shame them before Israel who they thought would be an easy prize. 

Isaiah 37:29 (ESV) Because you have raged against me and your complacency has come to my ears, I will put my hook in your nose and my bit in your mouth, and I will turn you back on the way by which you came.’

The result is beautiful for the people of God. First Isaiah tells them the land will produce what they need during the time of their siege. Then He promises protection from the Assyrian army. And finally, He performs a miraculous work to nullify the threat.

Isaiah 37:36–37 (ESV) And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 37 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh.

Never forget this about prayer - it activates the heavenly army that stands ready to minister on your behalf. God is a warrior and His warriors fight ferociously for Him and His people. A lack of prayer means a lack of power, but an abundance of prayer activates the unseen army with the potential to instantly transform our realities.