Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. —2 Kings 20:2
Reading the above scripture encourages me to be committed in my relationship with God. It inspires me to be consistent and persistent in my prayer life. Not only does it remind me of the power of prayer, but the credibility that my obedience to the Lord has when I petition Him.
When God sent word by Isaiah the prophet telling Hezekiah to prepare to die, he chose to cry out to God for his life. Perhaps like me, you have been taught that if God says, “It’s your time to die,” you get everything in order and wait until you gasp for your last breath. What we see from Hezekiah's action gives another perspective. Instead, he chose to reject his confrontation with death; he positioned himself for prayer. He made a decision to turn his back to what he was facing—death. By turning his face toward the wall he would not be distracted by what he was facing, but would look toward the place that represented stability, safety, and protection. From that position he fervently petitioned God.
No doubt you have received painstaking news, faced challenges with sickness and disease, felt gut-wrenching pain, and out of desperation and anguish you wept bitterly before God pleading for His mercy. Scripture does not imply that Hezekiah asked for mercy. Usually, when we pray for healing we appeal to God’s mercy. However, Hezekiah sought God on the basis of covenant relationship. He asked God to remember how he had lived before Him—faithful—as a man wholeheartedly devoted to pleasing God. Wow!
How many of us can ask God to examine our lifestyle and based on His findings extend the length of days—heal us? Hezekiah seized the moment to hold his life up before God. He had spiritual leverage and used it to petition God. Amazingly, God responded favorably, although this was no surprise to God when He sent word. Hezekiah’s prayer changed things! Beloved, I believe this truth for us even now—prayer changes things. God hears the prayers of His people.
The Bible says, “And it happened, before Isaiah reached the middle court that the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “Return and tell Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will heal you.” God heard Hezekiah’s prayer, saw his tears, and promised to heal him. Actually, God healed him and added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life.
Reading this passage inspired me to remain committed in my relationship with the Lord. Living in obedience to His word, walking in truth with a loyal heart devoted to the things of God gives me spiritual leverage to petition God for healing and help in times of adversity, and hopeless situations.
Live so that you can have spiritual leverage…
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