The Power of Prayer In Warfare

In Isaiah 37, on the verge of war, Hezekiah teaches how to pray when the enemy is threatening to wage warfare on your home turf and already fighting you mentally and emotionally.

@presstopray

#prayer 

#prayers 

#pray 

#christianprayer 

#howtopray  

#biblestudy 

#biblestudyforbeginners 

#biblestudyforteens 

#Christian

#pentecostal 

#apostolic 

#press 

#pressmovement

Transcript

(0:00) Press means to apply force. (0:02) When God said press, prayer reaches every single situation. (0:07) He gave us permission to apply force to every situation that we will go through.
(0:12) And in this podcast, we are going to learn to apply force to what's applying pressure to us. (0:21) Greetings, everybody. (0:22) Welcome to the Press Movement Podcast.
(0:24) We are blessed today to continue in our journey. (0:28) And this story is so intriguing to me. (0:30) The story we're about to go into covers what I feel is a mental warfare, (0:35) a spiritual warfare, and the threat of natural warfare.
(0:39) It really shows us the strategy of the enemy to get into our heads, (0:44) but the power of prayer to fight against what you're hearing. (0:48) So let's dive into Isaiah chapter 37. (0:52) I'm gonna read the prayer first, and then we'll talk about the backstory.
(0:56) I'm gonna start in Isaiah 37, which says, (0:59) Thus shall you speak to Hezekiah king of Judah, saying, (1:03) Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, (1:06) saying, Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of this king of Assyria. (1:10) Behold, thou hast heard what the kings of Assyria (1:13) have done to all lands by destroying them utterly. (1:17) And shalt thou be delivered? (1:19) Have the gods of the nations delivered them which my fathers have destroyed, (1:23) as Gozan, and Heron, and Resba, and the children of Eden, which were in Telassar? (1:28) Where is the king of Hamath, and the king of Arpat, (1:31) and the king of the city of Sepharim, Hina, and Eva? (1:37) And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it.
(1:41) And Hezekiah went up unto the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. (1:45) And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, saying, (1:48) O Lord God of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, (1:52) thou art the God, even thou alone. (1:55) Of all the kingdoms of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth.
(2:00) Incline thine ear, O Lord, and here open thine eyes, O Lord, and see, (2:05) and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. (2:11) Of a truth, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste (2:14) all the nations and their countries, and have cast their gods into the fire. (2:20) For they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone.
(2:23) Therefore they have destroyed them. (2:26) Now therefore, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, (2:30) that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord, even thou only. (2:36) Hezekiah is praying concerning this, (2:39) because of the threat that has come from Sennacherib, the king of Assyria.
(2:43) We see the threat first show up at Hezekiah's doorstep in Isaiah chapter 36, (2:50) when he sends a man named Rapshica to let the people of God know that he's coming for them. (2:57) He came to Jerusalem, just outside the city, and he encounters there Hezekiah, (3:04) who was over the king's house and the scribe and the recorder. (3:09) And Rapshica begins talking to them.
(3:12) And he starts off saying this, (3:14) I have counsel and strength for war. (3:17) Now on whom does thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? (3:22) Basically, he walks in saying, I can destroy you. (3:26) What's interesting to me is how he continues.
(3:29) He tells them, you're trusting in Egypt to help you. (3:32) They're not going to be able to help you. (3:34) And you're talking about you trust in the Lord your God.
(3:36) He said, but isn't he the one whose high places Hezekiah tore down? (3:41) He's trying to get in their heads. (3:42) He's trying to sabotage them into thinking, (3:46) you have no help. (3:47) You have no help in other countries.
(3:49) Nobody's going to help you. (3:50) You have no help in other gods. (3:52) And then he proceeds.
(3:54) And one thing they ask him to do as he's talking in verse 11 of chapter 36 is, (4:01) you can speak in your natural language. (4:03) You can speak in your Syrian language. (4:05) They say, because we understand it.
(4:07) But don't speak to us in the Jews language, (4:09) in the ears of the people that are at the wall. (4:11) Usually when people first come, there's some type of negotiation. (4:16) We're coming to take over.
(4:18) What are you going to do for us? (4:19) What are you going to give us? (4:21) And he did do that. (4:22) He started with asking them to give pledges and all of that. (4:26) But you can tell it's not a good faith negotiation (4:29) because he's not just talking to the leadership.
(4:32) He's talking to the people. (4:34) He is trying to get into their heads. (4:37) He wants them to feel exposed.
(4:39) There's something about when people recognize, you know, their language (4:43) that makes them feel seen. (4:46) And that can be both a positive and a negative. (4:48) It can be a positive.
(4:50) I've seen it when I've started to speak Spanish (4:53) and nobody knew I could speak Spanish in the room. (4:56) And they all of a sudden feel so understood, so connected. (4:59) And they get really excited and usually talk fast.
(5:02) And I get lost a little bit, but it does make them feel more connected. (5:07) The other side to that, however, one time I was at my mother's house (5:11) and the guys there were working on her carpet. (5:16) And she says for days they had been very chatty.
(5:19) Only the team lead spoke English. (5:22) Everybody else spoke Spanish. (5:23) But when I showed up and she had a request for them, (5:27) I don't think I saw the team lead or either.
(5:29) I just wanted to do it in Spanish. (5:31) But I began speaking Spanish to them. (5:34) And all of a sudden, nobody was chatty anymore.
(5:38) Everybody was kind of shocked. (5:40) There was no more joking. (5:41) Why? (5:42) Because you're also exposed.
(5:45) You may be connected, but you're also exposed. (5:48) And you're not hidden. (5:50) You're not protected within your own language (5:52) because what you're saying is now known.
(5:56) And that is the mental warfare that Rav Sheikah (5:59) was trying to unleash on the children of Israel. (6:02) He wanted them to feel threatened at their core. (6:06) He didn't want them to feel like they had anything hidden from him.
(6:10) He wanted them to know nobody's going to help you. (6:13) Nobody's coming for you. (6:14) And I know exactly what you're saying.
(6:16) And I'm going to get in your head with what I'm saying next. (6:19) He wanted them even more convinced. (6:22) When he went into their language, (6:24) there was nothing to be lost in translation.
(6:26) He wanted them to know the threats. (6:29) And so when they're asking, (6:30) look, can you just talk to us in your language? (6:33) He's like, of course not. (6:34) My master sent me to speak these words.
(6:38) And he sent me to the men that sit up on the wall. (6:41) He said he sent me to those guys that are about to try to fight. (6:46) He wanted to talk to the warriors.
(6:48) He wanted to talk to the people. (6:49) He wasn't just coming in good faith to talk to Hezekiah. (6:52) He was coming to take them over.
(6:56) And so then he goes on and he gets louder. (6:58) That's the thing about when the enemy sees a weakness (7:02) because they started saying, (7:03) we pray thee, please speak to us only. (7:05) We understand your language.
(7:07) He's like, nah, I'm not doing that. (7:09) He gets louder. (7:11) And the Bible says in Isaiah 36, 13, (7:13) he stood and he cried in the Jews language.
(7:16) Hear ye the words of the great king, (7:18) the king of Assyria, (7:20) that saith the king, let not Hezekiah deceive you, (7:23) for he shall not be able to deliver you. (7:26) Neither let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, (7:28) saying the Lord will surely deliver us. (7:31) This city shall not be delivered into the hand of the king of Assyria.
(7:34) Hearken not to Hezekiah, (7:36) for thus saith the king of Assyria, (7:39) make an agreement with me by a present and come out to me (7:43) and eat ye every one of his vine and every one of his fig (7:47) and drink ye every one the waters of his own cistern (7:51) until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, (7:54) a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. (7:57) Beware, lest Hezekiah persuade you, (7:59) saying the Lord will deliver us. (8:01) In other words, he's trying to get the people (8:03) to go ahead and turn on Hezekiah.
(8:06) He's trying to separate them from their leadership. (8:09) Again, I noticed the warfare strategy (8:14) that Rabshika is using, (8:16) the ideal of instilling fear, (8:18) instilling loneliness, (8:21) instilling exposure. (8:23) There's nowhere to hide.
(8:25) I know who you are. (8:26) I know how you are. (8:28) And there's no leadership that's really looking out for you.
(8:32) He was trying to get the people (8:34) even more so than Hezekiah at this moment. (8:38) And he did that by telling them, (8:40) if you'll just turn on Hezekiah, (8:42) you won't have to fight like this. (8:44) You'll still be okay.
(8:45) You'll still have your corn and your wine. (8:48) But if you follow him, (8:50) we've already destroyed so many people before you. (8:54) And that's what he's saying to them in Isaiah 36, 19, (8:57) where he starts saying, (8:58) where's the gods of this place and that place, (9:00) Hamath, Arphat, the other places we have destroyed.
(9:03) Where are they? (9:04) We have to make sure we remember what our King has said (9:08) before the enemy shows up. (9:11) Sometimes in the middle of a test, (9:13) you want a new word, (9:14) but you can lay hold on what he's already said (9:18) before the test came. (9:20) Because the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 8 and 4, (9:25) where the word of a King is, there is power.
(9:28) When God gives you a word as your King, take it. (9:33) Now was Hezekiah God? (9:34) No, but in taking the word of the King, (9:37) these people were about to see how God can defeat an enemy (9:42) that knows how to kill. (9:43) The Bible says in Isaiah 36, 21, (9:46) they held their peace and answered him not for (9:49) the King's commandment was saying, (9:51) answer him not.
(9:52) And as soon as he's gone, (9:54) they take this whole message to Hezekiah. (9:57) And the Bible says Hezekiah tore his clothes. (9:59) He ran his clothes.
(10:01) Though he told them to hold their peace, (10:03) he was still taking this very seriously. (10:05) He still recognized the threat. (10:07) The peace was not held because there was no threat.
(10:11) The peace was held because the King said, (10:14) hold your peace. (10:16) Sometimes we think we've got to react. (10:19) We've got to respond because this threat is real.
(10:21) It's in my face. (10:23) God, of course, I've got to do something. (10:26) But when God says, hold your peace, (10:29) hold your peace.
(10:32) And Hezekiah, the Bible says, (10:34) he tore his clothes and he put sackcloth on himself (10:38) and he went into the house of the Lord (10:39) and he sent word to the prophet Isaiah saying, (10:44) this day is a day of trouble and of rebuke and of blasphemy. (10:48) For the children have come to birth (10:49) and there is not strength to bring forth. (10:52) He's saying to him, we are almost there.
(10:55) There's something in us. (10:56) There's something growing. (10:57) God has brought us to a place (10:59) where this thing is just about done.
(11:02) But we are losing strength. (11:04) We're losing hope. (11:06) And he says, it may be the Lord, (11:07) that God will hear the words of Raphshincha, (11:10) whom the King of Assyria, his master, (11:12) has sent to reproach the living God.
(11:14) And when we prove the words which the Lord, (11:16) that God has heard, (11:18) wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left. (11:21) So this instance, Hezekiah is sending word to Isaiah, (11:25) please pray for us. (11:27) Pray for the ones that remain.
(11:29) Pray for us. (11:30) He's coming to take us out. (11:32) We're almost there.
(11:34) But can you pray us through? (11:36) The Bible doesn't tell us the words of Isaiah's prayer, (11:39) but it does share with us the response heaven gave him. (11:42) He sends word back and he says, (11:45) then shall you say unto your master, (11:47) thus saith the Lord, (11:49) be not afraid of the words that thou has heard, (11:51) wherewith the servants of the King of Assyria (11:53) hath blasphemed at me. (11:55) Behold, I will send a blast upon him (11:57) and he shall hear a rumor (11:59) and return to his own land.
(12:01) And I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. (12:06) So Raphshincha returned (12:07) and found the King of Assyria warring against Livnah. (12:09) For he had heard that he was departed from Lachish.
(12:14) And he heard say concerning Terahka, King of Ethiopia, (12:17) he has come forth to make war with thee. (12:19) And when he heard it, (12:20) he sent messengers to Hezekiah saying, (12:23) thus shall you speak to Hezekiah, King of Judah, (12:25) saying, let not that God in whom thou trustest deceive thee, (12:28) saying Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand (12:31) of the King of Assyria. (12:32) Behold, thou has heard what the Kings of Assyria (12:34) have done to all the lands by destroying them utterly.
(12:37) And shalt thou be delivered. (12:40) So he heard about a war and made him go home, (12:43) just like the prophet Isaiah had said. (12:45) But in the middle of him, (12:47) not even knowing he's walking into the collapse for him, (12:51) that God has spoken, (12:53) Raphshincha sends another letter.
(12:55) And it's another threat. (12:56) The threat that comes after God has spoken. (13:00) Hezekiah knows what the Lord has said.
(13:02) Raphshincha does not. (13:03) And even though he's on the verge of his demise (13:05) and doesn't know it, (13:06) he is still threatening Hezekiah and the people of God. (13:12) And so this time he does it in writing (13:14) because he's not even there.
(13:16) And Hezekiah takes this letter, (13:19) the Bible says, (13:19) and he spread it before the altar. (13:22) This is an amazing strategy for prayer (13:25) because sometimes we just take the threats (13:28) and it may get in our heads (13:30) or we try to deal with things. (13:33) But I remember, I believe it was camp 2012.
(13:36) Sister Harris said to the camp, (13:39) God can read. (13:40) It was revolutionary. (13:42) Pastor Harris, likewise, (13:43) once preached this particular passage (13:45) and he talked about passing the note.
(13:48) And that is what Hezekiah did. (13:50) He recognized God could read, (13:52) but he also said, (13:53) this is your letter, God. (13:55) I can't handle this one.
(13:57) I'm laying it all out before you. (13:59) God, you know the contents of this thing. (14:02) You know what the enemy's trying to do.
(14:04) You see the fear. (14:05) You see the sabotage. (14:07) You see the exposure.
(14:08) You see we're fighting an enemy (14:10) that's killed before, (14:11) but I lay it before you. (14:14) And he prayed as we read earlier, (14:16) O Lord of hosts, (14:17) God of Israel that dwells between the cherubims, (14:20) thou art the God, (14:21) even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth (14:23) that has made heaven and earth. (14:25) Incline thine ear, O Lord, (14:26) and hear, open thine eyes, O Lord, (14:28) and see and hear all the words of Sennacherib (14:32) which hath sent to reproach the living God (14:34) of a truth, Lord, (14:36) the kings of Assyria have laid waste (14:38) all the nations and their countries (14:40) and have cast their gods into the fire.
(14:42) For there were no gods, (14:44) but the work of men's hands, (14:45) wood and stone. (14:47) Therefore they have destroyed them. (14:49) Now, therefore, O Lord, (14:50) our God, (14:51) save us from his hand (14:54) that all the kingdoms of the earth (14:56) may know that thou art the Lord, (14:58) even thou only.
(14:59) In other words, (15:00) God show how God you are. (15:02) Everything else that he's naming as his resume, (15:06) everything else that he's naming that fallen, (15:08) it's nothing like you. (15:11) Show how God you are.
(15:13) And the Bible lets us know that (15:14) Isaiah comes back to him with another word, (15:17) and it's because he prayed. (15:20) Isaiah says to him, (15:21) whereas thou has prayed to me against Sennacherib, (15:24) king of Assyria. (15:26) This is the word which the Lord has spoken concerning him.
(15:29) And the Lord goes on to rebuke (15:31) Sennacherib without Sennacherib even knowing. (15:34) But he begins to tell Hezekiah, (15:38) he shall not come to this city in Isaiah 37, 33, (15:42) nor shoot an arrow. (15:44) And he won't come before it with shields, (15:47) nor cast a bank against it.
(15:49) If you look chronologically, (15:52) Isaiah had not yet written, (15:54) no weapon formed against thee shall prosper. (15:57) But he already knew it down in his soul (16:00) when he told Hezekiah, (16:02) it may try to form, (16:05) but it will not prosper. (16:06) This man, this fight can't come in to the place I've given you.
(16:12) In fact, the Lord goes on to say, (16:16) by the way that he came, (16:17) by the same shall he return (16:19) and shall not come into this city, (16:21) said the Lord, (16:22) for I will defend this city to save it for my own sake. (16:27) And for my servant, David's sake, (16:29) he's saying to Hezekiah, (16:32) I will do what you asked. (16:34) I will show how God I am.
(16:37) When you lay out your request, (16:39) your petition, (16:40) your fight before God, (16:41) when you see everything around you trying to be sabotaged (16:44) and the fight seems like it's trying to disconnect me from all hope. (16:48) It is time to pass that threat along (16:52) and lay it before God in prayer. (16:55) Tell him he's so God (16:58) that he has defeated many enemies before.
(17:02) He's not like anything else. (17:04) And he will not lose now (17:06) and watch God move for his namesake, (17:09) for his people. (17:11) And because you prayed, (17:12) you will see prayer reaches every single situation.
(17:28) Did you know that when you are quiet, (17:30) your voice is missing to God's ears? (17:32) I know some of us have prayed and we're wondering, (17:35) how long should I pray about this? (17:36) Why should I pray if God already knows? (17:39) How will I know God is answering? (17:41) And what do I do when I feel like God's not listening? (17:44) But God is listening for your voice. (17:47) It's too quiet in this world for the troubles we have. (17:50) You have to raise your voice and God wants to hear from you.
(17:54) It's Too Quiet, a book about prayer, (17:56) is designed to answer your prayer questions and build your faith. (18:00) Visit PressToPray.com