When a King and a Prophet Agreed Together in Prayer,
part two

A few years after Israel, the northern kingdom, was conquered, the Assyrian army came across the border into Judah and captured some of her fortified cities (Isaiah 36:1-3). In Judah there were many believers in the one True God. Their priests had offered sacrifices to cover their sins and they had even observed the Passover.  I believe many of them had prayed that the Assyrians would not invade their land. But the Assyrians did invade. And they captured and took over a number of cities. The enemy went further than they believed God would allow him to go!

Some of us feel that way. Just like the followers of Jehovah in Judah believed the Assyrians would not set foot in their land, but did anyway, we believed that God would not allow evil people who seek to take over our country to go as far as they have.  But the story was not over for the Jews and it is not over for us either.

The Assyrian’s next goal was to conquer the capitol, Jerusalem. Then they would have the whole nation. When Hezekiah found out that King Sennacherib was sending his representative with a large army to confront him and the people of Jerusalem, he encouraged the people to be strong and courageous, “for there are more of us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and fight our battles” (II Chronicles 32:7-8, The Message Bible).

When Sennacherib’s messenger delivered his written orders, the Jews realized that it was a message full of insults and contempt for King Hezekiah and for their God (II Chronicles 32:13-17). It was also a demand for immediate surrender.

“Sennacherib continued to send letters insulting the God of Israel:  the gods of the nations were powerless to help their people; the god of Hezekiah is no better, probably worse.”  Then Sennacherib’s messengers “shouted their propaganda in Hebrew, trying to scare them into demoralized submission. They contemptuously lumped the God of Jerusalem in with the handmade gods of other peoples (II Chronicles 32:17, 19, The Message Bible).

Today many of the enemies of our republic teach that God doesn’t exist. That in itself is an insult to God.
Hezekiah took Sennacherib’s threatening and insulting letter and spread it out before the Lord. Then Isaiah prophesied against Sennacherib and joined Hezekiah in prayer. The Scripture reports: “Now because of this King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, prayed and cried out to heaven. God answered by sending an angel who wiped out everyone in the Assyrian camp, both warriors and officers. Sennacherib was forced to return home in disgrace . . . When he went into the temple of his god, his own sons killed him (II Chronicles 32:20, NKJV, 21, The Message Bible).

God saved Jerusalem and its inhabitants and I believe He will save our nation also. Hezekiah and Isaiah agreed in prayer on earth concerning a matter of utmost importance and it was done for them by our Father in heaven. Jesus promised us, “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven” (Matthew 18:19).

I thank God for not just one or two, but for the many thousands of Christians across the world who are joining us in prayer, and for the many thousands in our nation, who are praying for deliverance from evil and for the light of the truth to shine brightly and cast out the darkness, evil threats, and deception which seek to take away the freedoms we have in this nation. I also thank God for prophets whom He has raised up who are encouraging us and prophesying against the evil that wants to take over and take away our freedom. Through Jesus Christ, we have the victory!