HISTORY ALTERING PRAYERS (Part 1)<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
Consider Hezekiah who was "sick unto death", yet who sought God in His affliction and THE LORD ADDED 15 YEARS TO HIS LIFE!!! God has sovereignly set up a plan whereby He does things according as His people pray and seek His face.
From Scripture we understand that God changes things in this life. He changes the course of destiny for those who confess and repent of their sins, pray, and seek His holy face. Here is an example of how one man sought God and the Lord answered His prayer with a 15-year dividend:
Isaiah 38:1-7 "In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came unto him, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live. Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD, And said, Remember now, O LORD, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. And Hezekiah wept sore. Then came the word of the LORD to Isaiah, saying, Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears (brokenness): behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years. And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Assyria: and I will defend this city. And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken."
It is clear from this episode with King Hezekiah, that God can and will change His plans as a result of our response to His Word. Note that when Isaiah the prophet "said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Set thine house in order: for thou shalt die, and not live" that "Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed unto the LORD." Hezekiah sought God and God heard his cry and answered his prayer.
Concerning Hezekiah's incident, the late Donald Stamps writes:
"God's statement that Hezekiah must prepare for death and Hezekiah's prayer to God (v.2) have important implications for our relationship to God. (1) All the things that God declares about the future are not necessarily irrevocable (cf. Jonah 3:1-10). When believers are confronted with tragedy, we can rest assured that God cares about what happens to us. He is compassionate and sensitive to our experiences. (2) Our prayers do have an effect on God, His purposes, and the outworking of His sovereign plan. Thus what happens in our lives or in the life of the church is determined by both God's plan and our prayers. We must always maintain the Scriptural conviction that prayer does change things (Isaiah 38:4-7; 1 Kings 21:29; Ezekiel 33:13-16; James 5:14-15)." (Taken from the Full Life Study Bible, p. 1039 - this is a highly recommended Study Bible with a very accurate and balanced commentary.)
Consider Abraham. God did not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah before He consulted with His servant and friend Abraham! Try this on for size! Think about how wicked these people (sodomites) had been. But wait, Abraham's desires meant something to God. "And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do." Genesis 18:17
God changes things (heals) when we repent, pray, and seek His face. Check this out:
2 Chronicles 7:14-20 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (repent); then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And as for thee, if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, and do according to all that I have commanded thee, and shalt observe my statutes and my judgments; Then will I stablish the throne of thy kingdom, according as I have covenanted with David thy father..."
EFFECTUAL FERVENT PRAYING AVAILS MUCH: "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16 "Effectual fervent" here means: The active, inworking prayer, consistent with inward conformity to the mind of God.
Consider Elijah, a man with passions (human weaknesses & limitations) just like us: James 5:17-18: "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."
The course of HIStory has been altered countless times by those who dared and chose to obey God by repenting, praying, and seeking His face. Will the course of history be changed because of your relationship with and fervent prayers to Him? Will your legacy be one of life-changing, course-altering, destiny-directing prayers?
 
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