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Isaiah 36: 4-5

4 The chief adviser said to them, “Tell Hezekiah: ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria, says: “What is your source of confidence? 5 Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk. In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me? 

Isaiah 37:5-7; 16-22; 32-36

5 When King Hezekiah’s servants came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, “Tell your master this: ‘This is what the Lord says: “Don’t be afraid because of the things you have heard – these insults the king of Assyria’s servants have hurled against me.  7 Look, I will take control of his mind; he will receive a report and return to his own land. I will cut him down with a sword in his own land.”’” 

16 “O Lord who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. 17 Pay attention, Lord, and hear! Open your eyes, Lord, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! 18 It is true, Lord, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. 19 They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. 20 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” 21 Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Because you prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria, 22 this is what the Lord says about him: “The virgin daughter Zion despises you – she makes fun of you; daughter Jerusalem shakes her head after you. Whom have you taunted and hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted and looked so arrogantly? At the Holy One of Israel!  

32“For a remnant will leave Jerusalem; survivors will come out of Mount Zion.  The intense devotion of the Lord who commands armies will accomplish this.  35 I will shield this city and rescue it for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant.”’” 36 The Lord’s messenger went out and killed 185,000 troops in the Assyrian camp. When they got up early the next morning, there were all the corpses! 

Our confidence can be shaken by so many things in this world.  Our own failures or stepping out in faith can be triggers for insecurity.  The violence being carried out by evil men, zealously killing in the name of their dead god can be terrifying when our confidence is in men, military, or our own abilities to rescue us.  Threats can intimidate us and make us feel isolated, without hope.  That is how Hezekiah must have felt when every other nation was succumbing to the Assyrians and he was being bullied by leaders who were sent to intimidate him and all of Israel.  But he chose wisely to place his trust and confidence in the One true living God.

We, the church, have a similar choice before us right now.  We do not have to fear anyone or anything on this earth.  We can unite in a prayer like Hezekiah’s – to the living God – and cry out for His deliverance.  We cannot look merely at the circumstances now or the world leaders and hope they have a solution.  Our battle is not against flesh and blood – it is spiritual and requires a spiritual solution.  Notice, I did not say a religious solution, couched in religious dogma and promoting world peace, which cannot be had apart from a genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

It is also not to the god of politics that we must bow.  No, the tides of evil are spreading and we must drop our knees before our merciful God and seek His glory in this war, which has happened before.  May we unite in prayer together and ask God to turn the hearts of our leaders toward Him.  He has done it in the past, He can do it again.

Man will rise against man, nation against nation; wars and rumors of wars are destined to happen, but we must not merely give up – we can fight on our knees!  All these events God will use for good and in His sovereignty He already knows the end. May many come to know Him even now.  May we trust in Him, whether He determines it is best to deliver His people now or not.  God help us to cry out for those in need right now, even though it is not yet on our doorstep.

Lord, help Your church to rise up and overcome evil.  God, fight for us.  We look to You, alone.  Only You can defeat the enemy and rescue Your people.  Help us, LORD – don’t forget Your promises and Your children who cry out to You.  For Your Name’s sake, show Yourself strong and draw many to Yourself.  You have saved us, LORD.  You have delivered Your people.  We ask that You do it again, Abba Father.  In Jesus’ Name, all for Your glory.