PROVING GOD IN PRAYER

PROVING GOD IN PRAYER

There are many prayers and answers to prayer recorded throughout the Bible, but none quite like Elijah's prayer at Mount Carmel. There comes a time when a line is drawn and decisions need to be made. That is what took place when Elijah met with King Ahab. King Ahab, along with his wicked wife, Jezebel, had led the people into idolatry. At their meeting, Elijah told Ahab to call all of his 450 false priests and prophets together, along with all of the people to Mount Carmel. Once and for all, it would be identified who is following the one and only true God.

Elijah stood before the people, told them the truth, and then proceeded to prove the facts. Elijah stated, "if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him." Before praying, Elijah told the priests to first pray to their god and see if he would answer them. Elijah mocked them as they pleaded and prayed all day long to their god and nothing happened. Elijah then prayed and God answered in a spectacular way, as seen in I Kings 18:21-40.

"And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word. Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, Israel shall be thy name: And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood. And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water."

Elijah's prayer
"And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said,

LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again."

God's answer
"Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench."

The result
"And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God. And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there."

Let us as well pray

"The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God."

PRAYERS AND PROMISES

PRAYERS AND PROMISES

Many promises are found in the Bible, but we should always search for what action must first be taken in order to receive those promises. We will find some fantastic promises from the word of God. Take some time to consider them.

God says we are to trust in Him in all areas of our life and not to put our dependency on our own comprehension of a situation. He then promises that he will guide us to the correct path to take. "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The short and to the point promise that Jesus made in Mark 9:23 is hard for most of us to conceive. If we believe, anything is possible to us. "Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." We need to grasp and hang on to those words. Do we believe him?

Abraham was one who believed. God was so pleased that Abraham believed and obeyed him that He made several promises to Abraham. God promised he would multiply Abraham’s seed and that his descendents would be a blessing to the entire earth. "And he brought him forth abroad, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:5-6)

Following the flood, after Noah was out of the ark and had offered a burnt offering in prayer to the Lord, God made an inimitable promise to himself. "And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease." (Genesis 8:21-22) He made that promise to himself and to mankind. There will be spring and fall, summer and winter and daytime and nighttime. He acknowledged the fact that man's mind is tended toward evil. That is a sad, sobering thought for us to hear and to face.

In the book of Leviticus, a promise is given to the country, or nation, that keeps and does his statues and commandments. It is a promise of prosperity, safety, peace, and protection from evil, plus victory over their enemies. "If ye walk in my statues, and keep my commandments and do them; Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely. And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. For I will have respect unto you and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you." (Leviticus 26: 3-8) What a blessing to the country, if we keep His commandments and do them.

We learn from the scriptures to pray and repent if wickedness begins to take over a nation. We find these words concerning a nation in Jeremiah. "At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them." (Jeremiah 18:7-10) Remember what happened in the book of Jonah when the people of Nineveh prayed and repented? The city was spared.

The scriptures confirm that we do have angels that watch over us. To the man that reveres him, God makes this promise concerning an angel. "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (Psalms 34:7) Angels to watch over us are also promised in Psalms 91, but the entire chapter needs to be included when speaking of promises. All of these promises are made to those who set their love upon God and in prayer call upon him. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou have made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation." (Psalms 91:1-16)

To those who wait upon the Lord, we find two beautiful promises in the Psalms and in the book of Isaiah: to inherit the earth and soar as the eagle. In certain circumstances we need to pray, put our trust in him and then wait. Just wait, and watch. "Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth." (Psalms 37:7-9) And in Isaiah, "He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." (Isaiah 40:29-31)

To he who puts his trust in God, there is this promise spoken also from the book of Isaiah. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusted in thee”. (Isaiah 26:3)

God instructed the children of Israel, who would be taken into captivity in Babylon, that they would be there for seventy years, but he told them to pray and they would have peace even while in a foreign land. “And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7)

God also made a promise to the children of Israel that he would hear their prayers and bring them back out of their captivity in Babylon."For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive" (Jeremiah 29:10-14)

A promise is given in the book of Proverbs concerning the righteous man's prayer. In addition, it says that what the evil man fears most will happen to him. "The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted." (Proverbs 10:24)

Paul tells us in the book of Romans that The Holy Spirit, also called the Comforter, and the Spirit of Truth, prays for us when we're uncertain about how to pray concerning a particular situation. What a blessing! "Likewise the Spirit helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8:26)

The Bible says we have these promising words if our delight is in God. Remember these words when in prayer: "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalms 34:4) What is our heart's desire? Again, written in the book of Psalms, are these words, "He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them." (Psalms 145:19) "Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not witholden the request of his lips. Selah "(Psalms 21:2)

Mary's Prayer

MARY’S PRAYER
An angel named Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary in Nazareth. He said to her, “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women”. (Luke 1:28) This proclamation was a humbling honor. Gabriel went on to explain to Mary that she was going to have a son and he was to be named Jesus. He also informed Mary that her cousin, Elizabeth, was six months pregnant, also with a son.

Shortly following that announcement, Mary rushed to Elizabeth's home where another extraordinary thing happened. When Mary first encountered Elizabeth and opened her mouth to speak, John, Elizabeth’s son, jumped with excitement inside her womb. It states that Elizabeth at that moment spoke loudly these words, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things, which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:42 – 45)

Elizabeth’s statement concerning Mary, “blessed is she that believed,” authenticates to us that Mary believed the words that were spoken to her and that this miracle could and would happen.

Overjoyed by all that was happening, Mary was filled with the Holy Spirit and prayed a prayer proclaiming her love to the Lord. In her prayer, she confirms the Old Testament words spoken many years earlier to Abraham and his descendents. She also proclaims the blessing for the generations to come.

Mary’s Spirit Filled Prayer

“And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.” (Luke 1:46 – 55)

Hannah's Prayers

HANNAH'S PRAYERS
Hannah was a woman who dearly desired to have a child, but the Lord had closed her womb. She was sad and rose up early in the morning to pray unto the Lord, weeping before him. She made a serious pledge to the Lord, if only she could have a son.

Hannah's First Prayer

“And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmad, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.” (I Samuel 1:11)

The Answer to Hannah’s Prayer

Hannah’s prayer was answered and she did give birth to a son, which she named Samuel. After Samuel was weaned, Hannah took him to Eli the priest. She said, “For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him; Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the LORD,”
(I Samuel 1:26-27)

Hannah went on to share with us one of the most beautiful, prophetic prayers recorded in the scriptures. This was a humble woman of faith who dearly loved and revered God. Hannah in all probability never realized the words, which she spoke, would be recorded throughout history.

Hannah’s Prophetic Prayer

"And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them. He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed." (I Samuel 2:1 – 10)

Daniel's Prayers

DANIEL’S PRAYERS
After King Nebuchadnezzar's wise men could not interpret a strange dream regarding a great image, King Nebuchadnezzar made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be executed. Daniel proceeded to go before the Lord in prayer. Afterward, the secret was revealed to Daniel in a dream. A grateful Daniel then went before the Lord in prayer. It is evident from his prayer how much Daniel loved and reverenced God.

Daniel's Prayer

“Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his: And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what is in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him. I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter”. (Daniel 2:20-23)

Daniel described the dream to King Nebuchadnezzar who, because of his gratitude, made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon and gave him many gifts.

Later in his life, because of Daniel’s excellent spirit, King Darius positioned him over the three presidents in the kingdom. These leaders were jealous of Daniel and tricked the king into making a law concerning prayer that they knew Daniel would not obey. “Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10) The envious men then turned Daniel over to the king, who, because of his decree, threw Daniel into the lion’s den, but God intervened by shutting the lions' mouths and Daniel was spared. King Darius then spoke these dynamic words in support of Daniel’s God. "I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end. He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27)

There was a time in his life when Daniel grew to be troubled in his heart because of the sins of his people and cried out in repentance to the Lord. His prayer shows us the importance of praying for our people. Daniel had a great love and concern for his people and he was greatly loved by God.

A repentant Prayer of Daniel

“And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes: And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments; We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments: Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee. O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee. To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him; Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets. Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him. And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem. As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth. Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly. O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us. Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.” (Daniel 9: 3-19)

God's Answer to Daniel after his repentant prayer

While Daniel was still praying, Gabriel, the same angel that appeared to Mary, the mother of Jesus, appeared to him and told Daniel he was greatly beloved and that he would be given skill and understanding. Daniel was shown several visions of the future, which are specified throughout the book of Daniel. The last verse in the book gives a consecrated promise to Daniel concerning his future. “But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:13)

David's Prayers

DAVID’S PRAYERS
Speaking through Nathan the prophet, God revealed to King David that his family and kingdom would be established on the throne forever. The Lord said to him, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” (II Samuel 7:12-13) A humble, appreciative David responded in a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord.

David’s Prayer of Thanksgiving

“Then went King David in, and sat before the LORD, and he said, Who am I, O Lord GOD? and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, O Lord GOD; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come. And is this the manner of man, O Lord GOD? And what can David say more unto thee? for thou, Lord GOD, knowest thy servant. For thy word's sake, and according to thine own heart, hast thou done all these great things, to make thy servant know them. Wherefore thou art great, O LORD God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And what one nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself, and to make him a name, and to do for you great things and terrible, for thy land, before thy people, which thou redeemedst to thee from Egypt, from the nations and their gods? For thou hast confirmed to thyself thy people Israel to be a people unto thee forever: and thou, LORD, art become their God. And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it forever, and do as thou hast said. And let thy name be magnified for ever, saying, The LORD of hosts is the God over Israel: and let the house of thy servant David be established before thee. For thou, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee. And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant: Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever." (II Samuel 7:18-29)

David, along with the congregation, brought several items and donated them for the building of the temple by David’s son, Solomon. David prayed to the Lord before all the people at the dedication ceremony. This is an excellent illustration of a prayer of praise. An interesting thought that David brought forth in his prayer was the fact that the items being dedicated already belonged to God. It brings to mind a situation, which often happens in a family, of a loving little child giving an item to his or her parents that the parents already own.

David’s Prayer of Praise

“Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee. For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding. O LORD our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. O LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee: And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision. And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the LORD your God. And all the congregation blessed the LORD God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the LORD, and the king.” (I Chronicles 29:10-20)

Some individuals whom David believed to be his friends turned on him and spoke out against him. These back stabbers gave him evil in return for his good. It pained David, seeing how they expressed joy at his hurt, and David prayed to the Lord. His prayer is a source of strength to all who may have been treated unjustly. In this prayer, David requested for God to avenge him against his enemies. In the previous chapter of this book, we were encouraged by the words of Jesus in the book of Luke in which he stated that God would avenge us swiftly against our enemies.

David’s Prayer for Justice

“A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall. And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?

“False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother. But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

“Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause. For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me. Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the daylong.” (Psalms 35:1-28)

Manasseh's Prayer

MANASSEH’S PRAYER
Hezekiah’s son Manasseh did not follow in his father’s footsteps. He did evil and led the people to worship other gods. He was twelve years old when he began to reign and was king for 55 years in Jerusalem.

"For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.” (II Chronicles 33:3) “And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD”. (II Chronicles 33:5)

Manasseh also observed times, used enchantments and witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit and wizards. (Verse 6) The Lord then allowed him to be captured by the king of Babylon. The entire prayer of Manasseh is not given, but in verse 12 and 13 it states, “And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers and prayed unto him."

This should be encouraging to all of us. A person couldn't fall much lower then Manasseh, and yet when he was at the bottom he humbled himself and prayed and was forgiven. We learn from this that God our Father appreciates humility and hates pride. When Manasseh prayed, the Lord answered and gave him back his kingship.

God's Answer to Manasseh

"and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom.” (II Chronicles 33:13)

The successful outcome of this is given at the end of verse thirteen. “Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God”.

As with Manasseh, a big "shake up" in our life is sometimes what it takes to wake us up.

For more reading, in the Apocrypha, there is a book called, The Prayer of Manasseh, which is believed to be same Manasseh.