Prayers Of Protection Part II: The Will Of God Is Open

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. – Psalm 65:2

Christians have a lot of responsibilities. Prayer and using the power provided through it is one of these responsibilities. The Lord hears the prayer of the righteous and the prayer of the upright is his delight.  (Proverbs 15:8, Proverbs 15:29) But for those who turn their ear from hearing God’s commands? God regards their very prayers as an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9, Isaiah 1:15, Psalms 109:2-7)

In 2 Kings 20:1-6 (Isaiah 38:1-6) we read of Hezekiah and his serious illness. The prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and warned him to set his house in order since the Lord said that he would die. What does Hezekiah do? He changes the mind of God. How? He prays and weeps before God. We see that the word of the Lord came again unto Isaiah and Isaiah returns to Hezekiah and says this word; “Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee…and I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”

In Exodus 32:7-14 we see how the Lord told Moses that he was going to destroy the Israelites because of their Idolatry. The Lord planned to consume them entirely and make a nation of Moses (Exodus 32:10). But Moses changed the mind of God. How? He besought the Lord and pleaded with him. He spoke to the Lord of his faithful servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Thus Moses interceded and spared the lives of the then living Israelites whom God was prepared to destroy. 

This is what those who love and serve God can do…they can change the mind of God and by so doing change not only the lives of those whom they love, but they can change the very course of history.

This is not a game to be played. We don’t gain power to change God’s plans by obeying him. We love God and because we love him, we obey him. Because we love him we are his friends, as friends of God we work with God since his will is our desire. Thus his will becomes ours…and our will becomes his. This is just how it is supposed to be with human friendships and in marriage.

John 15:12-16 – “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of my Father in my name, he may give it you.”

In Jeremiah 11:12-14 we can see how God turned away from hearing the prayers of those who were formerly his people. We read that he not only refused to hear them, but he commanded that the righteous should not pray for them. Why? Because these people who knew better had fallen into great Idolatry. They had set up alters and worshiped gods contrary to the commandment of the Lord.

When we pray to God we protect people, awake and transform people, becoming an ever needed agent of change and spring of miracles in a world that is lost, perverse, and starving for the truth and grace of the living, loving, eternal God. But we dare not expect to see change or really any effects from our prayers if we have or are committing Idolatry. Idols are anything we place before God. Any priority we hold as more important than God. In 1 Peter 3:7 we see that prayers can be hindered in the lives of men who mistreat their wives. This in one example of many in how our lives must be ordered by the principles of God if we are to have any power in prayer.

Thus, the reason we do not see God working today as much as we could is because of the multitude of Idolatries in the “Christian church” and in society at large. Let us dare to believe God in completeness, becoming his friends and the directors of change in the world for the sake of His Kingdom. 

But woe unto him who thinks he can direct the world without surrendering to the Lord. Woe unto him who attests to be God’s friend without bringing his behavior into the subjection of the Lord’s commands. For surely he shall change the world, but he will do so in opposition to the will of God receiving just damnation in due time. 

He shall regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. – Psalm 102:17

Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me. – Psalm 66:20

For more about prayer see the following verses - Matthew 21:22, Philippians 1:19, James 5:15-16, Revelation 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, Acts 6:4, Luke 6:11-17

Let all mortals pray thus; Lord let me feel the burden of my sin, not so that it may crush me, but so that I may be wise, beholding the evil that I may choose the good. Amen.

The Righteous Witness Lifted Up

“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” - John 18:37

“A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.” - Proverbs 14:25

Christ is a true witness because he delivereth souls.

“An ungodly witness scorneth judgment: and the mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity.” - Proverbs 19:28

Christ is a godly witness because he warns of judgment.

“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” - Revelation 1:5

Jesus Christ is a godly witness, a true witness, and a faithful witness. But he is not only godly, he is God. He is not only true, he is the Truth. He is not only faithful, he is the one we have Faith in. (John 14:6, Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:26, Ephesians 3:17, Philippians 3:9, Colossians 2:5, 2 Timothy 3:15, John 5:31-40, John 8:18, John 10:25, John 15:26-27)

What was Christ a witness for? What did he bear witness of?

He bore witness of the truth. As Pilate said in John 18:38 “What is truth?

Truth could be defined in many ways, but truth is what Christ taught. If we continue in His word, that is, in his teachings, we will be his disciples, knowing the truth and being made free.

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” - John 8:28-32

Jesus said unto Nicodemus “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” - John 3:4-7

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? - John 3:11-12

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” - John 3:14-21

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” - John 3:36

What does it mean that the Son of man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness? Moses lifted up the serpent of brass and all who looked on it were saved from death, the death that was to come upon them because of their sin in speaking against God and his servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31, Joshua 11:15)

“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.” -Numbers 21:5-9

Just as the rebellious Israelites repented and looked to the brass serpent for life, so all men today repent and look to Jesus Christ for life. But many do not turn from their rebellion to look for life, but remain in condemnation by loving sin and darkness. And those who do not turn from wickedness to seek Christ? Look! They are tormented by that fiery serpent Satan!

See how the Israelites repented? They said to Moses “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us.” And Moses prayed for the people.

See how men today repent? They pray unto God “We are lost, for we believed not on your Son Jesus Christ, whom you sent to justify us by his death on the cross, when he took the punishment for our sins.” And Christ interceded for the repentant sinner. (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25-27, Isaiah 53:12)

But the men repenting today do not end their prayers there. They continue to pray telling God that they believe, taking hold on the promises in his word. They look to Christ Jesus and his teachings; they look to follow him with all that they are.

The Son of Man, Jesus Christ was lifted up in many ways. Primarily he was lifted up on the Cross when he died for us that we might have life, and have life abundantly. (John 10:10, John 8:28)

Even today the Cross is often regarded as a symbol of salvation; much like the serpent of brass was regarded as a symbol of salvation. The difference being that the serpent was looked to for salvation of the flesh, whereas the cross is looked to as a symbol of eternal salvation.

Now later the Israelites made an idol out of the brass serpent as we see in 2 Kings 18:4. When Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign he destroyed the brass serpent because it had become an idol unto the Israelites (2 Kings 18:1-7). Why did Hezekiah destroy that idol of brass? Because “He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses.” - 2 Kings 18:5-6

“He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4)

Also today many make an idol out of the cross, displaying it predominately, and worshipping it rather than God and the salvation it represents. You know this is true because of the ungodly who wear it on a chain about their neck. There really can be no Christian symbol, only to some it may seem that way.

How else was Christ lifted up?

He was raised from the dead. Our faith is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:17). Christ spoke the truth when he said he would rise again (Luke 18:33. Mark 10:34, Acts 2:32), when he said he lays down his life that he may take it up again (John 10:17).

He was also lifted up as he ascended into heaven (Acts 1:2-11).

“And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” - Acts 1:9-11

Christ the righteous witness and true, was lifted up that we may look to him for life, for life everlasting.



“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.” - Psalm 119:160

“I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” - Psalm 119:162

See the Hymn "How Great Thou Art"