OUR POWER HOUSE

From the wells that supply water to some homes to the hydro-electric dams which span across rivers, providing electricity to the power grids, each has what is referred to many times as the "power house". It is the center of the power supply for these wells, pumps, and turbines, providing the energy needed to run them. Without the power center, there is no electricity or water for our homes, businesses or institutions.

Stay with me through this blog, as I do have a point to it. Dr. Charles Haddon Spurgeon pastored the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England for 38 years. The congregation numbered over 6,000. Dr. Spurgeon was a preacher and theologian of the cross of Christ, of prayer and the authority of the Bible. It is reported that thousands were converted to follow Jesus under his preaching, and he baptized over 15,000 new believers in Jesus during his pastoral ministry. He said this about prayer: "If you believe in prayer at all, expect God to hear you. If you do not expect, you will not have. God will not hear you unless you believe He will hear you; but if you believe He will, He will be as good as your faith."

On one reported occasion, Dr Spurgeon was asked what the secret of his powerful ministry was. He took his inquirer downstairs in the church building, and there on their knees were 500 prayer warriors. Dr. Spurgeon said : "This, my friend, is the power behind the ministry." Thus, the "power house" of the Metropolitan Tabernacle!

The Prophet Isaiah describes the "power house" of Prayer as he chronicles an important event in the life and reign of Hezekiah, King of Judah. (Isaiah 37:14-21) The historical setting must be clearly understood. Sennacherib, King of Assyria had conquered kingdom after kingdom in his utterly ruthless and vicious manner. He and Assyria were greatly feared! This king, through his messenger threatened Hezekiah and beseiged Judah with a vast army. He sent Hezekiah a letter of intention, mocking Judah, Hezekiah and God Himself, promising to overthrow Judah.

Upon receiving this warning from Sennacherib, Hezekiah ". . .tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the LORD." (Isaiah 37:1) Hezekiah sent for the Prophet Isaiah and told him of his plight and the threat against Judah saying: "This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace." (Isaiah 37:2-3) Hezekiah reported to Isaiah: Assyria has sent a communication "to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left." (Isaiah 37:4) Isaiah gave Hezekiah the word of the LORD and God's promise of total deliverance.

Think about this: Trouble is a divine diet for the believer in Jesus. We have not received a spiritual inoculation that prevents trouble; God uses trouble that comes to us for His purposes! "Trouble is our friend, for it causes us to trust God" said Rev. Jim Cymbala, pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. King Hezekiah found himself in deep trouble and grave danger, so he went to God to pray for deliverance. We read: "Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD, and spread it before the LORD. And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD; 'O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire. . . . So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD'." God, then, sent a message to Hezekiah through Isaiah. ". . . because you have prayed to me . . . this is the word that the LORD has spoken." (Isaiah 37:14-21) God's reassurance of deliverance came to Hezekiah: ". . . he shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there or come before it with shield or cast up a seige mount against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and shall not come into this city. . . . For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David." (Isaiah 37:33-35)

God's miraculous deliverance then happened. "And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians. . . . Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home. . . ." (Isaiah 37:37)

I. The Cause of Hezekiah's Trouble

a. A letter, a true "messenger of satan" to distress and disgrace him and mock the living God. For some

of us, a postal delivery may contain torpedoes. Who knows what the next letter, email, voice mail or

text may bring to distress, worry, distract or mess us up?

b. A communication sent in an attempt to destroy his faith in God. "Do not let your God in whom you

trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria".

(Isaiah 37:10)

c. A notice given to dispossess Hezekiah of his inheritance promised by God.

d. A threat designed to bring Hezekiah into slavery.

The enemy of our soul is always active toward the same ends. The communications may be well

written, but are terribly bitter and devastating.

II. The Cure For Hezekiah's Trouble

a. "He spread it before the LORD" - vs. 14

b. This act revealed his FAITH in God! His faith was not destroyed or diminished by threats, devastating

communications, evil intents, ruthless power or adversity.

c. He did not spread the letter before the "face of heaven" but before the "face" of ALMIGHTY GOD. (see

verse 14)

d. He was thorough in his prayer - "HE SPREAD IT OUT". He rehearsed the whole matter from beginning

to end. He was definite and specific in his prayer, completely honest, keeping nothing back.

III. The Victory Regarding Hezekiah's Trouble

a. "The angel of the LORD (perhaps a Christophany ----a pre-incarnate physical manifestation of

Christ) went out and struck down" 185,000 - vs. 36 God became Hezekiah's defense!

b. "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6)

c. "By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed. . . ." (Job 4:9)

Peter Marshall was a Scotish-American preacher, author and pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington DC, and served as Chaplain of the United States Senate for over two years. He died in 1947 at the age of 46. His wife Catherine edited a compiliation of some of his sermons and PRAYERS in a book titled Mr. Jones, Meet The Master. He prayed: "Oh Lord, in the midst of great activity today, we ask Thee to remind us often of Thy invisible presence. That out of confused issues may come simplicity of plan, out of fear may come confidence, out of hurry may come willingness to wait, out of frustration, rest and power." Rev. Marshall once said: "God's power has never been obstructed by difficulties, nor His love by the confusion of human plans. May the failure of man's best resources impel us toward the resources of God."

In closing, every Christian, every church, every pastor and Christian leader, every institution of God need a power source, a CENTER OF DIVINE POWER SUPPLY! As Dr. Charles Haddon Spurgeon would say, PRAYER IS THAT POWER SUPPLY! We need desperately in our time and place, THE 'POWER HOUSE' OF PERSONAL AND CORPORATE PRAYER!