When All Odds are Against You...

On Sunday I focused my message on the prophet Isaiah. But The Story captures a great story from the Bible from 2 Kings 18-19 that I didn't touch on. It's the story of King Hezekiah. You can read it in The Story Chapter 16.

The cliff notes version is that the Assyrian army had Jerusalem surrounded and ready to crush them.

5 Hezekiah trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the LORD and did not cease to follow him; he kept the commands the LORD had given Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 2 Kings 18

The King of Assyria wasn't too happy with Hezekiah's rebellion so he threatens him again. And then Hezekiah goes to the Lord in desperation. I love how he trusts in God when all odds are against him...

14 Hezekiah received the threatening letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD: "O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16 Give ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes,O LORD, and see; listen to the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. ...19 Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O LORD, are God."

God responded by saying...

I will defend this city and save it for MY sake and for the sake of my servant David. 2 Kings 19:34

Amazingly God sent angels into the Assyrian camp and killed 180,000 of their men causing them to retreat and let Judah stand. Hezekiah didn't lift a finger. God did it all!

I mention this to you because maybe you feel that you are trapped today with all odds against you and no way out. Don't forget that the God of the Universe is with you and is willing to dispatch his angels on your behalf as well! Like Hezekiah, lay your biggest problem before God and ask God to deliver you for HIS names sake. And then wait and watch.

Be encouraged!

Remy

p.s. - if you want to be encouraged more please download my message from Sunday! It's a word of hope for people going through a hard time.