A Moment Of Intense Prayer
Psalm 55:16-17
In October of 1871 D.L Moody had reached a place of a deep hunger for God. He was in agony of soul as he prayed and sought the power of God. At times he would roll on the floor in agony and in tears. One day while passing through New York on his way to Britain he knew that God heard his prayer. As he walked the streets the power of the Lord fell upon him, the Lord drew near and revealed Himself to His servant. Moody rushed to a friend’s house and asked for a room and to be left alone. Hour after hour he experienced the awesome presence of God. This experience was so real and strong that he cried out to God to stay His hand lest he die. He was filled with the joy of the Lord. When he left that house it was in the power of the Spirit. So great was the power that attended his work that some called it a “third Great Awakening.” For the next quarter century he traveled the English-speaking world. Without higher education, he founded three schools. Without theological training, he reshaped American Christianity. Without radio or television, he reached 100 million people. At this time in his life, Moody went beyond simple praying and entered into a time of intense prayer.
The great reformer Martin Luther was a man of constant prayer. He prayed morning and evening and throughout the day. He repeated memorized prayers again and again, especially the Lord's prayer, and prayed the psalms. But his biographer states that "when he had a prayer burden, his prayer became a storm, a wrestling with God, the power, the greatness, and holy simplicity of which it is difficult to compare with other human emotions,"
Such mighty prevailings in prayer have been described as "battering the gates of heaven with the storms of prayer." Have you ever reached a place where your prayers shifted into high gear so to speak? Through the scriptures we are told to live lives of constant prayer. Jesus said "Men ought always to pray" - Paul said we are to "pray without ceasing", but there are some times when we cry out to God with a sense of intensity and urgency. This happens in those times of struggle and frustration. This happens in those times of distress and difficulty. This happens in those times of hurt and agony.
I have stood at an accident scene where someone was praying intensely for their loved one who was injured. I have seen intense prayer in the hospital emergency room when the doctor comes in and delivers tragic news to a family. There have been several times in my life where I just got alone with God and cried out for Him to move in a mighty way. There are also those times of spiritual struggle when the enemy surrounds you and it seems the walls are closing in when we really get serious with God.
This was seen in the life of our Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane. Before Judas and the soldiers arrived to seize Jesus He had been alone with His Father praying intensely! Luke 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
Jesus knows all about intense prayer. I am not here to criticize the prayers that we pray here at church. It is not my intention to run down the prayers that we pray when we wake up or go to sleep, or the prayers that we pray before we eat a meal. These are all important prayers and each one has their place. But I would like to look at a very difficult time in the life of King David and preach on the thought "A Moment Of Intense Prayer"
In the first eight verses of this Psalm he speaks to the Lord about the problems that he is enduring because of his enemies. Then in verses 9-15 he asks the Lord for help. And in verses 16-18 he reveals his confidence in the Lord. If you read this Psalm the way I do, then you will agree that this was an intense prayer. You may be at a place in your life now where you are praying these types of intense prayers. Or maybe you have been at a place where you have prayed to God with extreme urgency. And if you have never reached that point in your life, then trust me, you will.
-Let's examine the first 8 verses of this Psalm and see:
I. THE REASON FOR AN INTENSE PRAYER - v1 Give ear to my prayer, O God; and hide not thyself from my supplication. 2 Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise; 3 Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me. 4 My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
At this point in his life David was facing great opposition from his enemies. David was no stranger to trouble. He faced great persecution from his predecessor King Saul. Many times we see David on the run and hiding in a cave fearing for his life. But according to certain elements of this Psalm, it is commonly accepted that this Psalm was penned as a result of the aggression David faced from his own son Absalom.
Absalom had come against his father and started a rebellion. Things got so heated that David had to flee his throne and go on the run once again. If this is the motivation for this Psalm, then there was a great deal of emotional turmoil that David was enduring as well. It is one thing to have enemies, but for your greatest adversary to be your own son must have been devastating. David cries out to the Lord and says that his "enemies were pursuing him, they shout at him making grave threats" he goes on to say "Lord listen to my prayer and answer me, please do not ignore me! I am overwhelmed by my troubles" Then he says in verse 4, My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me. 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me.
The reason for David's intense prayer was the many troubles that he faced. Have you ever been at that place in your life? Those times when there is trouble on the left, on the right, behind you and in front of you. Times when you don't know what to do or where to go. It seems that you will surely be overtaken and defeated. Have you ever reached a point in your life where it seems that things cannot get any worse, and then they do? Those times when trouble comes and then it just keeps on coming; times when you just don't think you can take one more step. These are those moments that lead to intense prayer!
If you have ever been in such a situation, you will likely agree with me that those prayers are not always "pretty" prayers. These prayers are usually prayed while you are alone and you throw away the formalities and remove the facade and you just get real with God for a while. That is what David does in this Psalm. You will not find any more beautiful prayers than many of the Psalms that David penned. Many of them read like poetry, however, Psalm 55 is not one of them, In Psalm 55 you see the valley that this man of God was walking through
- Look with me to verses 6-8 as we see:
II. THE HONESTY IN AN INTENSE PRAYER - v6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.
David says "Lord if I had wings I would escape to the quietness of the wilderness, I would fly away from here!" -- Have you ever been to a place where you just want to run away from your problems? Often it seems easier to run that to stay and fight. That is where the King was at this point. There is no question that this man of God could pray a beautiful prayer. Listen to his words in:
Psalms 17:1 Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips. 2 Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal. 3 Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress. 4 Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. 5 Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not. 6 I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.
Even with his skilled beautiful prayers, David knew that he could get honest with God as well. Likewise, we might as well be honest with God, for He knows our very thoughts. There have been times of intense prayer in my life where I have been just like David. I have cried out to God and begged for mercy. I have had complaints that I took before the Lord, and there have been times when I have questioned Him about certain circumstances and situations. There have been issues in my life that did not seem fair and that I did not like and I have told Him about it.
There is nothing wrong with being honest and transparent with the Lord. And when we get to those places of intense prayer, it just seems to come a little easier. Remember Jesus at Gethsemane, when He prayed in agony to the Lord He essentially said "Father, if there is another way, that is what I want!" - And you and I can, and should be honest with the Lord. However, we must do so with reverence, fear and a spirit of humble obedience.
- Let's move a little deeper in the text and consider:
III. THE FOCUS OF AN INTENSE PRAYER - v9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it. 11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof: deceit and guile depart not from her streets.
The focus of David's prayer was protection from his enemies and also, victory over them. David was not just feeling the effects of the enemies pursuit, he was also brokenhearted of the deceit of a trusted friend. In verse 12-14 it seems that he makes reference to his former friend and counselor Ahithophel.
v12 For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.
Ahithophel and David once had a wonderful relationship. But when Absalom began his rebellion he sent for Ahithophel. And he joined in with the conspiracy against King David. - 2 Samuel 15:31 And one told David, saying, Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, O LORD, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.
Look at all that David is dealing with; he is under attack from his own flesh and blood. One of his closest friends has betrayed him. Many of his people have joined together against him in the uprising. He has lost his home, his throne and his Kingdom. I don't know about you, but to me that sounds like enough to provoke a moment of intense prayer. He had a certain focus or goal in praying this prayer. He knew the problem and he knew what he thought should be the solution. (It seems we always want to tell God in our prayers what the answer should be). David gets real specific in - v15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.
Don't look down on David, you have probably wanted to see the same thing happen to certain people. This prayer is what is called an "imprecatory prayer". To imprecate means - "to invoke evil upon ones enemies" . This is not the only imprecatory prayer that he ever prayed. Others are recorded in Psalm 35, 58, 69 & 109. Read them and you will hear phrases such as "may their path be dark and slippery with the Angel of the Lord pursuing them" and "O God break the teeth in their mouths"
When David prayed for God to shatter the teeth of his enemies, likening them to young lions pursuing him to his death, he was making the point that God is holy, righteous, and just, and He will ultimately judge the wicked for the evil they do. Jesus and Paul both referenced these imprecatory prayers.
In Matthew 5:44-48 Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. He didn't say pray for their death or destruction. Rather we should pray for their salvation and then for God's will to be done.
When we pray an intense prayer we have a focus and a goal in mind. But ultimately... even in times of difficulty, even when our enemies pursue us let us pray that God's will is done.
Next, I would like to look at verse 17 and see:
IV. THE CONSISTECY OF AN INTENSE PRAYER - v17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
This was not a one time prayer for the King, this was a matter that was at the forefront of his mind. He says "I will pray about this all the day long!" And if you have ever faced great trouble in your life then you did not have to be reminded to pray. It was a matter of constant prayer.
When you reach that dark valley, when the storm comes in your life, you will pray intensely and you will pray constantly. You will not let up until you receive an answer. It may not be the answer that you were looking for, but there is an answer coming. And if you are currently facing great difficulty, let me encourage you to keep on praying.
These intense prayers that I speak of are not only prayers that we pray about ourselves. We need to come to a place of intense prayer for others. We need to come to a place of intense prayer for our church. We need to come to a place of intense prayer for our country. and we especially need to pray intense and constant prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We have an example of this in a man named Epaphras at the church of Colossae. He regularly agonized in prayer for his brothers and sisters in Christ.
Colossians 4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, - Do you pray like that for the people in your church? If not, you should be!!
- As David prayed this intense prayer, he did so with confidence in his Lord. Notice in verse 16- 19
V. THE ASSURANCE CONCERNING AN INTENSE PRAYER - Psalms 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. 17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice. 18 He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me. 19 God shall hear,
Even in a time of great trouble and difficulty David had confidence that his Lord would hear and would move in a mighty way. How could he have such assurance in the midst of all that he was facing? Because he knew his God. He knew the power of his God. Because he remembered what the Lord had done for him in the past. He remembered all of the times the Lord showed up when things looked dark and hopeless and brought him out of the trouble. He knew that God had given him victory over Goliath, He had protected him from King Saul and He had provided him with all that he needed. Time and time again the Lord had worked miracles in his life. I believe David might have said to himself "He's done it before and he'll do it again".
If you are a child of God you can have that same assurance today. When you serve the Lord God Almighty you can have certainty in the midst of uncertainty. If you are facing great trouble in your life. Remember who you serve. Remember where He has brought you from. Remember all that He has done in the past. You may come to a moment of intense prayer, but when you do you can have full assurance that He will hear, and He will answer your prayer.
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