The Conflict Of Prayer Vs Pride Series

Isaiah, Part 15

The Conflict of Prayer vs. Pride

Isaiah 38:1-8, Isaiah 39:1-8

Dismiss kids for Children’s Church and Nursery

Introduction

- Welcome to Seasons! We are so glad you have chosen to worship with us!

- Last week, we saw how God delivered His people from certain defeat

-- He promises to do the same for us but there is a condition:

-- We must have a right relationship with Him! (be faithful, obedient, etc.)

- Today, I want us to see a wonderful example of seeking God in prayer

-- Passage today gives us a great example of how God encourages us:

• To search after Him

• To want / desire more of what He offers

• For us to consider Him our provider for everything that we need

- Whatever sickness, disease, trouble, strife, moral failures, etc. shakes us

-- There is still good news during these times for us to remember

-- APP: God IS faithful - even when we feel like we are alone!

-- AND! He promises to rescue us IF we will humble ourselves and come to Him

- But therein lies our challenge – to humble ourselves, to remain faithful

- Read Isaiah 38:1-8 / PRAY

Point 1 – God responds to the prayers of the humble

Setup:

- Right after the deliverance of Jerusalem from King Sennacherib’s planned attack

-- Hezekiah becomes ill - “get your affairs in order … and prepare to die” (v1)

-- Don’t miss how he took the news – it’s def worth understanding! Hearing this:

• Hezekiah turned his face away from Isaiah and begins to pray! (vv2-3)

• He enters his own prayer closet, privately; see: not for public recognition

- He reminds the Lord of three basic truths about his life; three confessions

-- Side note: Discipleship lesson for us: Can we say the same also?

1. He has been faithful to serve God in everything he did

2. He is devoted his life to following the Lord’s commands

3. He has lived only to demonstrate what pleases God

- CHALL: When bad news comes, do we hit our knees in prayer or complain?

-- Would we be courageous enough to remind God of His promises to us?

-- Do we find strength in remembering what God has done or said He will do?

-- IMP APP: These are hard to do if your relationship is not right with Him!

- See this: As he wept and prayed, God heard His prayer! (vv4-5)

-- Isaiah is instructed to go back to Hezekiah and tell him (encouragement):

• God has heard you (He does listen)

• God has seen your tears (He does know you)

• God will rescue you and your city from Assyria (He does respond)

• And! God adds 15 years to his life! (He even blesses abundantly)

- TR: But watch how the conversation of faith deepens …

Point 2 – Hezekiah asks God for proof!

- Hezekiah seeks proof of God’s answer – wants assurance of His truth!

-- For more of this story – “amplified version” – turn and read 2 Kings 20:8-11

- KEY TO SEE: It’s OK to chase after God and ask!! RE: Proverbs 25:2, “It is God’s privilege to conceal things and the king’s privilege to discover them.”

- Isaiah gives Hezekiah a choice: move the sundial forwards or backwards

-- Since the dial always moves forward, Hezekiah chooses the harder ask

-- Why? Because He knows only God could pull this off!

- If we are sincere in turning over our lives to Him, He will respond to us!

-- APP: God has the ability to handle anything that we might ask Him for!

-- Imp Note: Isaiah heard from God who asked Hezekiah what he’d like

-- Why? Because Hezekiah committed to being faithful (go to temple: v8)

- Many ask why their prayers aren’t answered: For this must examine our life

-- Are we faithful? Are we really doing what God has commanded us to do?

-- Hezekiah was just a regular guy … with regular problems … facing death!

-- And all he does is cry out to God and remind Him of His promises!

-- Jesus taught in Matthew 7:7, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

-- This is not “name it/claim it” trash – this is a lifestyle change to pursue God!

- TEACH: Through faithful prayer there is nothing God can’t do!!

-- But here is where it gets interesting: Do we ask God with the right intentions?

-- Go deeper: When God responds, what do we do with it? (Watch the text)

-- TR: This is very telling of who we are as a people, especially when …