https://odb.org/2024/05/03/prayer-matters
I think the example of King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20 proves that prayers do move the hand of God. The LORD may do something out of ordinary when we pray, with the supernatural penetrating into the natural which should not, in the ordinary scheme of things, be a common occurrence. The world is supposed to function in accordance with the laws of nature as prescribed. So if one falls and scrapes one’s knees, one’s skin will get torn and lacerated. If we clean the wound and treat it to prevent infection, the body will slowly but surely heal itself.
Many a time, medical science just needs to help the body rest and do its job with its immune system and self-healing. This is especially so when we are faced with a virus attack. But if we have not kept our bodies in optinum condition or we have aged (our natural bodies have a limited lifespan due to the fall of mankind), we may have weakened and thus may take longer to recover from illnesses.
But there are illnesses that are beyond our body’s capabilities, like cancer. We would need expert medical intervention whether to remove the cancerous tissue or prevent the destructive cancer cells from spreading. This is perhaps where the supernatural intervention of God is needed, and prayer is the key to moving the hand of God. Or, with the authority conferred us as believers by our Lord, Jesus Christ, we could release the divine healing of God.
But if we look at 2 Kings 20, we will see that in verse 3, Hezekiah reminded God that he had walked before the LORD faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and had done what was good in His eyes. In other words, Hezekiah had lived a righteous life before God. God then answered that He had heard his prayers and seen his tears and will add 15 years to his life and will defend him and the city from the Assyrians for His sake and for the sake of David. In other words, it is not just prayer that moved the hand of God.
The message this morning is that as important as prayer is, the lives we live are equally, if not more important. God is not moved just by our prayers but who we are and who we have been before Him. Christian life is holistic. It is all-encompassing.
The effectual fervent prayer of the righteous availeth much (James 5:6).
Ronnie's Thoughts 