Praying as King Asa prayed…

ASA’S PRAYER

And Asa cried to the LORD (YHWH) his God, “O LORD (YHWH), there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD (YHWH), you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” 2 Chronicles 14:11

Ephesians 6:18 Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

PRIOR TO PRAYER

We read in 2 Chronicles that Asa is the King of Judah. The Bible makes one important statement about Asa, “He did what was right in the sight of  YHWH his God.” Asa had all the idols removed and the places where people went to worship idols. The Israelites had allowed the people to build poles to a pagan god called Asherah. Asa had all this removed and called the people back to the worship of our One true God. Today, we are able to pray in Jesus name and He will ask the Father. The Father hears His Son!

WHAT ASA KNEW

Moses tells us the LORD (YHWH) was Asa’s God. This is important. Asa was praying to someone he knew and with whom he had a relationship. Not only did Asa know God personally, Asa knew about Him. Asa understood that there was no one else anywhere like YHWH.  A beautiful thing that Asa knew about God is that he is a God who cares about the weak. Humans are actually all weak, but some have a false sense of power derived from trusting the god of this world, Satan. Our God is the Creator of not just this world, but all things. YHWH has all power. When Asa called upon our Creator/Redeemer and acknowledged these things, Asa had the attention of Almighty God! 

WHAT HAPPENED WHEN ASA PRAYED

So the Lord routed the Cushites before Asa and before Judah, and the Cushites fled. 2 Chronicles 14:12

YHWH, the Almighty, heard and answered Asa’s prayer.

PRAYER IS A PRIVILEGE 

Growing up, we often sang:

Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer! That calls me from a world of care,And bids me at my Father’s throne…Make all my wants and wishes known.In seasons of distress and grief,My soul has often found relief, and oft escaped the tempter’s snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer!

Hymns have a way of speaking and while I did not spend an hour praying every day, I did think about the words and my need to pray.

KNOWING JESUS IS KNOWING GOD

What we read and learn from the Bible is important. Christ the Messiah ushered in the New Covenant. We now know YHWH if we know Jesus. Jesus has all power and authority:

When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,…Matthew 28:17-19

Knowing who is God is extremely important if we want our prayers answered. 

But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.… Hebrews 1:2-3

Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I am doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.… John 14:12-14

We can approach God through Christ if we are in Christ and have placed our trust there by believing in His name.

See Also: Praying as Christ Taught

ODB – As Above, So Below

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