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History---Changing Prayer

[Hezekiah prayed,] "O Lord our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his [the enemy's] hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the Lord God, even thou only." And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behod, they were all dead corpses. 2 Kings 19:19, 35

 

As someone has said, "Prayer is the highest use to which speech can be put." But today we often regard prayer as merely an honored tradition or a polite formality. But prayer--sincere, believing prayer--is so much more.

Cover to cover, the Bible tells of people whose prayers turned the tide of history. Hezekiah prayed, and God spared his nation when the Assyrians attacked. Elijah prayed, and God sent fire to confound the false prophets. Elisha prayed, and the son of the Shunammite woman was raised from the dead. Jesus prayed, and Lazarus came forth from the tomb. Paul prayed, and new churches were born. The early Church prayed, and Peter was delivered from prison.

We can change the course of events if we go to our knees in believing prayer. What will you pray about tonight?

From, Hope for Each Day: Morning & Evening Devotions, by Billy Graham.