Devoting Myself To Prayer: How To Stop My World From Spinning

In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city. "‘This is the LORD’s sign to you that the LORD will do what he has promised: I will make the shadow cast by the sun go back the ten steps it has gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.’” So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had gone down.

Isaiah 38:1-8 NIV

TO STOP MY WORLD FROM SPINNING…

1. I TURN TO GOD FIRST

Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD...

Isaiah 38:2 NIV

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything… If you do this, you will experience God’s peace…”

Philippians 4:6a,7a TLB

Your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life.

Matthew 6:32b- 33a LB

2. I LIVE FOR GOD FAITHFULLY

Remember, O LORD, I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.

Isaiah 38:3a NIV

The Lord watches over everyone who obeys him, and he listens to their prayers.

1 Peter 3:12a CEV

The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

James 5:16b NLT

“Walking faithfully” is displayed by living…

• Consistently – “I have walked before you faithfully”

• Sincerely – “…with wholehearted devotion.”

• Obediently - “I have done what is good in your eyes.”

In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow the law and the commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.

2 Chronicles 31:21 NLT

3. I TALK TO GOD FERVENTLY

And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Isaiah 38:3b NIV

The LORD said: It isn’t too late. You can still return to me with all your heart. Start crying and mourning…turn back to me with broken hearts.

Joel 2:12a, 13b CEV

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could deliver him out of death. And God heard his prayers because of his reverence for God.

Hebrews 5:7 NLT

ISAIAH 38:5- THE RESULT OF HEZEKIAH’S PRAYER

• God heard — I have heard your prayer…

• God saw — and seen your tears…

• God acted — I will add fifteen years to your life…

• God’s response brings…

Personal Blessing.

Blessings for those around me.

And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.

Isaiah 38:6 NIV

Blessings for those I don't yet know.