I Will Defend this City
The adversary was great, strong in numbers as well as in strength. They were well trained and prepared. This adversary had conquered and plundered the nations that stood in their way. They were an undefeated army.
However, their greatest battle was just ahead. It would not come from a larger army or an army so well trained that fear would turn this enemy away. No, it would come in a much different way.
They marched onward hoping to win one more battle and declare their gods were matchless and undefeated. The threat came and it appeared as if God’s people would be annihilated and the promised land taken away. Their voice was loud and threatening. The images of defeat was deafening. Fear would try to dominate the faith that God’s people needed in this hour.
As the letter was delivered, opened and read, the king responded by spreading it before the Lord. His prayer was sincere and filled with humble conviction. Certainly, this day was a day of trouble and of rebuke and blasphemy. This God appointed king knew his strength and the power of his army was not capable of winning this battle.
To his knees he bowed declaring that the God he served was the true God. After he acknowledged that there was none like unto the God of Israel, he pleaded that God would bow down his ear to hear and open His eyes to see this enemy and what was being declared. Their words were not just against the nation of Israel but against the God of Israel.
The king cried, O LORD our God, I beseech thee, save thou us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD God, even thou only.
Wow! This prayer was not only powerful but it moved the most powerful. God heard this prayer and the word of the Lord came to the king. The ONE that has eyes to see with and ears to hear with would defend His people. “For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David’s sake.”
I believe this is the word for this hour. Paul said it this way, “If God be for us, who can be against us.” A song that I remember says this, “He didn’t bring us this far to leave us, He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown, He didn’t build His home in us to move away, He didn’t lift us up to let us down.” I would go on to say, He didn’t save us to allow an enemy to steal, kill and destroy us. Our Savior stands at the right hand of God making intercessions for us. If “WE” will sincerely seek the Lord with all our heart, He will hear us in this day and hour.
This great army that had defeated and plundered all they faced, now stands before the God of Israel. The scripture says this, “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, behold, they were all dead corpses.”
This enemy that conquered their world at that time lost this battle. Why? Because they defied the living God. The army of Israel did not have to fight this battle with fleshly armor for it was fought on praying knees in the Temple of the Lord. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
One Angel. One Angel. Let me say again, One Angel defeated 185,000 problems. Place your problems in the hands of God.
You can read this Biblical narrative of God’s intervention and power in 2 Kings chapters 18 and 19.
Lord, God of heaven and earth, I pray that you will hear our cry in this hour and let your mercy be seen upon our land.
God Bless. Remember don’t allow fear, doubt, confusion or man to diminish your faith in God. Listen to HIS voice!