Prayer Lessons from King Jehosaphat and 2 Chroncles

Christians almost universally agree, “God answers prayer.” But many people, if they were honest, would amend the phrase to say, “The Lord answers most prayers, but not mine.” A believer can fervently call upon God without receiving what he considers a satisfactory answer. The stumbling block isn't God's unwillingness or inability to respond, but rather the word satisfactory. If we come to God with a preconceived idea of how to solve our problem, we will often overlook His true resolution.


The power of our prayers is based in scripture. Please read II Chronicles 20:14-25 and meditate on vs. 21-22, “And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” And when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed.”

Suppose King Jehoshaphat had decided that God could answer his prayer only by giving the army extra strength for the forthcoming skirmish. He would have called a war council, arrayed his soldier in armor, and set up battle lines. God's solution was entirely unexpected: First, send the choir out singing praises, then watch the Lord save Israel. If Jehoshaphat's soldiers had attempted combat, they may have lost Jerusalem.

Sometimes we don't like God's solution. We desire freedom from physical pain rather than an extra measure of grace to endure the hurt. Or we want a new job, not a command to seek the boss' forgiveness for our poor attitude. In essence, we want the Lord to fix everything without requiring any effort from us. But our willingness to obey is the key to answered prayer. When He tells us how to resolve our problem, we must act just as He specifies, or we will never be satisfied.