12TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

He prayed in the Lord’s presence. 

The king of Assyria, Sennacherib, had already captured all the cities of Judah, and now he was ready to take Jerusalem. But before using his military might, he employed what we would call today “psychological warfare” to persuade King Hezekiah to surrender the city.

First, Sennacherib sent some messengers to Jerusalem to taunt Hezekiah for trusting in God. Then they purposefully repeated these taunts within earshot of the people in order to plant doubts in their minds that God would save them. Finally, in a letter to Hezekiah, Sennacherib suggested that God might be deceiving him (2 Kings 18:17-35; 19:10).

Hezekiah could have fallen to this ploy, but he didn’t. Instead, “he prayed in the Lord’s presence” and beseeched him to save the city (2 Kings 19:15). And the king’s prayer was heard: the prophet Isaiah told Hezekiah that Jerusalem would be spared. Then miraculously, it was (19:35-36)!

Psychological warfare is also the preferred strategy of our enemy, the devil. Using many of the same tactics that Sennacherib used, he taunts us for trusting in the Lord. He tries to make us think that God isn’t who he says he is, thus planting doubts in our minds that the Lord will save us. He especially tries to persuade us that we should just give in to temptation because resisting it is simply futile.

As Jesus himself told us, our enemy is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). Satan wants you to believe things that are untrue—both about God and about yourself. And he especially loves to do this when you are facing a challenge and feeling vulnerable, as Hezekiah was.

So be on your guard! When you detect a lie, counter it with God’s truths. Then turn to the Lord and pray in his presence, as the great King Hezekiah did. God will help you stand firm against the lies as well as assure you of his great love for you. He alone is “God over all the kingdoms of the earth” (2 Kings 19:15)—more powerful than any enemy—and he will always protect you!

“Lord, I turn to you in my need. Deliver me from every evil.”

2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-36
Psalm 48:2-4, 10-11
Matthew 7:6, 12-14