Ezra 8:21-22 We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way.
“Prayer is limitless. It’s our intercontinental ballistic missile. We can launch it from anywhere and make it reach anywhere.” – Derek Prince.
Prayer bolsters us with boldness and surrounds us with the army and artillery of God. Prayer is a powerful missile. Our prayer closet is our war room where our battles are fought on our knees. Prayer makes fear and anxiety vanish. If not we have not prayed; we have only complained, lamented and mourned. In the prayer closet we will kneel down fearfully and stand up courageously.
Ezra and his company were on a 4 month journey from Babylon to Jerusalem. They returned with vast quantities of valuables that were carried away by King Nebuchadnezzar (Ezra 8:24–27). Though the exact measure cannot be quantified, the gold and silver were about twenty-two and thirty tons. During the four month journey along the desert and the wilderness they were endangered by bandits and looters yet, Ezra did not ask King Cyrus for help but prayed that the Lord would send His army to protect them; and the Lord did!
The Lord God commissioned the Army of Hosts and fiery combatants along the way from Babylon to Jerusalem as a wall of protection for the travelers with Ezra. The entourage was about two thousand male adults (perhaps 7000 total) of men, women and children. Their caravans, camels and children were completely barricaded by divine troops of soldiers. Prayer invites heavenly helpers to invade into our earthly challenges and our day to day routines.
Prayer bolsters us with boldness:
1. Courage: Prayer turns cowardice into courage. Pull yourself away from people and find a quiet corner to pray about anything that strikes you with fret. Do not fret—it leads only to evil (Psalm 37:8b). We don’t have to talk to God about the problem. He is Omnipotent. He knows everything that is happening and a lot more. Instead, Praise. Praise sets the stage for the miraculous and girds us with courage.
2. Clarity: Prayer brings clarity into the confusion. Anxious brain fog is a ‘state of panic’ when the brain is not able to concentrate or think clearly. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD grants grace and favor (Psalm 84:11). Prayer is the sunshine that brings clarity and direction.
3. Combatants: Prayer releases combat angels to fight, protect and win our battles. King Hezekiah, joined by the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz, responded by praying, calling up to heaven. God answered by sending an angel who wiped out everyone in the Assyrian camp, both warriors and officers (2 Chronicles 32:20-21). The Lord who released combatants to Ezra and Hezekiah will send warring angels to fight our battles.
Prayer arms us with courage, clarity and divine combatants.
Psalm 8:31 The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way.
Prayer: Dearest Lord Jesus, I will run to you in prayer when I am afraid as you are my strength, sun and shield. Amen.
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