DEALING WITH HARD TIMES (II)

Read 2 Samuel 15:30-32

MEMORISE: Then someone told David, saying, "Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom." And David said, "O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!" (2 Samuel 15:31)

EXPOSITION

Another thing we need, in order to deal with hard times, is hard prayer. Having taken David as our example, we discovered that some of his prayer points in the book of Psalms portrayed the picture of a man who was truly passing through hard times (Psa. 6:10; 7:6; 9:3; 18:37-40; 27:12; 35:19; 37:20; 54:5; 68:1,21).

David passed through different difficult times/situations. One of them was the time his biological son, Absalom, rebelled against him, and finally dethroned him, forcing him to leave the city barefooted and wailing. His prayer that time is recorded in Psalms 3. The answer could have been the death of the rebellious son. Even though he wouldn't want the child to die, yet the prayer-answering God who wouldn't condone evil and injustice, fought for David, in that tough time. David's sincere prayers at this time dismantled his enemies and reinstated him.

When David heard that Ahithophel was with Absalom in the conspiracy, he knew who he was and how effective his counsel could be, hence his prayer, 'O Lord, I pray, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness!' (2 Sam. 15:31b). 2 Samuel 17:14-23 gives the picture of how God answered that simple but mighty prayer.

Satan usually masterminds hard times to weaken Christians and makes them give up their faith and trust in God. Whatever that weakens your spirit has already conquered you. To deal with hard times, develop your prayer life. To be a victorious Christian, constantly face your hard times with unrelenting prayers. Learn from early church's experience and response (Acts 12:5). Don't allow any circumstances take the strength of prayer (the weapon you need to calm situations) from you.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Endow me, O Lord, with the grace and strength to pray unrelentingly, to face and overcome all challenges of life.

2. Help believers who are being challenged in one area or the other of their lives, to be unrelenting in their faith and prayers, O Lord.

3. Father, let there be revival of prayer in our mission, like the early days.

EXTRA READING: Numbers 11 - 13 & Luke 21

Remain blessed!