Hezekiah's Prayer for Deliverance

I. Hezekiah’s Response to the Crisis — Prayer Over Panic

Point: Prayer is a proactive step of faith—not just a last resort.

II. Hezekiah’s Prayer: A Deep Understanding of God’s Nature

Point: True prayer begins with a proper understanding of God’s greatness and sovereignty.

· True prayer starts with who God is, not what we need.

· Prayer puts our problems under God’s sovereignty, not above His attention.

· Hezekiah teaches us to fight our battles on our knees, not just with plans but with perspective.

III. The Heart of Hezekiah’s Prayer: God’s Glory Above All

Point: Hezekiah’s prayer reveals that true deliverance is about glorifying God, not just personal salvation.

· Hezekiah’s greatest concern wasn’t survival—it was God’s name.

· He prayed not for personal escape but for public exaltation of God.

· He shows us that a life lived for God leads to prayers aimed at God’s glory.

· And when that happens, even our crises become pulpits for the gospel.

IV. God’s Response: Miraculous Deliverance

Intro…

“I don’t like anything here at all,” said Frodo, “step or stone, breath or bone. Earth, air and water all seem accursed. But so our path is laid.” “Yes, that’s so,” said Sam. “And we shouldn’t be here at all, if we’d known more about it before we started. But I suppose it’s often that way. The brave things in the old tales and songs, Mr. Frodo: adventures, as I used to call them. I used to think that they were things the wonderful folk of the stories went out and looked for, because they wanted them, because they were exciting and life was a bit dull, a kind of a sport, as you might say. But that’s not the way of it with the tales that really mattered, or the ones that stay in the mind. Folk seem to have been just landed in them, usually—their paths were laid that way, as you put it. But I expect they had lots of chances, like us, of turning back, only they didn’t. And if they had, we shouldn’t know, because they’d have been forgotten. We hear about those as just went on—and not all to a good end, mind you; at least not to what folk inside a story and not outside it call a good end. You know, coming home, and finding things all right, though not quite the same—like old Mr. Bilbo. But those aren’t always the best tales to hear, though they may be the best tales to get landed in! I wonder what sort of tale we’ve fallen into?”

What sort of tale have you fallen into? One thing’s for sure—it will demand your all, and then still more. You need courage.

The Bible says that Christian faith has the power to “overcome the world” (1 John 5:4). What does that mean? It means that this present evil age does not have to squeeze us into its mold. It means that the ocean of God-denial we swim in every day does not have to drown us. Trusting in God gives us the courage to overcome the world.

Faith gives us a sense of God, such a sense of God that he becomes more important than life itself (Psalm 63:3). It’s when we die to our plans and our claims and our comfort and our control and come alive to God that his power enters in. If Jesus is the most important thing in your life, you won’t make it. What do I mean? He is not the most important thing in your life; he is your life. And when faith awakens in your heart a sense of his glory, greater than life itself, you become unstoppable.

Raymond C. Ortlund Jr. and R. Kent Hughes, Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, Preaching the Word

Preaching Outline on Hezekiah’s Prayer for Deliverance (Isaiah 37:14-20 & 2 Kings 19:14-19)

Introduction:

Opening Illustration: Reference to Frodo and Sam from The Lord of the Rings – exploring how sometimes we find ourselves in situations that we never asked for, but they demand everything from us. Hezekiah’s prayer was a response to a crisis that demanded his full reliance on God’s power. What kind of courage does a person need when they are thrust into such a battle, and how does one find hope in the midst of overwhelming circumstances?

“Like Frodo and Sam, Hezekiah didn’t ask for this battle—but it found him anyway. When life throws a battle in your lap, where do you turn?”

Key Verse: “So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD.” (Isaiah 37:20, 2 Kings 19:19)

Main Theme: Hezekiah’s prayer for deliverance reveals a profound relationship with God—focusing on God's glory over personal victory and trusting in God’s sovereignty when facing insurmountable odds.

Read Isaiah 37:14-20

14 Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: 16 “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

18 “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.

I. Hezekiah’s Response to the Crisis — Prayer Over Panic

The Crisis He Faced

Imagine standing on the walls of Jerusalem, heart pounding as you scan the horizon. Dust rises in the distance—an army is approaching. But this isn’t just any army. It’s the Assyrian war machine, the most feared military force in the world at the time.

City after city has already fallen. Nations have surrendered. And now, Sennacherib (suh·na·kr·ib),, the king of Assyria, has set his sights on Jerusalem. He sends a letter to King Hezekiah filled with mockery and intimidation:

“What makes you think your God will deliver you?” (Isaiah 37:10, paraphrased)

This wasn’t just a military threat—it was a spiritual one. It wasn’t only political pressure—it was spiritual warfare.

Hezekiah knew there was no human strategy that could save them. No alliance, no army, no clever escape plan. And yet—he didn’t panic. He prayed.

“Hezekiah went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord.” (Isaiah 37:14)

He took the very letter—the threat—and laid it before God. He didn’t strategize, scramble, or stress. He sought. He surrendered. He prayed.

And that’s the difference between panic and prayer:

Panic says, “This is too much for me.” Prayer says, “This is not too much for my God.”

Hezekiah didn’t offer a polite or polished prayer. He prayed with urgency, honesty, and complete dependenceon God. He didn’t treat prayer like a last resort—he treated it like his first line of defense.

For many of us, we find ourselves needing deliverance too. When we are in need of deliverance we must realize…

Prayer is not weak. It’s not a backup plan—it’s the battle plan. Not what we do when all else fails, but what we do because God never fails.

Maybe you feel stuck. The pressure feels unbearable. Progress has stalled. Strength is gone.

If this is where you find yourself there is much we can learn from Hezekiah’s prayer:

The times we are overwhelmed do not need to be an ending point. They could be a turning point—if you choose prayer over panic.

II. Hezekiah’s Prayer: A Deep Understanding of God’s Nature

Acknowledging God’s Power and Sovereignty

Hezekiah’s prayer begins with perspective.

“O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made heaven and earth.”(Isaiah 37:16)

Before Hezekiah asks for anything, he remembers who he’s talking to.

In the face of a military crisis, Hezekiah focuses not on the problem, but on the power of the One who rules over it all. His first words reestablish the foundation of faith: God is sovereign, God is supreme, and God is near.

Too often we come into prayer with a self-conscious starting point. We’re looking inward when we should be looking upward. By this I mean we come already overwhelmed, already defeated, already consumed with our limitations.  When we approach prayer this way we pray as if everything depends on us.

Jesus taught that the starting point for our prayers should be a God conscious surrender - acknowledging who God is.  In the example of the Lord’s prayer Jesus taught us to being with “Our Father”— with His holiness and lordship—not our laundry list of worries and fears.. Prayer isn’t just venting—it’s aligning – aligning our heart with His. It's not the act of getting God to notice your need—it's the act of noticing His nearness and authority.

“Prayer begins like a holy inhale—we breathe in who God is, and exhale our need to control everything.” That holy perspective doesn’t minimize our problems—it puts them in their rightful place: beneath the authority of our Father.

This is important because it reminds us and declares that the victory we are seeking in battle is not dependant on us, rather the battle and victory belong to the Lord. 

Earlier, Hezekiah had encouraged the people of Jerusalem with this same truth:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” (2 Chronicles 32:7b–8a)

That’s not religious optimism—it’s spiritual clarity. Hezekiah’s confidence wasn’t wishful thinking. It was grounded in God’s track record. Scripture is filled with reminders that the battle belongs to the Lord:

David to Goliath and the Philistines:

“It is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD'S.” (1 Samuel 17:47)

Jahaziel to King Jehoshaphat:

“Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)

Zechariah to Zerubbabel:

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.”(Zechariah 4:6)

When you pray for deliverance, begin by remembering who God is. This shifts your focus from the crisis to the Creator.  

This week, before asking for anything, take a few moments to reflect on God's greatness. Meditate on His attributes—His holiness, His power, His compassion—and let that be the foundation of your prayer.

III. The Heart of Hezekiah’s Prayer: God’s Glory Above All - Not Just for Deliverance, But for Glory

Once Hezekiah has fixed his heart on who God is, he then presents his request:

“Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see…”(Isaiah 37:17)

Notice—Hezekiah doesn’t pray, “Lord, help me because I’m scared,” or “Save us so we don’t lose.” Instead, at the climax of his prayer Hezekiah has one central:

“Now, O LORD our God, deliver us from his hand, *so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone, LORD, are God.”(Isaiah 37:20)

This is the heartbeat of Hezekiah’s prayer. His deepest desire is not simply relief from suffering or military victory—it’s for the glory of God to be known throughout the world.

This is God-centered prayer.

What is the why behind our request for deliverance, the “why” behind our prayers matters.

Hezekiah recognizes that this isn’t just about Jerusalem’s survival—it’s about God’s name, God’s honor, and God’s glory. The enemy wasn’t just taunting a nation—it was mocking the living God.

Hezekiah understood something that challenges us all: Deliverance is not just for our comfort—it’s for God’s name.

It’s one thing to want God to fix our problems. It’s another to want Him to use our problems to reveal His greatness.

The truth is, many of our prayers start and stop with self: “God, fix this.” “God, take it away.” “God, give me relief.”

But Hezekiah shows us a better way. His request is clear: “Lord, show the world who You are. Make Your name great through this.”

Let me ask you...

When you pray, are you seeking only your own comfort? Or are you seeking the kind of deliverance that reveals God’s glory to others? It’s not wrong to ask for help. But spiritual maturity is learning to say:

“God, don’t just rescue me—be glorified in me.”

“Lord, how can You be glorified in this?” “Not just ‘get me out,’ but ‘show Yourself through it.’”

Example?

Pastor Tim Keller in New York City faced tremendous ministry demands after September 11, 2001. On top of that, he was diagnosed with cancer. He kept going. But by his own account it was not the courage of faith; he was just numb. There’s a difference between coping and overcoming. Then God gave him the insight we all need: “With God there is hope. Your own fate ceases to be the reason for your courage.” The impulse of self-preservation kills courage. But when your personal fate is no longer what you’re living for, when your own ideal life scenario of perfect health and a perfect marriage and perfect children and a perfect job and a perfect church and perfect control—when that’s no longer what you’re clinging to and demanding of life, when all you want is the glory of God to be put on display through your existence, that’s when God fills you with overcoming courage.

The Glory of God in Our Struggles

We see this to be true in Hezekiah’s life as his comes out of a life already centered on God.

This isn’t just a desperate moment of faith—it’s the overflow of a faithful life.

“He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord… Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah… He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. And the Lord was with him.” (2 Kings 18:3, 5–7)

Hezekiah didn’t treat God as a last-minute solution or a backup plan. His prayer wasn’t motivated by fear—it was anchored in a life of trust and obedience.

And because of that, his personal crisis becomes a platform for God's glory. He doesn’t ask, “Why is this happening to me?”

Instead, he essentially prays, “Lord, use this moment to glorify Yourself.”

“Relief-driven prayer asks God to make life easier. God-driven prayer asks God to make His name greater.”

That’s a radically different posture. And it only comes from someone who has learned that God is not a means to our ends—He is the end. “Hezekiah moved from self-preservation to God-exaltation—from ‘God, save me’ to ‘God, glorify Yourself through me.’”

Pastor and scholar Raymond Ortlund captures this beautifully:

“Hezekiah is not treating God as a means to his own ends but as the worthy end of all things. He is not praying, ‘Lord, why are you allowing this to happen to me?’ He is praying, ‘Lord, will you not glorify yourself in this?’” (Raymond C. Ortlund Jr., Isaiah: God Saves Sinners)

And that changes everything. When our aim becomes God’s glory, we’re set free from the panic of personal control. We’re no longer defined by what happens to us—but by who God is through us.

How we respond to a crisis reveals what’s at the center of our lives. Do our prayers revolve around our needs—or do they revolve around God’s glory?

“The way we respond to our challenges determines whether we will confirm the world’s suspicions that Christianity is just another selfish power trip—or whether we will surprise them by proving that Christianity is about finding in the glory of Christ everything desirable, though it means we remove self from the center and erect his cross there.” (Raymond Ortlund Jr.)

When we walk closely with God—day by day, in the quiet and the ordinary—it transforms how we respond in the urgent and the extraordinary.

Hezekiah could pray this way because he walked with God long before he ever needed a miracle.

IV. God’s Response: Miraculous Deliverance and Validation

God’s Promise and Answer

After Hezekiah pours out his heart in prayer—placing God’s glory above his own comfort—God responds clearly and directly:

“Because you have prayed to me concerning the king of Assyria, I have heard you.” (Isaiah 37:21)

Think about that. Because you prayed.

God didn’t say, “Because you had the strongest army…” He didn’t say, “Because of your political savvy…” He said, “Because you prayed.”

That’s how powerful prayer is when it’s aligned with God’s glory.  Prayer moves the heart of God.And when God moves, nothing can stand in His way.

This isn’t just about answered prayer—it’s about a God-glorifying prayer that unleashes divine power. God doesn’t just acknowledge Hezekiah’s request—He honors it because it’s anchored in His own purposes and glory. Sometimes we wonder, “Does God hear me?” Scripture reminds us again and again: Yes—especially when our hearts are aligned with His.

God listens. He responds. It may not always look like we expect, and it may not always come in our timing—but when our prayers are shaped by His glory, they are never wasted.

The Miraculous Victory

“That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.” (2 Kings 19:35)

Without a single sword lifted by Judah’s army, God shows up. He fights the battle. He silences the mockery. He removes the threat.

The mighty Assyrian army—feared by nations—falls in a single night. The once-taunting king returns home in shame, only to be assassinated by his own sons (2 Kings 19:37). The God who was mocked by Sennacherib now proves that He alone is Lord over heaven and earth.

It reminds me of another powerful moment in Scripture:

In 1 Chronicles 14: 8, the news that David had just been anointed king over Israel began to spread. When the Philistines heard this they went out to capture David, but when he learned the Philistines were after him he went down into a fortified fortress and asked the Lord if he should go attack the Philistines and if he would come out victorious. The Lord responds by telling David to go attack them and confirms He will hand the Philistines over to him. So, David goes out to attack Philistines and defeats them. In verse 11, David declared “God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like the breakthrough of waters” and named the place “Baal- Perazmin”.

Baal-Perazim—“The Master of Breakthroughs.”

What was once a valley of giants became a place of God’s glory and victory.

When David called God the Master of Breakthroughs, he was testifying that what man couldn’t do, God did in a moment.

The same God who brought David victory and broke through for Hezekiah still breaks through for His people today.

When you face battles too big for you, lay them before the One who is greater. God doesn’t need perfect conditions or your perfect strength to win victories. He is the Master of Breakthroughs.

Where the enemy thought he had you surrounded, God is about to surround him. What looked like a dead end could become the very place God establishes His glory. The "Valley of Giants" in your life can become your Baal-Perazim—your breakthrough place.

Hezekiah’s life shows us that God is not only able to deliver—but that He delights to do so when His name is lifted high.

Like Hezekiah, we don’t need to fight our battles in our own strength. We don’t need to outmaneuver the enemy. We need to fall on our knees and lay out our need before God in prayer. Not to simply ask God to get you out of what your find yourself battling, but to ask God to make himself known to you and others through it.

Remember that what looks like a valley of giants may become your Baal-Perazim—your place of breakthrough.

Where the enemy thought he had you surrounded, God is getting ready to break through..

Let’s be a church that lays it all before the Lord—every burden, every threat, every need—and believes that our God still delivers. “The battle is not ours, but the Lord’s.”

“Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mk. 11:24).

“For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Lu. 11:10).

“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (Jn. 15:7).

“Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (Jn. 16:24).

“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (Js. 5:13–14).

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight” (1 Jn. 3:22).

“But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul” (De. 4:29).

“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually” (1 Chr. 16:11).

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chr. 7:14).

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day” (Ps. 91:5).

“Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore” (Ps. 105:4).

“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near” (Is. 55:6).

“And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Is. 65:24).

“And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Je. 29:13).

“For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live” (Am. 5:4).

“Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger” (Zep. 2:3).

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Isaiah: Chapters 36–66, vol. II, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2005), 67.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?… Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Ro. 8:35, 37–39).

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Co. 10:13).

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Ep. 3:20).

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us” (2 Co. 1:8–10).

“And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Ti. 4:18).

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (He. 2:14–15).

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (2 Pe. 2:9).

“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn. 5:4–5).

“He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven [the full number of trials] there shall no evil touch thee” (Jb. 5:19).

“Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us” (Ps. 44:5).

“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar [gray] hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you” (Is. 46:4).

“Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD” (Je. 1:8).

“He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions” (Da. 6:27).

Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Isaiah: Chapters 36–66, vol. II, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2005), 69–70.