Knowing that God Created Everything Fuels Faith Filled Praying

The first verse in the Bible teaches us that God created everything. When this foundational truth gets rooted into our hearts and minds it produces good fruit of many kinds. Here, I want to share about just one of the good fruits which come from meditating on this wonderful fact. Let’s start with two biblical stories.

The massive Assyrian army had already defeated many nations. They had swept through the Northern Kingdom of Israel and had even advanced through much of Judah’s territory right up to Jerusalem. The leaders of the Assyrian army mock King Hezekiah and they even mock God. They boast that they will subject Jerusalem and all the people in it to a cruel siege and ultimately defeat them. They make many threats and humanly speaking it looks like they have the power to carry out those threats. Faced with this overwhelming power, many would just give in to despair. But Hezekiah remembers something important. He remembers that his God made heaven and earth. He bases his prayer not on his own weakness compared to the Assyrian army, but rather on God’s great power compared to the Assyrian army. Hezekiah prays to God. He begins like this:

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. (Isaiah 37:16 NIV)

 God answers. The Assyrian army is devasted and retreats.

Notice how actively remembering that our God created everything drastically changes our perspective. Problems we face may indeed by overwhelming if we had to depend on our own resources without God. Praise God, He doesn’t ask or want us to face problems on our own. And remembering God changes the picture. Consider the two perspectives below using King Hezekiah and the Assyrian army as an example:

Later, in the book of Acts, the early church faces opposition and threats. The religious leaders, who just a short time ago had been behind the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus, have Peter and John arrested. They warn them not to talk anymore about Jesus. Peter boldly replies:

But Peter and John replied, "Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:19-20 NIV)

The religious leaders reply with further threats. What do Peter and John do when they are released? They go and hold a prayer meeting (prayer meetings are really important). And this is how they begin their prayer:

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. (Acts 4:24 NIV)

In life you will sometimes face problems which feel overwhelming. Humanly speaking, whatever is opposing you and threatening you will be far beyond your power to deal with. That’s when it’s important to remember the very first verse of the Bible. You have a God who loves you. He created the heavens and the earth. Your problem is not too big for Him. Pray with faith.

Ah, Sovereign LORD,

you have made the heavens and the earth

by your great power and outstretched arm.

Nothing is too hard for you.

(Jer. 32:17 NIV)

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .