Pastor Stephen Dedman

Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.
‭‭II Kings‬ ‭19‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What do you need to lay before God today?

Context
King Hezekiah’s prayed during a national crisis. The powerful Assyrian empire, led by King Sennacherib, had invaded Judah and was threatening Jerusalem. Assyria had already conquered many nations, and their military reputation was terrifying.

Sennacherib sent a message mocking both Judah and their God, claiming that no god had been able to stop Assyria. When Hezekiah received the threatening letter, he went to the temple and spread it before the Lord (2 Kings 19:14). Instead of responding with panic or political strategy first, he responded with prayer.

In his prayer, Hezekiah acknowledged God’s sovereignty and power over all nations. Then in verse 19 he asks God to deliver Judah, not merely for their survival, but so the whole world would know that the Lord alone is God.

Application
Hezekiah teaches us that prayer should move beyond simply asking God to solve our problems. Our greatest desire should be that God’s power and glory are revealed through our circumstances. When we face pressure, opposition, or fear, we can bring those concerns honestly to God. But like Hezekiah, we should pray with a bigger perspective and ask God to act in ways that point others to Him. Even in crisis, our lives can become a testimony that the Lord alone is God.

Truth For The Day
God fights battles we cannot win on our own.

Pray
Lord, I place my fears and pressures before You. I trust You to defend and deliver. Help me to see and experience Your sovereignty through love and grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
‭‭I Kings‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬ ‭NKJV‬

Question
Are your prayers focused more on blessing or becoming?

Context
Solomon has just become king after David’s death. He is young, inexperienced, and stepping into one of the most significant leadership roles in Israel’s history. The nation is at peace, but the weight of responsibility is enormous. God appears to Solomon in a dream and says something staggering: “Ask! What shall I give you?” (1 Kings 3:5)

When given the opportunity to ask for anything, Solomon didn’t ask for wealth or power, he asked for wisdom to lead God’s people well.

Application
Solomon teaches us to pray for capacity before comfort. Instead of asking God to remove the pressure, ask Him to increase discernment. Whether you are leading a family, managing a business, or serving in ministry, you need a listening heart more than quick answers. Wisdom guards what God entrusts to you. Today, shift your prayer from outcomes to obedience, and trust God to shape your heart for every responsibility you carry. God delights when we ask for what aligns with His heart. Instead of praying only for comfort or success, pray for wisdom and discernment.

Truth For The Day
God gives wisdom generously to those who ask.

Pray
Lord, give me a listening heart. Help me discern what is right. Guard me from reacting in emotion. Shape my judgment with Your truth. Entrust me with wisdom so I may steward well what You’ve placed in my hands. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Then she (Hannah) made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.”
‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭1‬:‭11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Question
What have you been holding onto that God is asking you to surrender?

Context
Hannah was a woman of faith, yet she faced a painful reality: she was unable to have children. In a culture where a woman’s identity and honor were tied to motherhood, her barrenness brought not just emotional pain but social shame. Hannah’s burden was so deep that she turned to the Lord in desperate prayer. She didn’t just pray for a child, she specifically asked for a son who would be given back to God if He would bless her.

Her private anguish became the setting for God’s public breakthrough: the birth of Samuel, a prophet who would guide Israel and anoint David as king.

Application
Hannah’s story shows us that God can use our most painful circumstances to accomplish His redemptive purposes. True prayer is not about eloquence of words; it’s about surrender. Hannah’s prayer teaches us that we can bring our deepest pain and unmet desires to God. When we surrender what we long for most, we position ourselves to see God move. Your “barrenness” might be an area of your life where you feel empty, overlooked, or frustrated. Yet God can use that very space for His breakthrough if you trust Him.

Truth For The Day
God honors surrendered prayers.

Pray
Lord, I pour out my heart to You. I surrender my desires, my disappointments, and my plans. I bring my deepest longings and my emptiness before You. Have Your way in my life and let Your glory shine through my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.