Topical Bible: Prayer: Evils Averted By

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Prayer, as a fundamental practice in the Christian faith, is not only a means of communication with God but also a powerful tool for averting potential evils. Throughout the Bible, numerous instances illustrate how prayer has been instrumental in preventing calamities, delivering individuals and nations from peril, and altering the course of events in favor of God's people.

1. Deliverance from Enemies: One of the most prominent examples of prayer averting evil is found in the account of King Hezekiah. When the Assyrian king Sennacherib threatened Jerusalem, Hezekiah turned to prayer. In 2 Kings 19:15-20, Hezekiah prayed earnestly for deliverance, and God responded by sending an angel to destroy the Assyrian army, thus saving Jerusalem from destruction. The Berean Standard Bible records Hezekiah's prayer: "And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: 'O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the heavens and the earth.'" (2 Kings 19:15).

2. Protection from Plagues: In the wilderness, the Israelites faced numerous challenges, including plagues as a result of their disobedience. However, Moses' intercessory prayers often averted these disasters. In Numbers 21:7, when the people were afflicted by venomous snakes, they came to Moses, who prayed for them, and God provided a remedy. "The people came to Moses and said, 'We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD to take the snakes away from us.' So Moses interceded for the people." (Numbers 21:7).

3. Preservation from Natural Disasters: Elijah's prayer life is another testament to the power of prayer in averting natural calamities. In 1 Kings 17:1, Elijah prayed for a drought as a judgment upon Israel, and it did not rain for three and a half years. Later, in 1 Kings 18:42-45, Elijah prayed for rain, and God ended the drought, demonstrating His control over nature in response to prayer.

4. Avoidance of Personal Harm: The account of Daniel in the lions' den is a classic example of prayer averting personal harm. In Daniel 6:10-23, despite the decree against praying to anyone but King Darius, Daniel continued his practice of praying three times a day. As a result, when he was thrown into the lions' den, God shut the mouths of the lions, sparing Daniel's life. "My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in His sight." (Daniel 6:22).

5. National Salvation: The book of Esther provides a narrative where prayer and fasting played a crucial role in averting the genocide of the Jewish people. When Haman's plot to destroy the Jews was revealed, Esther called for a fast among the Jews, which included prayer. In Esther 4:16, she instructed, "Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens will fast as you do." The subsequent events led to the deliverance of the Jews from Haman's evil plan.

6. Divine Intervention in Warfare: In 2 Chronicles 20, King Jehoshaphat faced a vast army of Moabites and Ammonites. He sought the Lord through prayer and fasting, and God assured him of victory without the need for battle. The Lord set ambushes against the enemy, leading to their defeat. "Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem in the house of the LORD before the new courtyard and said: 'O LORD, God of our fathers, are You not the God who is in heaven?'" (2 Chronicles 20:5-6).

These biblical accounts underscore the efficacy of prayer in averting evils, whether they be personal, communal, or national. Prayer, as demonstrated in these narratives, is a vital practice for believers seeking divine intervention and protection from potential threats and adversities.

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Jeremiah 26:19
Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and sought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.
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Library

Sermon for Epiphany
... to give themselves some, and create evils for themselves ... it be penances or abstinence,
or prayer or meditation ... known better, and they would have averted it with ...
/.../v sermon for epiphany.htm

The Exile.
... a charm which won all hearts and averted all dangers ... then, rising high above all
encompassing evils, he grasps ... midnight sleep not Thou." The prayer is continued ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/iv the exile.htm

"The House of Israel"
... the Lord's messenger dealt with the evils that were ... prophecy, in temple rite and
household prayer, His name ... Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 59 the house of.htm

On the Great Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria.
... in a profane spot, [3305] brought about by prayer not by ... the more lofty; hospitable,
[3375] protector of suppliants, averted of evils, really combining in ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxi on the great.htm

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
... contributed to overthrow the republic, [731]41;the evils which alone the pagans
feared, not averted by, [732 ... Habakkuk, the prophecy and prayer of, [806]377 ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /the city of god index.htm

Matt. v. 17
... with authority, how in the lesser could He need prayer? ... the sea, by the sunbeam which
He averted on the ... All which kind of evils Christ checking beforehand, had ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on the gospel of saint matthew/homily xvi matt v 17.htm

Joseph and Nicodemus
... eyes"fixed upon them, and so they give up prayer. ... hearts a coldness, His face will
be averted from us ... dying love who met and conquered all evils and terrors ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/joseph and nicodemus.htm

The Social Test of Religion
... of revolutionary apocalypticism, the doom might have been averted. ... recited several
times daily, with prayer straps around ... a few only of the great modern evils. ...
/.../rauschenbusch/the social principles of jesus/chapter ix the social test.htm

Covenant Duties.
... The evils forbidden therein none should perpetrate, either on ... sanctified by the word
and prayer"including the ... if possible, there might be averted the crisis ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iv covenant duties.htm

To those who had not Attended the Assembly.
... the fathers, if you take part in common prayer, if you ... him: in fact the very facility
for slaughter averted him from ... the memory of any of his past evils: but I ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chrysostom/on the priesthood/to those who had not.htm