I said, “In the prime of my life I shall go to the gates of Sheol; I am deprived of the remainder of my years.” Isaiah 38:10
REFERENCE
Isaiah 38:1-10
Sickly King Hezekiah was told by the prophet to put his house in order; that he would die. He promptly responded with heartfelt prayers, pleading for his life. God saw his tears and heard his prayers. In no time, God reversed his situation and added 15 years to his life – in fact, He promised him victory in his future battles; an assurance that he would live.
Interesting! From our focal verse, Hezekiah seems to understand something noteworthy. He exhibits a mindset that is quite remarkable – that he had a right to live longer than what the Prophet Isaiah is telling him. See what he says, “…I shall be DEPRIVED the remainder of my years.” Wow! He considers an early death as him being cheated or deprived of the remainder of the years due him. It appears that this understanding is what gave strength and confidence to his petition. He believed he was supposed to live longer because a short life is not part of God’s covenant with His people. Hezekiah, perhaps, got this understanding from God directly or by reading about the lives of the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob). Hence, he felt shortchanged by God because dying before the divinely specified age was a deprivation of his years – the years he has a right to.
Do you know you have a right to a long, rich and satisfying life? Jesus said, “I have come that you may have abundant life.” How an attitude such as Hezekiah’s can be a faith booster in prayers! You can pray with an understanding of your rights in Christ, that God is just and will not deprive you of a right He has legally given you, and that you have the right to demand for it without any sense of inferiority or as one ‘begging’ for a favor. You have more years to live, don’t let that sickness ‘take you out,’ don’t succumb to depression, say ‘NO’ to that voice that tells you to end it all, and refuse to let the devil put you in a car crash.
No wonder God sent His prophet to reverse the verdict and prophesy Hezekiah’s recovery in a very short time – the man held God to His covenant of life and peace (Malachi 2:5). He had the right understanding. You still have years ahead of you – refuse to be deprived of them until you live out every day, week, month and year that God has ordained for you!
SCRIPTURE PHOTO
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
Psalm 91:15-16, Job 5:17-27 & Isaiah 65:19-23
MY PRAYER FOR YOU:
I declare that the number of your days, you shall fulfill. No sickness shall ravage your body and shorten your days – the Lord heals you by the stripes of Jesus Christ. God has covenanted with you, the devil will not cheat you out of the benefits of His covenant. Nobody will hurry or harass you out of this world. You shall live and you shall not die – until you have done the will of God and finished your race, in Jesus’ name
