Ken Abraham is a New York Times best-selling author, known around the world for his collaborations with popular celebrities and fascinating, high-profile public figures. Ken worked with Lisa Beamer, widow of United Flight 93 hero, Todd Beamer to create the number one New York Times best-seller, LET'S ROLL!, Lisa's story of hope in the midst of crisis.

Ken's collaborations have been featured on ABC-TV's "20-20," NBC-TV's "Dateline," CNN's "Larry King Live," "Good Morning America" (ABC), The CBS "Morning Show," "The Today Show" (NBC), The [former] Nashville Network, and the Family Channel.

WEEK OF AUGUST 6, 2007

WHEN THE PRESSURE’S ON . . . WORSHIP

Worship and worry are incompatible concepts. You can worship God in the face of your problems, trusting that He will work out His will, or you can worry about how you are going to handle your circumstances. Do I need to tell you which method is more effective?

A fascinating illustration of this is recorded three times in the Old Testament (2 Kings 18:19; 2 Chronicles 32:1-23; and Isaiah 36-37). God’s people, led by King Hezekiah, were being held under siege by King Sennacherib of Assyria. The enemy had seized the major fortified cities of Judah, and the Assyrians were now pressuring Jerusalem, the capital city. Sennacherib demanded a hefty ransom from God’s people and then sent his emissary, Rabshakeh, to intimidate Hezekiah into making a deal. Each day Rabshakeh stood outside the city walls, insulting Hezekiah, God, and His people.

When Hezekiah’s representatives met with Rabshakeh, he railed against them, “What is this confidence you have? You say that you have counsel and strength for war, but those are empty words.” Rabshakeh bluffed, “And have I now come up without the Lord’s approval against this land to destroy it? The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it’” (2 Kings 18:25 NASB).

The audacity of this guy! He is the emissary of Satan, telling God’s people that the Lord sent him there to destroy them. Talk about bold! Hezekiah’s representatives attempted to prevent God’s people from hearing Rabshakeh’s insults by requesting that he speak Aramaic rather than Hebrew, but Rabshakeh refused. He raised his voice and ranted all the more, presenting three “reasons” why God’s people should submit.

First, he roared, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria . . . ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you from my hand; nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord will surely deliver us, and this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria’” (2 Kings 18:28-30 NASB).

Second, Rabshakeh tempted, “Come make a bargain, make your peace with me. We’ll take good care of you. We’ll give you food to eat, a land of bread and vineyards. Each of you can have your own place where you can live it up!” No doubt, the enemy’s deal appealed to the tired, hungry people listening on the wall.

Finally, Rabshekeh rationalized, “Look, have any of the gods of other nations delivered anyone from the hand of the king of Assyria? No way!” Understand, Satan’s representatives will tell you anything, if it will keep you from trusting God and will cause you to cave under pressure.

Hezekiah had warned God’s people not to do verbal battle with the enemy, and the people obeyed Hezekiah’s command. When the king heard Rabshakeh’s evil messages, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, signs of grief and humility before God. Then Hezekiah prayed.

No doubt, had Hezekiah started wringing his hands in worry and despair, the battle would have been lost. But Hezekiah didn’t do that. Instead, he submitted to God and testified of God’s greatness. Notice, too, he resisted the enemy by refusing to respond in foolish verbal confrontations; then he diffused the enemy’s threats by taking them to the Lord in prayer. Hezekiah didn’t begin by outlining his woeful dilemma to God, but by worshiping God. He said, “O Lord, the God of Israel, who art enthroned above the cherubim, Thou art the God, Thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. Thou hast made heaven and earth” (2 Kings 19:15 NASB).

With the devil beating on his door, Hezekiah paused to praise the Lord, and to testify of His awesome power before asking Him for help. Then he sent for the Isaiah, hoping that the prophet would have a word from the Lord.

Isaiah did. He told the king, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he shall hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land’” (Isaiah 37:6-7 NASB).

Shortly after this, Sennacherib mysteriously received word that Babylon was rebelling. He abandoned his siege of Jerusalem and headed his army homeward. But God wasn’t finished with Sennacherib. Nobody blasphemes God and gets away with it. “Then the angel of the Lord went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, all of these were dead” (Isaiah 37:36 NASB). Notice that one angel destroyed 185,000 of the enemy’s finest warriors overnight! Remember: “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him” (Psalm 34:7). That fear is not the cowering fear of a child against a bully. No, quite the contrary, this sort of fear is the awesome honor and respect and adoration offered to God in true worship.

Sennacherib returned home defeated and was murdered by his own sons. Hezekiah and the people of God won a great victory by surrendering the battle to the Lord, placing their focus on worshiping the God who could answer in power and might.

When the pressure comes, don’t wring your hands in despair and frustration. Go to God in humble worship and praise, acknowledging your confidence in Him. He will work supernatural miracles if necessary to deliver you from the hands of your enemies. Your top priority is to keep your focus on God, not your problems; to worship Him rather than worry or fret. As you do, relax and expect to experience His presence in a most unusual way.