A Prophet's Prayer of Acceptance

Habakkuk’s Prayer

Habakkuk 3

¹This is the prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, on shigionoth.

²LORD, I have heard the news about you;

I am amazed at what you have done.

LORD, do great things once again in our time;

make those things happen again in our own days.

Even when you are angry,

remember to be kind.

³God is coming from Teman;

the Holy One comes from Mount Paran.

Selah

His glory covers the skies,

and his praise fills the earth.

⁴He is like a bright light.

Rays of light shine from his hand,

and there he hides his power.

⁵Sickness goes before him,

and disease follows behind him.

⁶He stands and shakes the earth.

He looks, and the nations shake with fear.

The mountains, which stood for ages, break into pieces;

the old hills fall down.

God has always done this.

⁷I saw that the tents of Cushan were in trouble

and that the tents of Midian trembled.

⁸LORD, were you angry at the rivers,

or were you angry at the streams?

Were you angry with the sea

when you rode your horses and chariots of victory?

⁹You uncovered your bow

and commanded many arrows to be brought to you.

Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

¹⁰The mountains saw you and shook with fear.

The rushing water flowed.

The sea made a loud noise,

and its waves rose high.

¹¹The sun and moon stood still in the sky;

they stopped when they saw the flash of your flying arrows

and the gleam of your shining spear.

¹²In anger you marched on the earth;

in anger you punished the nations.

¹³You came out to save your people,

to save your chosen one.

You crushed the leader of the wicked ones

and took everything he had, from head to toe.

Selah

¹⁴With the enemy’s own spear you stabbed the leader of his army.

His soldiers rushed out like a storm to scatter us.

They were happy

as they were robbing the poor people in secret.

¹⁵But you marched through the sea with your horses,

stirring the great waters.

¹⁶I hear these things, and my body trembles;

my lips tremble when I hear the sound.

My bones feel weak,

and my legs shake.

But I will wait patiently for the day of disaster

that will come to the people who attack us.

¹⁷Fig trees may not grow figs,

and there may be no grapes on the vines.

There may be no olives growing

and no food growing in the fields.

There may be no sheep in the pens

and no cattle in the barns.

¹⁸But I will still be glad in the LORD;

I will rejoice in God my Savior.

¹⁹The Lord GOD is my strength.

He makes me like a deer that does not stumble

so I can walk on the steep mountains.

For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.

The Holy Bible, New Century Version

SITUATION

Judah was making alliances with other nations. God was bringing judgment on Judah through the Babylonians. Habakkuk prophesied at the same time as Jeremiah.

OBSERVATION

In the face of great trouble, Habakkuk brought his questions to God. After hearing God's answer,

he responded with a prayer of faith (3:2). He asked God to do great miracles.

INSPIRATION

Have you ever seen someone unconscious? Such a person will usually have vital signs but is not aware of anything that is occurring. There is also a lack of any perception of reality.

There is a difference between revival and resuscitation. Resuscitation is used on a person who is dead and whom the doctors are trying to bring back to life. Revival is for a person who is alive but unconscious. Spiritually, we can be unconscious and completely out of touch with the Spirit of God. We may be unaware of the God who made us and what He wants to do in and through us.

When one comes to Christ in faith and is born again, he or she is brought back from the dead into life. But when revival occurs, a person who is already a Christian is brought back from the brink of apathy, of taking God for granted, of ignoring God and trying to live under one's own power and strength. This can be deadly for others, because the Christian in need of revival is not producing any fruit for God.

We have not seen a revival in America since shortly after the turn of the twentieth century. But, as the hymn says, "Lord. send a revival and let it begin with me:' If we are to see a revival in our nation. it must begin in the hearts of individual believers. What are you doing in your daily walk with God that will bring revival to your life? (From Unto the Hills by Billy Graham)

APPLICATION

What are three situations that could depress you or make you anxious today? Give them to God in prayer. Ask God to help you trust him and give you the strength to do his will.

EXPLORATION

Strength Through Prayer - Matthew 21:21-22; James 1:5-6.