My reflection today is the foundation of the Second Book of Chronicles 20: 1-30, to answer the question: What authority does our prayer have?

One day, King Josofat and the people of Judah saw that a great crowd had risen against them. Three groups of aggressors, the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Meunites, launched a major attack on Jerusalem.

Josofat felt deeply frightened, but instead of shrinking he "humbled his face to consult Jehovah" (2 Cr 20: 3). He proclaimed a fast throughout Judah and summoned people to seek the Lord together. He stood before the people in the house of the Lord and prayed: "Jehovah God of our fathers, are you not God in heaven and have dominion over all the kingdoms of the nations? Is it not such a force in your hand and power, that is there no one to resist you? "(2 Cr 20: 6).

Josofat expressed no doubt about the power of God, but proclaimed in public his trust in the Almighty.
He declared that he put all his hope in the Lord, whose power has no limit. Furthermore, Josofat frankly declared that he, as king of Judah, placed himself in a position of humility and total weakness before the Lord. He did not claim any authority for himself, but said to God:

• You are the one who gave us this land.
• You are the one who allowed your people to dwell in it and build a sanctuary in it.
• You were the one who said that we should mourn him in our affliction and that he would listen to us and save us.
• You were the one who told us not to destroy these enemies when we came to occupy this land.
• You are the only one capable of judging these enemies who rise against Your people; We have no power or plan.

He concluded his prayer by saying: "We turn our eyes to you" (2 Cr. 20:12). Indeed, Josofat said: "If you do not exercise your authority in this matter, we are lost. That is why we put all our trust in you and only in you."

We do not see any trace of selfishness in Josofat. He did not require God to do something he did not want to do. Josofat did not attribute authority to himself or claim any power as king, but he wisely recognized that all power and all authority belong only to the Lord. Based on such an understanding, he presented his request to the God of heaven and was blessed with victory (2 Cr 20: 22-24).