When we think of King David, it is easy to forget that he was in a lot of difficult situations. If anyone knew how to raise prayers for hopeless situations, it was this man. This was a man after God’s heart. Yet he was also a man of war.

He was a man who was once trapped by lust and orchestrated his adversary’s death to take his wife. This is the man who went into fasting and prayer when he knew that his son was going to die. He was praying for God’s word through his prophet not to come through. And when it came to pass, we know that he got up and ate.

The book of Job is filled with prayers and conversation from a man who was in an inexplicably hopeless situation. Job’s situation was one that went against everything that he and his peers believed.

The man had walked in paths of righteousness for his entire life. Yet he was caught in affliction. How could anyone rationalise this? This may be the case for you today.

Perhaps you are. In a place where you are saying, God what have I done wrong. We know from Job’s story that, sometimes bad things happen to good people. When you are in Christ, hope should never die!

Let me rephrase that. Hope can never die when you are in Christ. Christ who is hope was nailed to the cross, placed in a tomb and rose! You cannot keep hope down. That same power that called Lazarus out of the grave lives today!

Prayers for Hopeless Situations

The False Narrative

The reason why it may be so hard for some among us to accept that God will pull us out of hopeless situations is that we have been drilled and raised on the faulty premise that “God helps those who help themselves.” It is quite the contrary.

In fact, we know from scripture that his strength is made perfect in our weakness. When we are helpless we can submit to him fully. When we think we have a way out we tend to want to take things in our stride. This means that we seek victories outside of the Lord. 

This is human nature. Yet, God, our father loves prayers for hopeless situations. This is what miracles are made of. When Mary and Martha would send for him while their brother Lazarus was unwell he didn’t come. That was not a hopeless situation.

The gravity of a miracle is measured by how hopeless a situation is. Where none has ever come back from the dead, Jesus challenged the undefeated adversary that was death.

Stubborn Faith

God is moved by the stubbornness of our faith. Our refusal to give in to what seems impossible and fully entrust it to him causes him to respond. There are countless situations like this in scripture.

1 Kings 18:20-40

The Prophets of Baal Defeated. We understand that Elijah takes on the seemingly hopeless situation of challenging 450 prophets of Baal. This is one prophet defiantly calling out 450 opponents. These were opponents that had the support of the crown.

He doesn’t stop there. He taunts them and mocks their phoney God. What’s even more daring is that he challenges the prophets of Baal, who was the “god of fire” to a duel that involves fire. He is in fact saying, my God is bigger even in your area of strength!

He pours water, and his God answers by fire!

It is well

Do you know the story of the Shunammite woman? The Bible tells us that she had no child, and her husband was old. God had given a son after the prophet had prayed for her. She had not asked for a child, but God had given her a son anyway.

Her son had fallen ill and died. As soon as this happened, she took off to meet the prophet of God. When the Prophet saw her approaching, he sent his servant Gehazi to meet her and ask what was wrong. Her response is what we all remember. “It is well!”

2 Kings 4

²⁶ Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well:

These were the words of a mother whose son had just died. It is well. The rest is history. God showed up and her son was raised from the dead.

Now I don’t know what your hopeless situation is today, but we know our God starts where we have failed. He takes over where we are incapable. When we have given up on our own strength and chosen to then place it in his hands, that is where he functions best.

Prayer

Father, I bless your name. You are God over these stubborn and seemingly impossible situations that stand against your people today. In the name of Jesus, raise possibilities where there are none. You are a miracle worker. You are a promise keeper. Dear Lord, you are a way maker. You are a God who makes a way where there seems to be no way.

Right here and right now, Heavenly Father, there seems to be no way in this situation. Make a way for us oh God! We acknowledge that in our own strength this is impossible. We accept that by our own wisdom, there is no way. Yet, we also know that there is nothing too hard for you.

Holy Spirit, minister to everyone who will pray this prayer. Minister to everyone who will read this or listen to this prayer. You know their situation. As they place it before you. Make a way.

Father, we release impossible healing in Jesus’ name! We release impossible financial miracle for desperate situations! We release impossible marriages. We release impossible escapes in the mighty name of Jesus! Lord raise testimonies out of these situations. They will know that you alone are God! In the Mighty name of Jesus! Amen