“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14
What an encouraging scripture we have here from the word of God — the promise of God hearing our prayers, forgiving our sins and healing our land.
I am sure most people will agree with me that we desperately need this Scripture to be fulfilled today. We are in need of a great move of God to sweep across this land. America is hurting. As a country, we are the lowest spiritually that we have ever been. Prosperity and ease have blinded the hearts of men from their true need.
Listen to what God said of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities that had to be judged because they would not turn from their wickedness: “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy” (Ezekiel 16:49). In the eyes of man, Sodom was a wealthy place; in the eyes of God they were bankrupt. They needed forgiveness and healing.
To forgive and heal is something that only God can do, and this He will do when the conditions are met. The conditions are very clear: God says we must humble ourselves, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways.
Do you want forgiveness and healing? Then we must obey the word of the Lord and humble ourselves, come down from pride and selfishness and really begin to pray. Not just asking God for more things to occupy our time, but God says, “seek my face;” this means look for His presence. The reason man is messed up is because they got away from God, but the Lord is telling man he must return to and stay with God.
After we are told to seek God’s face, He says, “and turn from their wicked ways.” Many would think they must turn from wicked ways before they seek God, but the divine order is this: seek God and turn. We need God’s help in turning from our sins; they are so deeply rooted in our lives. The excuses, the habits are so woven into the fabric of our daily routine that only the light of God’s presence can reveal their true nature. At a distance, we just deal with the surface, but as we seek His face the dark interior is revealed and now can be confessed and forsaken.
This is the healing our land needs. Many will preach to the drunk, the drug dealer or the prostitute, but I can see the lawyer close the door to his office and kneel at his desk seeking God’s face. The doctor, in all her learning, bowing to the great physician to do an operation on her heart and life. Recently, a brother and his wife visited one of the mayors in Liberty County, and before they left they held hands and prayed to the God of heaven.
Will you join us in this revival as we humble ourselves and pray?
Bradeen is the pastor of House of Prayer Christian Church and a member of the United Ministerial Alliance.
Now is the time to pray to God
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