A couple of weeks ago, while sitting with two sweet friends who I hardly ever get to see, we were contemplating the state of our nation. We were talking about how we believe that God is calling His people to their knees and positioning them in preparation for something big. At one point, my friend Jennifer brought up something that I’d never really thought about before, but that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about since, and it involves a scripture that I’m confident everyone of you reading this right now has heard before.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “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.”
This is it believers! How have we (or maybe just I) missed this? God has laid out the secret if/then formula right in front of us.
“If my people, which are called by my name” – that’s us, Christ followers! Why are we so shocked at the behavior of the people leading, and potentially leading our country? There is nothing new under the sun happening in our government. We just live in a day and age where finding out about it is easier. Can we really be surprised when people who are far from God act as though they are far from God? It would seem to me then that, based on this verse, the future of our country is more dependent upon OUR actions than those of the people sitting in the White House.
“Shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways” – I don’t read anything about voting for a certain candidate, protesting against specific causes, or going head to head on social media. What I see is that the work is on a heart level, a kingdom level, an eternal level. We are to be on our knees, before God Himself, pleading on behalf of those who don’t know how to. We are to be looking inward to weed out and prune those sins that are holding back the very armies of Heaven from doing what they do best. Our battle is not against flesh and blood. It’s not against the government or the people running it. Our battle is against one enemy – Satan himself.
If we continue fighting the wrong battles, we as a nation will certainly lose.
“THEN will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will HEAL THEIR LAND.” What a promise! If we can muster the strength and courage to lay down our earthly weapons, and fight the war on our knees, He promises to do the rest of the work. It won’t even matter what the outcome is in November, because one of two things will happen if we do what He has called us as His people to do. Either the Lord will intervene and do a miraculous work of healing from the top down in our land, or He will do a miraculous work of healing over the terrain of the hearts of His people so that we are ready to represent Him well when the time comes. Either way, we win!
I have felt helpless as I’ve watched the process of this election. But the Lord has pressed on my heart over these last few days that I’m anything BUT helpless. Believers, we may not be able to storm the gates of Washington, turning our government on its head. But we certainly can storm the gates of Hell, claiming the promises that are rightfully ours.
So every morning at 7:14am, I will be stopping and praying for our government, for this election, and for salvation to spring up all over this nation. Would you consider joining me? Maybe you’re not a morning person. Lucky for us there is a 7:14pm too! How awesome would it be if every day, at the same times each day, Heaven was filled with the roars of the saints? It’s simple, but mighty! Let me know if you’ll be roaring with me!
Powerful idea! Thank you, Mike, for posting and, Erica, for writing this important word. God bless you and all who read.
You’re welcome Mary!! Thanks so much for reading!
Thanks Mary!!! Appreciate you!
Ditto!