However, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves, pray, search for me, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear their prayer from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their country.
(2 Chronicles 7:14 GW)
“So, what do we do on November 6?” the guest pastor asked as he began his sermon.
I thought, well, hopefully we get rid of all the political stuff. Hopefully, the plethora of political yard signs disappear, the candidates God wants in office are elected, and we can take a deep breath and recover from this election season.
That wasn’t where he was going. Instead, he read this very famous verse.
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV)
“The election may be over, but what are you doing to heal this land?” he challenged us.
Suddenly this message wasn’t about elections. It was about what we do to bring about awakening, revival, healing, restoration, reformation, and a movement of God’s Spirit that will radically move our nation towards God.
“If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray….” Our faithful God is looking for people who will first examine themselves, confess sin, and take a position of modesty before the Lord and each other. All forms of arrogance and pride must be replaced by pure hearts and spirits. We can’t want the crown of Jesus (Revelation 2:10) without also accepting the cross of Jesus (Matthew 16:24). When in humility we seek God’s face and turn from wickedness – THEN he will hear us, forgive us, and heal our land.
Read that again: When we pray, God will heal our land.
Really. Imagine it. This nation healed. What does “healing” look like? A binding up of wounds, an exposure of wickedness, a restoration of equal justice, greater unity, increased security and safety, overwhelming kindness and mercy towards each other, and the freedom to live quiet and peaceful lives, among other blessings. All we have to do it sit back and wait for it to happen, right?
Nope.
He’s going to heal this land through us. We, God’s children, those who are Salt and Light for this world, are called to be in places of influence. Being saturated with God’s presence and power also means we carry a holy and consecrated boldness. We share Light with others, we serve others, we operate with grace and kindness and mercy, but without compromising the Good News of the Gospel. Today we are called like Esther, Nehemiah, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and John the Baptist to to pray with boldness, to raise up the valleys and lower the mountains so the Word of the Lord can go forth.
As the children of God continue to pray and press for godly awakening and revival, our nation will change. As the children of God step up and move into political offices, into boardrooms, into creative media spaces, into educational spheres…into everywhere…our nation will change. As the children of God humble themselves and pray he will heal our land. As the children of God go, we bring Healing, Goodness, and Light into the world.
That is what we are supposed to do on November 6.
Faithful God,
All glory, honor and praise to you who calls your children to engage in the world around us with the Good News of Jesus Christ. We come to you today grateful that the voting in this election cycle is over, but praying that the vote tallying would be wholly and completely free of any sort of untruth or manipulation. We pray in the name of Jesus for protection over President Trump, members of his family and team, and each and every person who was voted in to political office in this nation. We put a hedge of protection around them and declare that NO WEAPON formed against them will prosper, and ask that your angel armies will guard them in all their ways. We pray and declare in Jesus’s name that these next weeks and months would have NO VIOLENCE from angry citizens, foreign entities, or demonically-led groups. We pray you will bind up the brokenhearted, those who grieve the loss(es) of their candidate(s), and pray that grace, mercy, and peace would be upon them. We pray that your people – your Church in these end times – will humble themselves, pray, and then do the work to bring the Good News to all parts of this nation. Help Word-and-Spirit Christians to hear your callings to places of service, and then give us wisdom, resources, energy, and strength to do the tasks you have set before us. Father, in the name of Jesus, we ask for a healing of this nation – healing from wounds of past sins, healing from distrust and division, healing from offense and anger, and healing from arrogance and pride. We ask for your blessings, including unity, security, kindness, and quiet and peaceful lives, to be upon us. May the words of our mouths and meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. Heal us, Lord Jesus, we pray, AMEN.
Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. (Revelation 2:10 NKJV)
Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. (Matthew 16:24 NIV)
I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV)
A voice of one calling:
“In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5 NIV)
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3 NIV)
h/t Lorenzo Sewell