Applying God’s Remedy to What Ails Us - 2 Chron 7:14
We live at a time when there is an increasing secularization of Americans. The Barna study reports that only 12% of people under 25 years of age attend church on a regular basis. More frightening is the fact that only 12% of these people, when they leave home, will continue to be involved with their church. It seems that it will not be long before America sinks to the level of 1-4% church attendance that is common throughout Europe.
"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 will I hear from heaven and will forgiven their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chron. 7:14)
Illustration: When the Pastors of the Dwelling Place Church and the Assembly of God partnered to pray for transformation of the city of Hemmet, California, they saw revival break out throughout the city. The Methamphetamine plants were driven out of the city and many of the leaders from all sectors of the community came to Christ and brought a renewal to the entire town. Then, God blessed their own congregations so that they saw unprecedented growth and blessings that were far beyond all that they could ask or think. (Eph. 3:20) Transformation is a theme that George Otis has demonstrated in his documentary videos that is happening when people apply the power of God that is found through obedience and trust and prayer such as is found in 2 Chron. 7:14. I would encourage you to watch Transformation videos that highlight how God brought about change in all the dimensions of community in his documentary videos. Look up George Otis on www.google.com for more information.
Only when we pray with repentance according to God’s formula found in 2 Chron 7:14 will we see God’s rescue us from self-deterioration. Let us trust God with prayers for revival in our Christian community will we see God bringing healing, restoration and transformation to our communities.
1. REALIZE our need to cooperatively pray for the revival of our Christians instead of competing with each other for church attenders. "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray." It was only when Pastor Julio Ruival, of Cali Columbia, prayed that the Pastors and spiritual leaders came together for a city wide prayer meeting, that God chased the drug cartel out and brought evangelical Christianity to more than 30% of the city. Too many Pastors are competing with each other rather than praying with each other for God to bring about spiritual, social, emotional, social and economic transformation of their communities.
2. HUMBLY PRAY that the Lord will provide whatever is needed to reawaken Christians from their slumbering lethargy, apathy and inaction. The alternative to humbling ourselves before God is to be humbled by Him. Peter wrote, "For God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time." (I Pet. 5:5,6)
Humility always comes before fruitfulness. God is the one who brings the fruit but we need people who will be busy in planting and watering the seed as Paul and Apollos did in the New Testament days. Paul wrote, "I planted and Apollos watered, but God caused the growth." (I Cor. 3:5,6)
3. SEEK GOD’S FACE. Praise God for His attributes and worship Him in the beauty of His holiness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart, commit your way to the Lord, trust in Him and He will bring things to pass. (Psa. 37:3-7) To seek the face of God is to know Him through His characteristics. May we praise Him for His power, love and joy as we study His word. David wrote, "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles and judgments he pronounced." (Psa. 105:4,5) When we seek the face of God we are gaining greater intimacy with Him through our worship, adoration and submission. The more we observe His face the more we will become like Him. Paul wrote, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Cor. 3:18) Allow the Lord to transform you and your Christian community more into His likeness as you praise, study and focus on Christ as the author and perfecter of our faith. (Heb. 12:1,2)
4. REPENT OF OUR SINS. God told Solomon, "Turn from your wicked ways." Most of us need to reverse course regarding our sins of omission. There are many evangelistic, service and relational ministries that we should engage in but we are found wanting. Even the most seasoned Christian can become more Christlike. We all need to find ways of putting away grievances, impurities or sins of faulty attitudes or erroneous assumptions we make about ourself or others. Give all of your hurts, anger and fears over to the Lord. Allow the grace of God to let you work through the pain, disappointment and criticisms that have formed a callous over your heart.
Only when we put off the old sinful selfish attitudes and replace them with what is good, will we enjoy God’s blessings. Paul wrote, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor." (Eph. 4:22-24) When we engaged in speaking to our neighbors about the new life, new love and new liberties available through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, then we will see transformation in our communities.
5. RENOUCE ALL EVIL. Be bold in renouncing all forms of evil throughout your community. James writes, "Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and He will flee from you." (James 4:6,7) Only when the Christians prayed and came against the centers of evil in Kiambu, Kenya did God eradicate Mama Jane’s center of witchcraft that held sway to the minds of many who lived in fear of evil spirits. As the Christians formed morning glory prayer meetings throughout the city of 65,000 outside of Nairobi, Kenya, God brought about the removal of Mama Jane’s idolatrous center of demon worship and freed people to come to Christ in thousands. Before Pastor Muthee coordinated prayer meetings, few people came to Christ and most churches had only 12-20 people. Today there are many churches that contain thousands of worshippers. The renouncing of all forms of evil cleansed the hearts and minds of all evil strongholds that held people captive until God broke down all the walls of resistance. Enforce the power given to by God since Christ has defeated the devil when He died on the cross and resurrected from the dead. Greater is He who is you than the one who is in the world.
6. WAIT AND RECEIVE GOD’S BLESSINGS. "Then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." In many cases George Otis indicates that the transformation of cities saw restoration, revival and renewal after 3, 5 or 15 years of praying. Only when leaders commit themselves to sticking it out in the tough times will they be able to see the fruit of God’s hand of blessings. David wrote, "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart. Wait I say on the Lord." (Psa 27:14) Be undaunted in your pursuit of God’s solutions to all of your personal and corporate problems.
7. DECLARE THE GREATNESS OF GOD’S NAME. Proclaim the reign of God’s name in your life, in your business and in your relationships. When people see and hear and experience how Christ’s name is exalted as the one who reigns supreme in all matters of life, then we will see the Lord’s glory fill our communities. The Lord wants to rule in the heart of every aspect of our community including its spiritual life, political affairs, social concerns, financial realms, health needs, family affairs, educational institutions etc. When the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is given pre-eminence in all things, then the blessings of the Lord will come abundantly without adding any sorrow.
8. TEACH THE FEAR OF THE LORD. God told Solomon, "But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot - that is why He will bring disaster on them." (2 Chron 7:19-22) Do not think that people can go along with impunity in their neglect of God. Our God jealously desires all people to worship, obey and trust Him as Lord and Savior of all. Failure to obey the Lord results in awful consequences. The Lord does not take kindly to benign indifference. Do not think that apathetic or lethargic attitudes will go unpunished. Perhaps this is why Solomon wrote, "Now all has been heard here is the conclusion of the matter, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Eccl. 12:13,14) David wrote, "Fear the Lord you His saints for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. Come my children and I will teach you the fear of the Lord."
9. ENGAGE IN A PRAYER MINISTRY OF TRANSFORMATION. Initiate meetings of prayer through the internet, through group meetings and through assemblies of spiritual leaders who will forge a band of intercessors for the transformation of your whole community. Stop trying to compete with others and recognize that we are called to be His witnesses in all of our Jerusalem, Judeas, Samarias and unto the utter most part of the earth.(Acts 1:8)The national Pastors Prayer Network is a place you might want to begin on the internet. There are many other powerful prayer groups that you can correspond with to bring about intercessory power to bear upon your community today.
Conclusion: (Answer to Prayer)While Josh McDowell was attending seminary in California, his father went Home to be with the Lord. His mother had died years earlier, but Josh was not sure of her salvation. He became depressed, thinking that she might be lost. Was she a Christian or not? The thought obsessed him. "Lord," he prayed, "somehow give me the answer so I can get back to normal. I’ve just got to know." It seemed like an impossible request.
Two days later, Josh drove out to the ocean. He walked to the end of a pier to be alone. There sat an old woman in a lawnchair, fishing. "Where’s your home originally?" she asked.
"Michigan -- Union City," Josh replied. "Nobody’s heard of it. I tell people it’s a suburb of --" "Battle Creek," interrupted the woman. "I had a cousin from there. Did you know the McDowell family?"
Stunned, Josh responded, "Yes, I’m Josh McDowell!"
"I can’t believe it," said the woman. "I’m a cousin to your mother."
"Do you remember anything at all about my mother’s spiritual life?" asked Josh. "Why sure -- your mom and I were just girls -- teenagers -- when a tent revival came to town. It was the fourth night -- we both went forward to accept Christ."
"Praise God!" shouted Josh, startling the surrounding fishermen.
Our Daily Bread.
