Is Your Land Sick?
Heal your land
II Chronicles 7: 14-16 (KJV)
14 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. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
Let’s replace the conventional use of the word land and use it to mean any place where the seed is planted
Many of us are wondering we are not reaping the harvest from our labor
This is exactly why we are not reaping a marvelous harvest from our labor and it is because our land is sick
Sick - Affected with madness or insanity (word web)
If we were to take an honest look at ourselves today and search our heart and find out how many of us are mad at each other or even driven to the point of insanity with each other
Insanity - Relatively permanent disorder of the mind (word web)
Often when I look at the word insanity I think of a person who does not have the ability to think clearly but in reality an insane person is a person who does not place things in order. In other words we are considering our problems before we consider God. We are placing our need for deliverance in front of the one who can truly deliver us from our situation.
It is interesting that God, the one who has the power to heal the land has identified the people of the land in need of deliverance as “His” people
In other words the people that are suffering from a sick land have all the rights and privileges to enjoy a good and healthy land but something is hindering them from doing this
The writer names four things that are hindering his people from receiving a healthy land:
1. They are not humble
Word web defines humble as: Cause to be unpretentious
In other since the people showed a lack of affection toward God, it was in turn hindering their ability of hearing from God
2. They are not praying
There are so many leaders and people of the church who say that they pray but in reality it has been a long time since they have truly spent one on one quality time with God
3. They are not seeking the face of the healer
This should remind us of many of us today. We want to be healed and delivered but we fail to seek the face of the one that can truly and permanently heal us. This is exactly what these people of God are doing right now they are looking for healing in all of the wrong places
4. The are currently engaged in evil ways
Not only are we not humble, failing to pray and looking for healing in all of the wrong places but we are also going as far as to stay engaged in our evil ways thinking that somehow we still have an opportunity to hear from God
These people were not only sinning because God knows that man is condemned to sin but they had turned to sin
The faces were to the sin and not God. We absolutely must turn our faces back to God right now saints. He knows that we need him if only we where to turn and depend on Him he could show us His goodness and mercy
When we really consider all things we should be able to quickly realize that what God was asking the people for was very much within their capabilities to give Him
Earlier in this chapter of scripture Solomon had made a very large sacrifice (II Chronicles 7:5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.) to God in an effort to hear from Him and have their prayer answered
It would be easy to get caught up in the concept that the more we give the more God will hear from us but this is not always true
Although giving is extremely instrumental in our attempt to walk with God this may not be what God is looking for from us to be a blessing.
Imagine how much more we could be able to give if our land was healed and producing at a level where God was truly blessing it.
Our tithes and offerings would greatly increase along with our faith and obedience
Earlier in our study we looked at the word land and changed it from merely being the ground and considered it being anywhere where seed is planted.
Let’s look at some places where your seeds are being planted:
Church, business, marriage, children, job, mind, finances, etc., etc. you can make your own list
I am sure that if you are living then you are planting a seed somewhere into something and by the fact that you are hearing this sermon ensures me that you are interested in seeing those seeds grow to maturity
If we are the least bit considerate in our effort to have our seeds grow then we should certainly take these simple four steps in an added attempt to have our seeds grow.
We should be extremely careful to look at the conclusion that God offered the people if they were obedient to His word (II Chronicles 7:5 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.)
Let’s close our eyes for one quick second and imagine or envision if you will what your life would be like if you removed all of the madness and insanity and God truly opened his eyes and made his ears to be attent to your every word
Now for some this is a reason to shout because they already see and know how good God has been to them even in the midst of their sin so their visions of what God could do for them should immediately stir them up
Truly there are great benefits that come along with God truly hearing from you. (II Chronicles 7:16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.)
In other words when we allow God to be on our team he is willing to attach his name to everything that we do.
Look when we go to the bank to get that loan not only we will sign our name but
God will sign his name along with ours
When we try to get that new house not only will we sign our
name but
God will sign his name as well
When we walk down the isle to say “I do” in holy matrimony
God will say “I do” right along with us
In other words God’s name will be on the line every time we sign ours. Who could handle such power and persuasion. There are only a few.
Let’s Pray:
Dear God I thank you. I realize that all of this time that I have been wondering what has been hindering me from really receiving from you and I now realize that it was because my land was sick. I see now what it will take to heal my land and I am ready to do whatever it takes to heal my land so that you can see and hear me clearly. I am thankful to serve a God like you and with this new revelation I am now ready to move to the next level. Amen
Thank You. May God continue to bless you and keep you. Amen
Your Friend
Minister Juan D. Lane Sr.
