Last year I was in Dallas, Texas attending a seminar. As I was pulling into the parking lot of the seminar site I heard inside myself a phrase, "This land is your land"! When I heard it I was somewhat excited because I felt like I was going to be moving back to Texas. I lived in Houston in the early 1990's and loved the people. So the prospects of moving back to Texas was exciting and if it was Dallas I was even more excited as I have family there.
As I went into the seminar and took my seat a melody was playing in my head; "This land is your land, this land is my land, from California to the New York island, from the Redwood Forest to the Gulf Stream waters, this land belongs to you and me." I kept hearing this song play over and over. Finally I realized the voice I heard inside was the Lord! I was not going to be moving to Texas, but this was a call to begin praying for America. Even as the thought went through my mind, I knew in my spirit I was, from that day forward to begin to pray for America.
If you are anything like me, it wouldn't surprise you to know that I put that call aside for some time, however I did download a map of America and begin praying for America's borders. I prayed off and on for the rest of the year. Nothing consistent nor did I have the power I felt I needed to reach the ear of God. I was obeying, but not like I should have.
Now one year later I am feeling the import of that call. I am stirred to the depths of my spirit about not just my call to pray for America but the call that is given to all people who make America their home and especially those who are God's people.
A cursory reading of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is all the instruction we need to propel us into prayer. But if you are serious about the blessings of God on our country, you will delve deeper into the meaning of this important scripture verse.
I believe all people who call America home want the peace and safety we have had for two hundred or so years up to 9/11. That event shook us as we watched our national security be removed in a day. We were stunned that any nation would dare breach our security! It seemed like the nation as a whole came together briefly and united in an expression of grief and sorrow both for those who lost loved ones and for ourselves at the loss of the security we once felt. Our churches filled and we were celebrating a new found unity for the first time ever in my lifetime. Sadly it was very short lived. Days turned into weeks and weeks into month and life returned to "normal". How sad for all of us. The status-quo was apathy in America. We easily slipped back into our routines and went on with our lives. The shock of the invasion of our security soon was replaced with "Homeland Security" and we 'felt like ' we had done what was necessary to protect our national security.
Now I am much more awakened to the call of a year ago. I am heading back to Dallas for another seminar but with new resolve to be actively involved in carrying my portion of 2Chronicles 7:14 before the Lord. I've made a list for myself of what this verse is actually calling me to do in prayer. I have a responsibility to stand with others that are on the front lines carrying the message of REPENTANCE not only to our own hearts but to the hearts of a very apathetic nation whether we are serving in the church or not.
The first statement of 2 Chronicles 7:14 is: "If MY people who are called by MY name", that means all of those individuals who have accepted the gift of God through his amazing love in sending his Son for the redemption of our souls. That is you and me! Christians! We are the one's called by HIS name. We are the one's that have received the gift of eternity through the shedding of the blood of Christ. We are the one's that the call is sent, it appears the nation is at risk if we fail to answer that call! It then becomes of huge importance for Christians to answer the call of God to pray for healing of our land. It isn't just for the "National Day of Prayer" but for everyday to call upon the name of the Lord and ask for His mercy for our country.
Secondly: "will humble themselves". This is not a passive statement as if we are to appear to be meek and mild. It is an invitation to release ourselves from an arrogant and prideful position that is okay with the status-quo in oneself and America. If we are going to take pride in anything it should be our lowly position as a human being along with every human being living. We are not God and we cannot direct Him. We must entreat Him from a position of need. We need God. We need him to have mercy on us. He is full of mercy, but we must posture ourselves to receive from his heart of love.
Thirdly: Pray and seek His face. That means 'we' are doing the asking. We are not directing Him, but approaching him, looking toward His presence within us to see if there is anything within our hearts that would block our prayers from hitting his heart. Risking to seek His presence and stay in it long enough to be open to hearing his instruction for us. How can I pray Lord? What is it that I can do for you? Where would you have me? Can you use me to serve you? With whom can I share this message? Seeking the face of the Lord is primary in receiving direction to be light in a dark place.
Fourthly: and turn from their wicked ways, This is where it gets personal. It means I must search my own heart. How can I see myself? I can't! I must continue to humble myself and ask according to Psalms 139: 23-24, asking the Holy Spirit himself to look at me with His all-seeing eye revealing me to me. For some of you, this may become very uncomfortable but if you will look at what the Holy Spirit is revealing, you have already submitted to humbling yourself before Him. It is His delight to share His amazing love with you. The Holy Spirit is the kindest person alive. He won't share like humans who don't love you do. No! He will, with, great tender mercy share anything that is keeping you from walking as He would have you walk. Even prepare the ground of your heart to pray according to His will. No need to fear here, wickedness is no problem for the Holy Spirit. He addresses you with mercy and love, but the one who tempted you into any wickedness is dealt with by God the Holy Spirit as he should be, he is cast out!
Fifth: Then I (the Lord) will hear from heaven! So now you can have the assurance that God will hear your prayer. You will have been made holy by the act of asking the Holy Spirit to cleanse your heart. That is the very work of the Holy Spirit, to make you holy. It is called sanctifying...to make holy, to set apart! So that you fulfill your destiny as God's chosen people. God's promise in Jeremiah 33:3 is: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know". God will not not only hear your prayers but He will answer them.
Next we have: I will forgive their sin, I love to spend time in God's word and especially in the promises of God. One such promise is found in I John 1:9 that says, " If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". As a nation, as we begin to confess our national sin of apathy and greed, adultery and seeking other gods, his promise to us is that He will for give us. Which leads us to the final statement of the scripture 2 Chronicles 7:14.
"I will heal your land". Then the prayer that we have lifted up to the heavens will become our answer. Healing for America. It is not just the leaders of this nation that need prayer, we ourselves need to begin to ask God to take us into such a place of unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ that we become one voice to heaven's ears. Unity of the Body of Christ is necessary at this time. We must become what we say we are: Christian's united as one.
Will you stand up for the nation of America lifting your voice to the Lord? Will you share this call with others asking them to stand with you uniting their voice with yours crying out to heaven? Will you yourself walk in an attitude of REPENTANCE so your witness can call our nation to REPENT?
Now is the time we must stand for our country or be servitude even more false gods. Will you hear the voice from heaven saying to you as He did to Joshua; "Only be strong and courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go." Joshua 1:7
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