and will heal their land

“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 forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

How badly do we want God to heal our land? God always brings His people to a point of desperation for Him, because He is after our hearts. We can either choose to be desperate for God to come, or He will get our attention in other ways. Few people would disagree that Russia (or the U.S.A.) is at a place of devastation. The statistics are grim, and some problems seem insurmountable. But God can and wants to heal this great land. How will He accomplish this? Through the prayers and actions of His people – that’s you and me. Biblical cities often had physical gates which were manned by watchmen and gatekeepers – watchmen announced when the enemy was coming, and gatekeepers decided who and what could come into the city. Although cities today no longer have physical gates for the most part, each one does have spiritual gates, which are opened by the sin & selfishness of those who live there. We can be spiritual gatekeepers, by binding the work of the enemy and praying down God’s Kingdom, welcoming the rule and reign of Jesus. Jesus Christ is the only hope for our city, our nation, and the nations of the world. But God has given us a part to play in His sovereign plan. “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). We are to pray for His Kingdom to come (Luke 11:2). Even when we know we are to do this, it can seem overwhelming. Resist the temptation to pray only for immediate needs and problems, as you will quickly get worn out. Pray Kingdom prayers (see how Jesus and Paul prayed). Pray that God’s destiny and purpose for our city and nation will be revealed and lived out. Pray for the arrival of God’s presence. His presence pushes back the powers of darkness! And pray for love. The degree to which we will be effective in reaching our city and nation will be determined largely by how much love we have for them. We cannot persevere in our own strength. We need God’s supernatural love and empowering to be able to live righteously, pray and keep on praying until our city and nation belong to Jesus. We need God’s heart, to be compelled by the love of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:14).

Prayer: Father, I invite You to come to our city and nation, and I welcome Your presence. Let Your light shine brightly through my life, and help me to pray Kingdom prayers, big prayers, faith-filled prayers, so that Your destiny and purposes for our city and nation would be fulfilled. Fill me with Your heart of love, so that everything I say, think, and do would flow from the love of Christ within me. Kingdom of God, come! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

and will forgive their sin

“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 forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

When God forgives our sins, He doesn’t just overlook them, or set them to one side. He doesn’t keep them in a box to be used as a punishment later on. When God forgives our sins, He also wipes them out completely. The Lord gave me a dream many years ago that helped me to understand this. I was sitting in the waiting room at a doctor’s office. The nurse walked over to me and handed me a clipboard with the usual paperwork that needed to be filled out before I could see the doctor. I looked at the page, and was surprised to see that it was already filled out. Someone else had written my name and personal information on the form. As my eyes scanned the page, my surprise turned to horror when I realized that there were all manner of dreadful diagnoses already written there (e.g. “cancer”). I knew that the things written about the condition of my health were false, so I immediately said to the nurse, “What is written here is not true!” As I said that, all of the words vanished immediately from the forms, leaving the page clean and white. The Lord showed me that the enemy loves to keep believers in bondage by telling us his plan for our lives. He wants us to believe his plan, which will render us incapacitated, unhealthy, and focused on our problems, because then we will be ineffective in doing any damage to his kingdom. But God’s diagnosis of our condition is quite different! When we confess our sins, He purifies us from ALL unrighteousness. Jesus has paid the price IN FULL. Is there any area of your life where you are plagued by shame or unworthiness? Do you feel that you are continually defiled or impure in some way? Confess your sins to God, then believe His word. He will forgive you completely, and purify you completely, 100%.

Prayer: Father, I thank You that You are faithful and just. Help me to recognize when the enemy is trying to deceive me into believing something about myself that is not true. Help me to only pay attention to what You say about me. Wipe away all shame, unworthiness, defilement, and impurity. Help me to daily confess my sins to You, and set me free to live the victorious Christian life as You intend. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

then will I hear from heaven

“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 forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Recently I heard of a vision that a man of God was given, which beautifully illustrates what happens when we pray. Myriads of angels surround God’s throne, worshiping Him day and night. When a Christian prays, it’s as though a tiny door opens at the end of a long aisle leading to the throne. The Christian emerges through the doorway, and begins to walk towards God. Angels pause in their praises, poised on the edge of their seats, holding their breath, waiting to hear what this one who was created in God’s image, for whom Christ died, is going to say. Excitement and anticipation builds as the believer approaches the throne. God’s heart leaps as the Christian comes close, and He opens His arms wide to welcome this treasured child of His. The Father glances at the angels close by, verifying that they are ready to be dispatched to answer the prayer of this most beloved one. There is a hushed awe as the believer opens his mouth.

What an image! Through Jesus, God has given us free access to His throne—He has invited us in to the Holy of Holies! Imagine the disappointment if the believer’s prayer is mumbled, hurried, faithless, or vague. “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). But how delighted God must be when we come to Him as He directs us, in confidence and boldness. The important thing to realize is that when we pray, God moves! We touch heaven, and heaven comes down to us and through us. It is impossible to pray with no results—God is faithful and always responds to us, His children, although not always in the way that we expect. We exercise faith when we pray according to who God says He is. We can trust Him, because He is trustworthy. God hears us when we pray. He never sleeps, He does not take breaks, He is never too busy. He’s waiting for us.

Prayer: Father, help me overcome my unbelief. You say that when I pray, You hear me from heaven. Thank You that You are faithful, that Your word is always true for all people, for all time, in all places. Help me to come to You boldly, frequently, and full of faith. Thank You that You are my Father, and I am Your beloved child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.