September 16, 2024
2 Chronicles 7:14
This passage of scripture has been the subject of thousands of sermons over the years. I have several that employ 2 Chron. 7:14 among the more than two thousand sermons that are saved on my computer. It is a seminal passage that, if followed, would make a distinct difference in the way our world looks today. It begins by addressing God’s people, not the world at large. It also addresses how God’s people should be living and it gives them the privilege of employing prayer as a means of affecting things on earth. When God answers our godly prayers, He is actually taking the resources of heaven and applying them here on planet Earth.
Man thinks he can change things with money and programs. It won’t work. Our nation is 35 trillion dollars in debt trying to do that. When will we learn that it is a futile effort? We aren’t very wise at all. But God has given His people the privilege to communicate with Him on a personal, moment-by-moment basis. Think about that. The God of this universe will listen and heed the prayers of people who come to Him in the right way. They are people who belong to Him.
“If my people." They are “called by His name,” they are “humble” people who “pray” and “seek His face.” His people also are willing to “turn from their wicked ways.” Then His promise is that he will “hear from heaven and forgive their sin.” Finally, He says He will “heal their land.”
Have we ever seen a land that needed healing more than the United States right now? Europe has, in general, turned against God and thereby abandoned His promised blessings. He can still bless the individuals in Europe who meet His requirements in 2 Chronicles 7:14, but in general, Europe is a secular group of nations. It has gone wild and we are following in their steps seemingly unaware of where that approach leads.
But, I want our readers to see something in this passage that is special. He is not telling the world and all of its inhabitants of each and every group of people that THEY should do as He says in our passage. He is telling HIS people that they are the ones who can change things if 2 Chron. 7:14 is followed.
This sinful world does not have the ability to affect things with prayer. It is GOD’S people who are willing to obey our passage of scripture who must be the ones to approach Him in prayer with their requests of Him. Christians should not blame the people trapped in this sinful world system for everything that is wrong. The destructive and sinful nature of the world is aided and abetted by those godless people but God says that it is His people who can affect a change if they will live in 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Every person who is part of God’s family through Jesus Christ had better get a grip on 2 Chronicles 7:14 and get themselves in order according to that passage. Then they had better pray that God would hear them and save us from this crooked generation. America is on a teeter-totter. She could go one way or the other and God’s people could make the difference if they would.
Not a single person listens to the news today or watches it on TV without shaking their heads and decrying the situation in which we find ourselves. What in the world is going on? That is the question that people are asking. I’ll tell you what is going on. We are in a spiritual battle. America is the only nation in the world that was founded upon God’s Word and upon the “propagation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” That phrase is found in our very first document, The Mayflower Compact. Satan wants to destroy us because of our relationship to God and our relationship to His Son Jesus Christ. The world hates us even after the billions we have given them in assistance. This proves that money cannot buy the favor of a person or a country.
If the Christian people in America don’t get on their knees at this time in our history, they never will. And, my concern is that we will lose many of our religious rights and our ability to affect the direction of our country. The odd thing is that we don’t realize that our strength is not in money. It is not in power. It is not in our vast military strength. It is in the simple yet profound act of obedience to 2 Chronicles 7:14 in order to bring God to our rescue.
We have the God of this universe ready to give us our desire for peace and tranquility. We have Him to address the problems of society that we have caused. We have Him to deal with our enemies such that they will leave us alone and quit threatening the world with annihilation. There is NOTHING that God cannot do. And, when He finds a people of 2 Chronicles 7:14, He has promised that He will act in our favor.
If ever a land ever needed healing, we are that land. We have inculcated so many sins into our national scene both ethically and legally that God cannot bless us. He cannot bless disobedience. When people say, “God Bless America” they are really saying that they want God’s blessings but that they do not plan on changing a thing so that He CAN bless us.
We need to thank Him that we are still surviving after some of the things we now allow. How can He bless a nation that legalizes the killing of babies? How can He bless a nation that legalizes and formalizes the sexual revolution with all its concomitant ramifications? He has already spoken about that and once He says something it is true forever. He doesn’t need to tell us something but one time and it is true forever and ever.
Our government functions largely on lies and deception. How can God bless that? But, what does 2 Chronicles 7:14 say? It says that He will bless a nation of people who are called by His name who are willing to humble themselves, pray and seek His face as well as turn from their wicked ways (repentance). He will hear from heaven, forgive their sins and heal their land. I don’t know what all is involved with “healing their land” but I’m for that!
Every pastor and Godly spiritual leader should covenant together to urge their people to deal with sin in their lives and get on their knees and ask God to heal America. That is our only hope! Don’t read this article and say “Oh, well, somebody better do something.” Every Christian has a direct line to God in prayer. Be bold in praying. Ask Him for healing for America. Ask Him to protect Israel, His Chosen people. Ask Him for big things. He says that if we are a people of 2 Chronicles 7:14, He will hear us and act on our prayers. Call out to him in earnest! Spend some time in prayer about the shape of Christianity in America today (it’s at its weakest point in my lifetime). We must spend time praying about ourselves and our relationship to Him. And, we must spend time praying about our country. He will heal our land as only He can do it.
“If My people, who 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.” It sounds to me like it is up to God’s people!
___
William F. Harrell is former pastor of Abilene Baptist Church in Augusta.
