If

2 CHRONICLES 7:12-14 “IF”

1. “If:” 1,595 times in the Bible ... The Hebrew word is “im” (eem)

and means “on condition that.”

* I remind you of 2 Thess. 3:16 “Now the Lord of peace himself give you

peace always by all means. (In every situation) The Lord be with you all.”

2. To many people around the world, 2020 was a difficult year, even a tragic

one, and we have no idea what the new year will bring.

* But we do know this without a doubt: In every situation we face, our Savior

is with us.

3. Every situation means every day, every hour, every circumstances.

* Every need, every fear, every joy, every opportunity, every step.

* He is more present than you know, and more powerful than you can possibly

conceive ... 2021 is already in His hands.

A) There’s no doubt in my mind that America needs healing – There’s still

hope for America.

* In this message I want to look at one of the greatest sources of hope we have,

* And that is, the promise that we can move God’s heart and hand through prayer.

B) If we Christians are going to build rather than destroy America .......

* We’ve got to fall on our knees and our faces before God and pray.

* Not talk about prayer, but pray – Not agree on the importance of prayer, but pray.

C) The context of 2 Chron. 7:14 is very important, so let’s set the stage here.

* The occasion is the dedication of Solomon’s great Temple.

* Solomon offers a prayer of dedication in Chapter 6 in which he says, in essence:

* “Lord, I want to lead this people in righteousness ... I want to lead this people in

honoring You, and I want to do it the way You want it done.”

D) Then in 7:1-10, God’s glory came down and filled the Temple.

* And the people offered sacrifices and held a feast.

* Then the text records in v.11-14 .......

E) We know the context of v.14 ... What God is saying is that if a people turn

away from Him and reject His ways .......

* Then it doesn’t matter who is in the White House, or how much money the

government has for social programs.

F) When God starts withholding His rain and sends the locusts to devour

your land, and sends diseases, you had better start dealing with Him.

* God will not be played for a fool ... You can’t continue to dismiss God from

your life and expect everything to work right.

G) “My people” are the only ones qualified to claim this promise.

* We are the ones who are supposed to know where to turn for help.

LET’S FIND OUT WHAT GOD WANTS FROM US:

A) The 1st thing God says about whose prayers get through to him are, “my

people.”

* This tells us who can pray ... He’s talking about His covenant people.

* In the O.T. His covenant people was Israel – In the N.T. it’s the church; true Christians.

B) God is not obligated to hear the prayers of sinners, unless they are asking

for forgiveness.

* God has no obligation to sinners who pray because they’re not His people and they

have not been called by His name – John 9:31 “Now we know that God .......”

C) Only Christians get through to heaven ... They only have access to the

throne of grace.

* If God has decided to destroy America, only Christians can make Him rethink that.

* His people can get through to Him because they bear His name, which means they

are under His authority.

D) When God calls us His people, He is saying, “You belong to Me – You are

called to live under My authority.”

* That’s who can pray ... And that’s why satan’s main goal today is to keep

Christians from getting it together, especially on their knees .......

* Because he knows if we ever get it together, he’s in bad shape.

E) Satan’s big thing is leaving Christians inoperative.

* He’s not worried about the sinners ... He can handle any sinner, because they

already belong to him – They don’t know they belong to him, but they do.

* But if he can lull Christians to sleep spiritually, he’s ready to run the show.

F) Now listen to God tell us how we can have a revival in our souls.

(1) HE’S SEEKING THOSE WHO WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES

A) Humble Christians get through to God.

* Opposite of being humble is “being haughty.” – And when we get haughty .......

* God allows us to go through trials that we can’t fix in order to humble us and put