Revival in the Land!
2 Chronicles 7:14-15
July 4, 2021
I’m going to start by quoting someone who is possibly the most divisive person in the United States. I don’t have to tell you his name . . . most of you are already guessing who it is . . . and you’re right!
It was a slogan we’ve heard for the past 5 years, and it hasn’t stopped. It was ---
Make America Great Again! It was affectionately called MAGA!
Some despised the man, some loved him. No matter what, it’s a good slogan. I don’t believe there’s one person here who would not want America to be great . . . again. We would all agree we’ve had our issues over the past years. Not just last year, but it’s been building up for a long time. It doesn’t matter if you’re an independent, socialist, democrat, republican, libertarian, or a pedestrian. We’ve all seen cracks in our armor.
So, today, on this 4th of July holiday, I want to talk for a few minutes about making America great. And I believe we have a huge responsibility in this.
You see, I don’t believe we can use morals and ethics to help America be great. There are way too many differences of beliefs about what is sin and what is not. I’ll leave it at that. So, to use morality is not going to work. What will? I believe the following passage is something we can all do.
It comes from 2 Chronicles 7:14-15. It’s pretty well known as well. It says this --
14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. - 2 Chronicles 7:14-15
Let me give you the back story to this passage. As the temple was being dedicated, King Solomon prayed a great prayer of dedication. Part of the prayer contained possible problems for the people.
In the verses preceding and following the prayer, there was discussion about the potential hard times which could occur for the people of God. There might be a drought, plagues, diseases, a military defeat, famine, cities under attack and possible exile to a foreign land.
This is a conditional verse. It’s an IF - - - THEN passage. God promises to do something, but only if we do our part.
I don’t think I need to convince anyone --- our world, let alone our country is in trouble. Not withstanding terrorism, we have lots of issues within. We are a divided nation. We can’t get along with one another, we can’t even agree to disagree with one another. It’s really that bad. So . . . what’s the solution? I believe this passage is a solution. It’s a reminder of who we are called to be. For the next few minutes, I want us to consider what’s being said.
Understand this about the passage, it’s a personal application passage. If you don’t do this, the next person won’t do it either. There’s also no guarantee if you do this, your neighbor will. But if the Christian will not seek to accomplish what Solomon lays out for us, then nobody will. So, this is a personal and a corporate mission. Now, let’s break this down and see what Solomon is calling for us to do-
The passage starts out by telling us - -
14 If my people who are called by my name. . .
That first word is SO important. IF is a huge word. If you do this. That doesn’t mean we will, it’s just a big IF. So, if
MY people . . . means God is speaking to us and about us. This is not a message to any particular political party. This is not a universal request. It’s a very specific request to God’s people. This invitation is for ‘God’s people.’ This isn’t for Hindus, Muslims, or anyone who doesn’t proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior.
When you said YES to Jesus, you become God’s people. And you are called by His name. Think about it this way. When someone says what’s your name, you tell them the name you are called. When someone asks you what you believe. You would say, “I’m a Christian, I believe in Jesus.” So, you are identifying yourself by His name.
That makes you God’s people. Adopted into the family of God. You’re His child, who is dearly loved, and worth dying for. To be called by the name of the Lord means you have called upon the name of the Lord to be saved.
This passage is about revival, not evangelism. Evangelism is for those who don’t know Jesus. Revival is for those who do. So, God has placed some conditions for this revival. If we, His people, who are called by His name - -
14 Will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways.
There are 4 conditions for revival --
Firstly, humbleness or HUMILITY
What exactly is humility? The definition of humility is - the state of being humble. That’s not real helpful. Another is - - the quality or condition of having a modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance. That’s getting better. It’s not having such a high view of yourself. That’s why I love Paul’s words in Philippians 2, when he said --
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
That’s a great way to describe someone who is humble - counting others as more significant than yourself and looking out for their interests. It’s not being proud or arrogant, it’s having a lower view of yourself. That doesn’t mean putting yourself down, like saying, “I’m a bad person,” it’s just not elevating yourself so that you can put others down.
Humility is also recognizing that all we have is not ours, that God has been gracious to provide us with all we need. It’s understanding that God is God and we’re not.
Next we are asked to PRAY. If we would humble ourselves and PRAY.
God wants us to pray with sincerity and I would add humility. We understand and recognize God is the author of life. All that we have comes from God, it’s a gift from God. Life and most especially salvation are gifts from God. When we really understand that all we have is from God, I believe our payers change. We become more reliant and humble before God.
Our prayers are filled with more thanksgiving, we are thankful for what we have, we also can admit our shortcomings, our sinfulness, as we confess to God and find healing and forgiveness.
I’ve spoken a lot about prayer recently, but suffice it to say, prayer is about our coming to God and talking to Him and then listening to God as well.
Next we are to SEEK GOD’S FACE . . .
To seek God’s face is familiar in the OT. It’s a call for action. To seek is an action oriented word. It means we’re searching with a desire to find. That’s really important, as we intentionally move towards God. We WANT to find God.
When we seek God, it’s a sign we’re hungry and thirsting for Him. That we want a closer walk with God. We want that intimacy with God.
The question is, what are you hungry for right now? Those who are hungry to know God --- seek God. It is a daily rhythm of life . . . seeking and experiencing God. What you are hungry for determines what you seek.
Finally, we are told to TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS
Ultimately, things have to change. The only way to change is to turn from our sinfulness and turn towards God. It’s called repentance. That’s the message in this 4th part. To repent means you turn from your wicked ways. It’s recognizing your sinfulness and changing who you are. It’s not enough to say, ‘yup, I’m a sinner, oh well.’
It’s moving from sinner to saint, as much as we can. We’re not perfect, none of us ever will be, but it’s calling on God to help us move towards grace, healing and wholeness.
You were lazy, you cheated, you stole, you lusted, you overate, you were addicted, bitterness, anger, envy . . . whatever it is, you recognize that and you repent and you change who you are. Whatever your wicked ways are, revival means turning from those ways to the ways that please God. It means a definite break with the past and a deliberate change of direction.
If you think about it, these four form a progression.
Humility leads to prayer. Prayer leads to seeking God’s face. Seeking God’s face leads to turning from our wicked ways.
I mean how can you seek God’s face and continue to want to sin?
Those are the IF’S. Here comes the conditional part - it’s what God will do for us. It’s the end result of revival. God says - -
14 Then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
On the one hand, this is kind of a formula, but we can’t just go through the motions. This needs to be believed in and taken seriously. We believe we need to be humble, to pray, to seek God’s face and it leads us to turn from our sin.
The word “then” encourages us to believe that when we cry out to God it will never be in vain.
Our tears are not in vain.
Our prayers are not in vain.
Our sadness is not in vain.
Our desperation is not in vain.
Our repentance is not in vain.
When we cry out to God for help, the answer will come from heaven and things will begin to change. But we also need to recognize God will answer us in His way according to His plan, in His timing. God is sovereign, He has the plan. It’s easy to tell God what He needs to do. We all do that. God I want this and I want that. We can’t limit God to what He can do, because He may have more in store for us than we can imagine.
I will tell you this, even when God doesn’t answer the way you want. We still trust Him and His plan. If we do our part, God will certainly do His. If we humble ourselves, if we pray, if we seek His face, and if we turn from our wicked ways, God will answer — I truly believe that.
As I said earlier, we are a very divided nation. We’ve turned away from God. We’ve rebelled against God, we’ve proclaimed we’re gods and we’re in control.
The answer - - - is not in the white house, it’s not in politics at all. Our greatest need is not political, it’s spiritual.
It starts by looking in the mirror and seeing who we’ve become. Any revival begins with me and you. What stands between you and God right now? What roadblocks have you set up? God will not get in the way . . . we get in the way.
God says IF - - if you humble yourself, if you pray, if you seek my face, if you repent . . .
THEN - - God will forgive us. How sweet that is. God’s grace, God’s mercy. Forgiven! Set free!!
We will be free! Free from the power of sin! Free! No division! No roadblocks!
Wouldn’t that be great. And God says in verse 15 - -
15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. - 2 Chronicles 7:14-15
I’ll be watching. That’s actually kind of scary! God’s watching and listening ... waiting for me to act!! Just do it! God’s eyes and ears will be open . . . listening and watching. And healing will come to the land.
Make America great!? That’d be pretty cool, but it’s not about politics, it’s about God, it’s about who we are in Christ.
It’s always easier to point out someone else’s sin, isn’t it? Ask God what stands between you and a new experience of His power and blessing. Ask sincerely, with longing and God will answer you.
Once we better understand ourselves, the possibility to change dramatically increases. It’s not about saying, boy that neighbor of mine needs to change . . . it’s about saying I need to change.
Christ’s call in our lives is very personal. It’s a call to follow Him. Revival begins with the person you see when you look in the mirror. Start there and by God’s grace revival will begin inside your own heart and spread!
