The Starting Place for Revival
“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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 MEV
Hey friend,
I don’t remember a time in my life when I have longed for Heaven the way I do right now. There is so much unrest and chaos in our world. It seems like evil is abounding around every corner. It feels like the end is drawing near and that it won’t be too much longer until Jesus comes back to rapture out believers who have placed their faith and trust in Him. And while I desperately want Him to come back soon, I also pray for Him to wait a while longer.
In one breath, I am ready for Jesus to come and take me home. See friend, this world is not my home. I am only passing through. My home is in Heaven with my Savior and because of this, my soul gets restless for Heaven and at the same time, heavy for the brokenness in this world. But in the other breath, while I am ready for Jesus to come back, I also pray that He waits a while longer. I have friends and family that don’t know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and my heart is heavy for them.
I long to see a national revival take place - one like I have heard about in times past but have never witnessed before. I want to see countless people come to know firsthand the love that Jesus has for them. I have prayed and prayed for national and global revival to take place. Maybe you have to.
Recently, the Lord reminded me of the starting place for revival. It starts on a personal level – it starts with me and it starts with you.
2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
If we are ever to see a revival on a larger scale, it must first start personally. It must start with you and me. Let’s break the formula down.
If my people who are called by my name = (me -make it personal) must do the following:
1. Humble= humility is key – we must recognize who we are and who God is
2. Pray= Prayer is a must and is different when approached from a humble attitude
3. Seek= to truly seek God’s face means to want a deeper relationship with Him and what He wants more than what we want. God invites us into a deeper relationship and not just an acquaintance –surface kind of relationship
4. Turn= this is the heart of repentance. If we are ever to have a personal revival, we must chase after holiness and not worldliness.
This verse begins with IF. Everything that could take place hinges on the “IF” we are willing to do the things above.
The latter part of 2 Chronicles 7:14 won’t happen until we are willing to humble ourselves, pray, seek, and turn. When we are willing to do those four things, something miraculous happens and hinges on the word “then.”
Then God moves. He promises that He WILL do three things.
He Will Hear.
He Will Forgive.
He Will Heal.
It’s literally that simple and I seem to make it so complicated. God is ready and waiting to move in a mighty way in our lives and in the lives of those around us. But because of the kind of God He is, He will never force Himself on us. He waits patiently for us to call out to Him.
Dear God,
Thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for promising to hear me and for always standing ready to forgive me when I ask. You are a good, good Father. Help me to live in a way that seeks you deeper and deeper each day. Bring revival Lord and let it begin in me. Give me boldness to impact those around me for your kingdom. In Jesus name, Amen.
Dig Deeper:
“For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you return to Him.” 2 Chronicles 30:9b
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9