Next Step Devotion
The above verse is perhaps one of the most quoted, most preached, and most prayed scriptures throughout the entire Bible. It has permeated the Christian community throughout this election season for sure, and rightly so! But how often do we read/quote scripture repetitively, or dare I say, ignorantly, without really understanding what we are praying. God never calls us to something in His word without requiring ACTION from us. With this is mind I would say the above scripture is one of the most dangerous prayers to pray? Dangerous you say! Let me explain...
When you pray, God wants to work within YOU, change YOU, and reveal more of His character to YOU. When you pray for your heart to be aligned with God's heart, there is absolutely no possible result other than for you to stand up rocked to your core by the holiness and majesty of our Father. If you are missing out on this, perhaps you need to step back and take a good look at you prayer life (I'm preaching to myself here!).
God is God! There is nothing we can do, no argument convincing enough, no sacrifice great enough to sway our God. BUT when you pray, God does begin to align your life with His in such a way that we can become an agent for God's Kingdom on Earth as it is in heaven. It opens up the pipeline from heaven, giving God free reign to move mountains, calm seas, heal the multitudes.
So back to 2 Chronicles 7:14. I say this is a dangerous prayer because it is impossible to pray in accordance with it without God speaking a direct challenge to your spirit, calling YOU to humble yourself, to pray, to seek, to repent... You can't fully engage your life in accordance with God's heart as expressed here without accepting the call yourself. We are so quick to say, "Yes! Our nation is so wicked! Lord turn our nation back to you!" yet we are unwilling, or perhaps blinded to the fact that repentance starts with ME.
I upper-cased certain words in the above verse because I wanted to take a moment and highlight a few things about this scripture.
MY - God is speaking to HIS people here. That means Christians, His children. It means ME! Not to unbelievers who are running from God's truth. We are His children washed white by the blood, yes. But that does not exempt us from the call to HUMBLE ourselves...
THEMSELVES - No one else can humble you. No one else can make the decision for you to lay down your life so that you might partake in the sacrifice and suffering of Christ. This is something you have to hash out, one on one with the Father. Ask Him to show you the areas that you have not fully humbled yourself before God and others...
FACE - There is a difference between seeking God's heart and seeking God's FACE. In seeking His face we are crying out for the Lord to reveal His glory. For eyes to be opened to his presence as opposed to just understanding His character (think Moses desiring to see God...). We are crying for a direct, visible, substantial move of God!
FORGIVE - God cannot operate within our lives if there is sin left without repentance. Forgiveness is mentioned 66 times in the New Testament is is required for our sacrifice to have weight before God (Matt 5:23)
HEAL - For the word "heal" to be used, it implies that something is sick. The Israelite nation was sick, and our world is sick. BUT God came for the sick! (Mark 2:17) and His desire is to bring healing to us personally, to our nation, to our souls...
So today, pray DANGEROUSLY. Go before the Father in heaven. Take responsibility for your sin and repent, receive forgiveness, intercede on behalf of our nation, and align your heart with the Father. Pray for his face to shine among us and His Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. More than anything, be ready to hear God's call straight to your heart, and be ready to obey. Seeing a movement of God on earth begins with you!
Interview Recap
- Dr. Bill Thrasher - The Journey to Victorious Praying
- Doug Clark - National Network of Youth Ministries - See You at the Pole
- Matt Woodley - The Folly of Prayer
- Jeanette Hicks - Moms of Military Prayer Ministry
- Rod Wilkins - If My People Pray Movement
- Evangelist Scott Dawson - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Key Scriptures
Ephesians 6:18 - "And Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people."
Jeremiah 29:12-13 - "Then you will cal to me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Matthew 26:41 - "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing by the flesh is weak."
James 5:16 - "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective."
My Next Step
I often feel like the disciples when Jesus was praying in the garden.... Jesus cries out to me, "Can't you just pray one hour with me!" However, just as Matthew 26:41 reveals, my flesh is so very weak. I know that the answer to all things is just one moment away when I engage God in prayer, yet I continually turn to other options before God. As the phrase goes, "When it's all said and done, there's more said than done!." I am so guilty of talking about needing to pray over something in my life, yet not setting aside the intentional time to actually pray!
If my desire is truly to be in God's presence...if that is what I am living for (to prepare for heaven!), then why am I not approaching the throne of grace every moment? But praise our great Father in heaven who does not shut the door to our prayers! His ear is forever turned towards His people (Psalm 116:2), His throne is always accessible to His children (Heb 4:16), and His desire is to bestow upon us His wisdom (James 1:5).
If the enemy is condemning you with guilt over a lack of discipline in your prayer life, be encouraged! Our great God is always awaiting our voice, and He is always awaiting the opportunity to speak back. Today, begin anew a fresh passion to remain in conversation with your Daddy in heaven.
Psalm 116:2 - "Because he turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live!"
Blessings,
Melissa Rogers
Moody Radio South
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