With the global pandemic of COVID-19 gripping our world right now, my pastor has called our congregation to stop what we are doing each day at 11 am (central time) to unite collectively in prayer. He has asked us to pray in accordance with 2 Chronicles 7:14.
The following insights on praying this passage are taken from Sylvia Gunter's book, Living In His Presence- volume 1. May you enjoy them as much as I have . . .
IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME –
Draw near to God. “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” (James 4:8) Submit yourself to Him. Declare His rule in your life. You might have a time of praise calling out the names of God, declaring His eight covenant times, or using one of the psalms that exalt His praise. This is a season of praise and worship. Don’t ask for anything.
WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES –
This is first-person confession time. Tell God you’re sorry for your sins against Him, and be specific. Feel His grief at your violation of His holiness. “Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (James 4:8b-10) Ask God for repentance verses to pray, like Psalm 51, 24:3-4, and 66:18. Ask Jesus to flood every dark corner of your life with light to expose darkness, disobedience, and unsurrendered areas. Allow the enemy NO ground in you.
AND PRAY –
Pray revival prayers, not prayers for the church’s programs. Don’t pray for the staff, the men at the ranch, the women at the home, the nursery workers, or the sick during this time. Pray for a greater release of the Holy Spirit upon the church in response to humble, repentant, seeking hearts. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal Himself in your community in unprecedented ways. Ask Him to convict of sin, righteousness and judgment.
AND SEEK MY FACE –
Have you ever searched someone’s face to read what they were thinking? The word seek means to search out in worship and prayer, strive after, beg, beseech, desire, inquire, crave, and require of necessity (Amplified Bible). Ask God what’s on His mind; linger to really listen. Pray that He will ignite a holy flame of first-love for Jesus in your heart. Pray for God to kindle authentic, aggressive passion for Jesus in your family, church, community, and nation.
AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS –
You have asked God to search your ways for anything displeasing to Him (Psalm 139:23-24). Do not wring your hands over sins in your country that you have not personally turned from. Ask God for His strength to refuse personal sin. Then confess the sins and strongholds of the church as a whole and your church specifically. Repent that the church is not salt and light, that it may have great wealth and programs but lacks power, that it may be theologically “correct” but is impotent to stem the moral decline because it is comfortable and compromised by sin. Ask God to lead you to confess other iniquities of God’s people.
THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND WILL HEAL THEIR LAND –
This is a conditional promise. If we will do certain things, then God will do certain things. Thank God that He hears and answers prayer. Celebrate His character as a compassionate and forgiving God. When we fulfill His conditions, God will heal the land. Ask God what He wants to do as Healer when it comes to your town. Ask Him how He wants you to pray regarding COVID-19. Praise Him for His awesome ability to use even terrible circumstances, like this virus, to accomplish wonderful things that are ultimately used for good in our lives and bring glory to His name. Thank Him for the marvelous opportunity to trust His great faithfulness in the face of this pandemic. Pray envisioning prayers about families, churches, your community, and the nation when His righteousness will rule and reign. Proverbs 14:34 tells us that righteousness exalts a nation.
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