IF MY PEOPLE … HUMBLE … PRAY … SEEK … TURN

IF MY PEOPLE, HUMBLE, PRAY, SEEK, TURN

1/7/2023

January 7-Start Your Day Right Devotion

2 Chronicles 7:14 - 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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

IF MY PEOPLE, HUMBLE, PRAY, SEEK, TURN

During times of moral decline and lack of spiritual concern, God sometimes judges His people through drought, disease (2 Chronicles 7:13), economic collapse or by withholding certain blessings. God’s promise to hear, respond and intervene though originally given to Israel applies to His people of every generation who meet the following four conditions. To bring spiritual revival, renewed purpose and restored blessing (Acts 3:19), believers must:

“Humble themselves.” God’s people must recognize their failures and inabilities, show true sorrow for their sin and renew their commitment to follow God’s desires, plans and purposes. Humbling oneself means recognizing one’s spiritual poverty and desperate need for God’s mercy (2 Chronicles 11:16; 15:12-13, 15; 34:15-19; Psalms 51:17; Matthew 5:3).
“Pray.” God’s people must desperately call on Him for mercy and must completely trust and depend on Him for help. The prayer must come from a faithful heart, and we must continue to call out to God until He answers (Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-8; James 5:17-18).
“Seek My face.” God’s people must turn toward God and seek God’s presence with passion. They must not do this for selfish reasons or simply to avoid difficulty or disaster, but so that they can fulfill His purposes and advance His kingdom (2 Chronicles 11:16; 14:4; 19:3: 1 Chronicles 16:11; 22:19; Isaiah 55:6-7
“Turn from their wicked ways.” God’s people must genuinely repent (turn back, make a completed change0 for going their own way and resisting the will of God. This involves confessing and forsaking specific sins and anything that has taken priority over God. It also means depending on God for mercy, forgiveness and spiritual cleansing (2 Chronicles 29:6-11; 2 Kings 17:13; Jeremiah 25:5; Zechariah 1:4; Hebrews 4:16). People who are determined to maintain their commitment to God through times of national spiritual rebellion and wickedness should pray that God might inspire widespread spiritual revival through His faithful followers.

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