Kingdom Revival #3

Posted to FaceBook Nov 11, 2020

KINGDOM REVIVAL 3

Hello, Kingdom

At the onset of this pandemic, many pastors, prominent and otherwise, began preaching on Psalm 91, 2 Chronicles 7:14, and others, which address God healing our lands. Pastor Robert Morris, Gateway Church joined in a movement in praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 every day at 7:14 a.m. and 7:14 p.m. (Unite 7:14.) Pastor Tony Evans, The Urban Alternative, gave a series of sermons titled “Revive Us Again.” I caught the tail end of one of those sermons on the way home from work one night, and intrigued by the title, ordered the CD series. The first sermon focused on the need for revival, built around Psalm 85. The second gave the requirements for revival, centered on 2 Chronicles 7:14.

The first four chapters of 2 Chronicles, concerns the building of the Temple by Solomon to house the Ark. That Ark is placed in the completed Temple in Chapter 5, and the praising of God began. Solomon begins to address the Israeli people in Chapter 6, and then launches into the dedication of the Temple. Chapter 7 starts with the offering of sacrifices and continues with a feast for 7 days. We will pick up in Verse 12:

“12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 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 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 prayer made in this place.” 2 Chronicles 7:12-15

As Pastor Evans points out, the recipe for revival is contained in this passage, specifically verse 14. Verses 12 and 15 give added weight to prayer and tie the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. The Temple of the Old Testament was a physical structure, built to very specific detailed plans. Access to the innermost sanctuary, where the Ark rested, was restricted to a very few. We, each one of us, in the New Testament, are the living temple of God. Each of us is unique, yet built to very specific detailed plans, each different. And we each hold the Spirit of God within us, with unrestricted access to Him.

The Lord is telling Solomon that He has heard his prayers and will dwell in the Temple Solomon has built as a house of sacrifice. He later reiterates that He will be paying particular attention to prayers made in the Temple. That promise holds true in today’s New Covenant times, as we pray to God from our personal temple, built to His exacting specifications.

Those were heady times, following the completion of the Temple. People were excited, rejoiceful and thankful. Yet God gave Solomon a warning of tough times ahead. He says “When,” not “If,” speaking of stopping the rain, unleashing locusts or sending pestilence among His people. This was a warning for a time when His people have turned away from Him so far that only a return to the basics will save them, a revival of their commitment to Him. So, along with the warning, came the recipe for revival:

– Humble themselves: surrender to God and heed His Word (Scripture)

– Pray- Seek God’s face: Listen to His voice and direction (Holy Spirit)

– Turn from their wicked ways: Repent

God promised His people that should they do these things, He would hear their prayers, forgive their sins and heal their land. That promise holds true today, only instead of through sacrifices offered at the Temple, they would be coming from within us individually, from His living temple in each of us. God may not have caused this pandemic, but He is using it for His Good. He allowed His church to be shuttered, with the intent of us turning to Him personally and beginning, developing or enriching our personal relationship with Him, to draw closer to Him. How many of us did that, or did we get distracted with resisting the government’s efforts at “restricting religious freedom?”

We may have missed the boat, but that ship has yet to sail. It’s not too late to respond to God’s call for revival. He’s giving us every opportunity to begin our personal revival journey. Only after we begin our personal revival, can we then begin a revival for our community, the Church. But we must take that first step. MOVE!

Be Blessed!