What must come before revival?

It is repentance…

“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.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Parts of America are doing only one part of that verse; they are praying to God without seeking His face. 

There is much more required in that verse of us as a nation.

First, we must be God’s children. That only happens through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ…

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12)

I just lost some of you if not many of you because you think I’m being exclusive by saying Christ is the only way. Your problem is not with me.

If you want to be called God’s children, then you have to become adopted by the Father through His Son. His rule, not mine.

Back to 2 Chronicles…

God’s people must first humble themselves. The Hebrew word for “humble” is kana and it means “to subdue and subject.” This doesn’t happen from the outside; it’s an inside job. 

The Holy Spirit subdues my soul and spirit and shows me first that I’m lost without a Savior named Jesus Christ. Next, a Christian will subject him or herself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

It is true some of our Founding Fathers were not Christians; some were deists and atheists. Nevertheless, they all subjected themselves to living a life ruled by biblical principles, even if they realized it or not. 

This is not the time or place for a history lesson on the faith of our founders. I’ve written extensively on this elsewhere. We’ll look at the next step tomorrow…

The Reckoning – Part One