To Heal A Nation – KrisAnne Hall

What does it take to heal a nation? It certainly feels like our nation needs healing. Many say that we simply need to pray. But is prayer alone the remedy God gives for national healing?

Here’s the recipe God gave in 2 Chronicles:

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” 2 Chron 7:14 KJV

First, the directive is to specific people, those “which are called by my name.” He is calling out to believers. Believers can’t look to others to fix the nation.

Second, there are specific conditions to God’s promise to “heal their land.” To humble oneself is condition number one. That means to bow down and be subdued before God. God’s people must submit themselves to God as King. We cannot do that if we have abandoned God as our provider and protector! Do we run to other sources like government for provisions and protections BEFORE we run to God? We often turn to other places as our ultimate source and authority when we become impatient or are unfamiliar with depending on God. Whatever the reason, it is ultimately a form of idolatry.

As we humble ourselves before God, we pray! We must go to God for wisdom. So many times we seek advice and direction form everyone and from everywhere and forget that God has something to say about each and every situation of our lives. Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. We MUST pray if we want healing.

Another condition for healing our land is that we must seek God’s face. The Scripture is clear, “seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” What things? The things that you need to fulfill God’s will and plan in your life. Sometimes there will be a “no” answer, then we are driven back to the “humbling” condition and we must wait upon God, not run to elsewhere. We cannot serve two masters and God will not surrender His sovereignty. Do we live a life of seek ye first the government and its benefits; seek ye first the Kingdom of God, but if he doesn’t answer quick enough seek ye second the government and its benefits or are we really seeking God first?

Think about these questions of dependence and authority in the government arena. Why do we need government permission for our marriages? Isn’t that a relationship between a man, woman, and God? Why do we need government tax breaks and benefits in our marriages and our families? Isn’t God sufficient to meet our financial needs? Why do we need government to teach our children? Doesn’t the Bible teach that we are to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it?” That way, the Bible clarifies is “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” not worship of and dependence upon government. Not only what but who is teaching our children will determine the “way” they are being raised! While the Bible commands submission to lawful government authority, it does not tolerate replacing God with this earthly authority.

The final condition to the believer is “turn from your wicked ways.” Supporting the status quo will never change anything. This condition requires Christians to do what ever is necessary to turn from evil toward the righteousness of God. Morality matters, integrity matters in voters as well as in political candidates and so much the more in those that are called by His name. Remember that 2 Chronicles 7:14 is a call to believers. God certainly wants all of America to humble themselves, pray, and turn from wickedness. Yet, if only believers would respond, there is enough power in repentance to heal the land.

This process is not an easy, quick fix. Humbling and seeking God’s face, repenting and turning from our wicked ways takes public action; it takes discomfort; it requires becoming uncomfortable. Uncomfortable with our own sin. Uncomfortable with our own comfort. It’s not prayer alone, but pray in concert with repentance and a dependent faith on God. This is initially painful, but we must take care not to become so comfortable that we no longer need the Comforter.

America needs healing. There are many things that can and should be done, but we can’t neglect God’s remedy for healing. While some of this remedy may be uncomfortable there is one thing we know from history: We will choose to be discomforted for the glory of God and the preservation of Liberty now, or we will be forced into discomfort by persecution. Will you choose God now, or will you seek Him later when the discomfort is forced upon you? God says there will be a day when we will seek Him but He will not be found. Let us hope that America has not entered into those days already.

This is a Kingdom battle. Choose you this day, my dear Christian friends, the promises of The Comforter over personal comfort. As for me and my house, we choose the Lord and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is #Liberty!