Life . Leadership . Ministry

2 Chron 7:14 is one of the most quoted and used for prayers and intercessions today especially in our quest for divine intervention and for revival. And rightly so.

“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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place”

But often, the power and authority behind this Scripture have been largely hindered because it is used without understanding the “soul or spirit” behind this powerful prayer. It has become mere sloganism.

Solomon did not suddenly come out with a “spiritual formula” that will invoke the power of God

1. He was already a man who have a deep spiritual passion for the Presence of God. He built the temple (6:1-11) Brough in the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple and worship God in splendour after the completion of the Temple (5:1-14)
2. He was a man who understands that his relationship with God was not a casual one and his ascension to kingship was not a matter of human succession but based on a covenant between his father David and God. He said, “LORD God of Israel, there is no God in heaven or on earth like You, who keep Your covenant and mercy with Your servants who walk before You with all their hearts. You have kept what You promised Your servant David my father; You have both spoken with Your mouth and fulfilled it with Your hand, as it is this day” (6:14-15). He knows the seriousness of being faithful to the covenant that will keep and prosper him.
3. He was already a man who understood the need to pray, seek God’s forgiveness and seek divine intervention and favor. In 6:19-40, he listed down no less than 6 scenarios that he pleaded with God to intervene with mercy and power when it happen. Opening of the heavens was one of them vs26-27

2 Chron 7:14 is God’s response to Him. In 2 Chron 7:13 writes,“WHEN I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if…”

2 Chron 7:14 is a solid and God given template for us to pray for the healing of the nation and revival. Let us not allow it too become another evangelical slogan that we think we can use to “corner God” into doing something we desperately want Him to do.

I believe, we will see greater impact with 2 Chron 7:14 in our prayers if we leverage on our unique relationship with Him first. Let us recognise our covenant relationship with Him and He with us, love His Presence and recognise our need for Him to intervene in every other areas of our lives as we are all humans.

In today’s modern church, there are so many things that needs to be done, meetings to attend, people to meet, endless whatsappt messages to read (forward, respond to), etc. The church is like a huge corporation that needs to be led and the Senior Pastor role is like that of a CEO. All these activities and many more may not be bad in itself and many are indeed biblical and needful BUT they can be a GREAT DISTRACTION to what the leader must primarily be committed to.

“Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them” (Acts 6:1-6)

The apostles were used by God to spark a mighty revival that brought thousands to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. The new believers forms the early church congregation. Together with growth comes new demands that may be legitimate and important. But the apostle refused to be distracted by them. They reestablish their priority to prayer and the Word even in the face of genuine needs in the church v2,4. Other leaders were raised to augment the ministries and meet the prevailing needs v3,6

As a result of prioritising prayer and the Word, the church continues to grow

“Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7)