If you have been on the Christian circuit for a while, then you’ve heard more than a few preachers exhort believers with the following verse:
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)
Do you realize there are more people praying in our nation than ever before? Promise Keepers. International House of Prayer. The Call. National Day of Prayer. Prayer of Jabez. The list goes on and on.
And yet, America and much of the Western World is diving headfirst into the toilet, waiting to be flushed into a sewer.
So,what about the promises in 2 Chronicles 7:14? Why is prayer not changing America or other Western nations? What are we doing wrong?
Swimming Upstream appears at this blog site on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It’s a little of this and a little of that, all written to encourage and exhort believers in their Christian journeys.
Larry Who 
I don’t know that there are more people praying in our nation than ever before. I’m not sure that popular books on prayer is really a measure of the number of people who believe in the power of prayer and engage in it. Maybe prayer is changing America, but it isn’t evident yet from where we stand. I don’t know. I know that the condition of the world and Christian culture and the things we value — all of this concerns me. But my view of eternity, it is so small.
Antique Mommy,
Thanks for your comments.
When the Businessman’s Prayer Revival of 1857 took place, there were 31 million Americans. Today, there are 300 million. It is estimated that 6% of the nation or almost 2,000,000 people were converted during that revival.
The Prayer Revival was one of the high points, percentage wise, of Christians praying in the history of the United States.
So, by extrapolation and knowing that 40% of Americans state they are born-again Evangelicals, I believe I am fairly accurate with my statement. And also knowing the Promise Keepers movement, the Call, the Houses of Prayer, National Day of Prayer, and other movements support my conjecture. But of course, heaven knows the exact score, not me.
One of the hardest things for us American Christians to do is change our modi operandi. We continue walking down the same road, expecting to end up in a different direction than the one we are heading in.
We need to stop and ask, “Okay, Lord, what are You trying to teach us?”
Just last week, President Obama used the term “a teachable moment for America” when he confronted the police officer in Cambridge. I believe the president’s words were apropos for us Christians.
We are in the middle of a teachable moment, and we need to know why our prayers are not changing the direction America is heading in.
An important point is made in James 5:16 –
…”the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
The word “effective” in the Greek means that the prayer operates, works and has power.
When the 2008 Election resulted in the exact opposite of forty years of praying for the overturn of Roe vs. Wade, we Christians need to admit that we are doing something wrong. Our prayers did not work.
Most in the Body of Christ will say we just need to do more of this and more of that. Always more. More. More. More. But I disagree with the “always more and more” theories.
Instead, we need to be effective with our prayers and quit shadow boxing. We need to land effective punches on the enemies’ fortresses with our prayers.
And to do this, we need to first find out what we are doing wrong, repent and then change, so that we are effective.
Do I have all of the answers? No, of course not. I have thoughts and ideas, but even those will be incomplete. We need the whole Body of Christ digging and searching for answers.
To not change our methods is madness.
Based on that scripture, there seem to be four (4) conditions to the healing of our land…not just one…to pray. Doesn’t it say, “If my people will: 1.) Humble themselves and 2.) pray, and 3.) seek my face and 4.) turn from their wicked ways, THEN…” Personally, it seems like we may be praying, but there is not nearly enough of turning from our wicked ways. The American church is way too much like the world. I think we need to dig back into the Word to re-discover what real Christianity should look like. I say all this with fear and trembling because I, too, am searching to learn how to extricate myself from the worldliness that has infiltrated The Church and our religious culture.
seriouswhimsey,
“…I too, am searching to learn how to extricate myself from the worldliness that has infiltrated The Church and our religious culture…”
So are we all.
Hmm. Why is “humble” first? And isn’t “seeking” the same as praying or is “seeking” praying really hard with our eyes squinched shut really tightly? Did He mean we had to turn from ALL our wicked ways or only the wicked ways that seem to be more of a global problem?
Do we pray for the reversal of Roe v Wade for the sake of the babies? I hope so. Is there some deep desire in there to thumb the nose at those who have supported abortion indicating the need to win is more satisfying than saving the children? Motive is everything.
God’s plans are His. His ways are not explained. We are to pray for His will to be done and continue to petition for salvation, justice and peace.
I think the average American Christian has not Clue One how this scripture — spoken to Solomon immediately after he asked for wisdom — is to be applied to the workings of the Body of Christ, 21st century, if at all.
Jane,
I’d say you are right. Most American Christians do not have clue one though they have heard this scripture over and over and over.
My experience in prayer if it is not working after years and years, we need to review our methods. Something is wrong.
….hmmmm…… Is it how we are praying, or what we’re praying for….. for example, we pray for the babies. YES!!!! Perhaps, though, how about praying for the ‘mothers’, or non mothers as the case may be. The babies death is terrible indeed, but who carries the worldly scars of sin?
our leaders… YES!!!!! But, perhaps we should be praying for the ‘enemy’. Osama Bin Laden could use a whole lot of Christ right now… wouldn’t that be a miracle???? Can you imagine the testimony THAT would reveal?
I agree with Jane… motivation is everything. who are we praying for the benefit of? When we pray for America, are we really praying for the Kingdom of God? or a ceasar’s estate?
When I get sick, will you pray for my soul, or my life? Personally, I pray for my soul as well as yours and everyone elses… everything else we get caught in becomes as you rightfully say, divisive.
Larry, you bring up the best topics!