What America Needs Christians to Do - Pastor Stacey Shiflett
- Pastor Shiflett
- Jul 2, 2023
- 6 min read
What America Needs Christians To Do
2 Chron. 7:14 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.
Intro: This promise was to the people of God whenever they found themselves in a time of …
A. Drought – vs. 13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain…
B. Destruction – vs. 13 if I command the locusts to devour the land…
C. Disease – vs. 13 …if I send pestilence among my people…
God said IF in verse 13 – this is the POSSIBILITY FOR DEVESTATION.
God also said IF in verse 14 – this is the PRESCRIPTION FOR DELIVERANCE.
THIS VERSE IS THE PRESCRIPTION FOR A SICK NATION; FOR A SICK CHRISTIAN; FOR A SICK CHURCH.
God’s FORMULA FOR REVIVAL is no secret! It worked then, and it works now!
It can be summarized by 4 simple contingencies – 4 simple reminders.
This formula for revival has stipulations.
I know these verses were given to the Nation of Israel.
But so were the Ten Commandments.
God doesn’t have multiple recipes for revival for different nationalities.
These four things we will look at are found throughout the Scriptures – not just here.
What America Needs Christians To Do
I. Get HUMBLE!(…shall humble themselves…)
Our nation is eat up with PRIDE.
We just came out of PRIDE MONTH.
But the pride of the lost is not what is killing us.
The church – the Christian has become so proud that God cannot bless!!
We need to GET HUMBLE!
Don’t wait for God to humble you – humble yourself!
The number one hindrance to revival is PRIDE.
NOTICE this FACT: If MY people which are called by MY name. Why are we so proud?
In times past, we were NOT a people, but are now the people of God. Why are we so proud??
· 1 Peter 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
We are HIS PEOPLE – the sheep of HIS pasture! Why are we so proud??
God hates pride!
· Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look,
· 1 Samuel 15:17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
· I Peter 5:5, 6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
ILLUSTRATE: (Stiff arm – resisteth - Humble yourself UNDER the mighty hand of God)
Laodiceans - Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
II. Get HEARD!(…and pray)
The sin of prayerlessness is one of the most committed sin in the church.
· Isaiah 59:16 And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
Solomon’s prayer in the previous chapter was a prayer about prayers getting heard.
Praying prayers that are not heard is a waste of time.
Notice chapter 6 how many times Solomon begged God to HEAR his prayer.
God told Solomon in 14:12 – I HAVE HEARD THY PRAYER!!!
God wants to hear OUR PRAYER!
· 14:15Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is to be made in this place.
THERE’S A DIFFERENCE IN PRAYING AND GETTING HEARD.
God’s people are not praying much.
And those that are praying are simply not getting heard.
Isaiah 59
· 1 Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
· 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
· Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
· Isaiah 1:13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood.
· Psalms 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:
· 1 Peter 3:7 Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.
III. Get HUNGRY!(…seek my face)
We need to get a craving for the FACE OF GOD.
This stands for the UNIQUE IDENTITY of a person.
We take pictures of people’s face.
Artist’ paint people’s face.
Stands for the POINT OF ATTENTION.
The source of one’s EYESIGHT, VOICE, HEARING, ETC.
When we think of a person, or hear their name, we think of their face.
Cain’s curse was to be hidden from the FACE OF GOD – Gen. 4:14
Jacob said in Genesis 32:30 – I have seen God face to face and my life is preserved!
The secret to seeing the face of God is SEEKING – SEARCHING – HUNGRY for a fresh glimpse of God.
Seeing God means that He is no longer just a PRESENCE – BUT A PERSON.
· Jeremiah 29:12-14 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity,
· 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.
· Deuteronomy 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
· Psalms 105:4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
· Psalms 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
Realizing that God has made Himself real to others should spark a desire.
· Exodus 33:10, 11 And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand at the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and worshipped, every man in his tent door. And the LORD spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.
IV. Get HONEST!(…turn from their wicked ways.)
We must get honest about the truth concerning our ways.
· This formula for revival is not an option.
· This formula is not out of date.
· This formula has not been amended.
· This formula has not been replaced with a modern version.
· This formula still stands!!
We must get honest about the fact that GOD KNOWS WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO GET BACK TO NORMAL!
It will require a heart that is repentant!
The direction you are headed in is not working for you!
It’s not just a bad habit.
It’s not just an issue that you need to live with.
It’s not just “how you are”.
It’s not something that you don’t feel convicted about.
If it goes contrary to God’s word, it is EVIL!!
· Quit making excuses!
· Quit justifying your sin!
· Quit blaming others for your sin and your faults!
· Quit feeling sorry for yourself!
· Quit lying to yourself!
· Quit white-washing sin!
We’ve got to get back to calling it what God calls it – wickedness!!
And REPENT from it!
· Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
