"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)

Notice that this promise does NOT say: "if the government leaders", or "if the world's royalty", or "if any dictatorship", or ANY kind of secular group or leadership of any kind! It says, "If my people which are called by my name" will humble themselves and pray!

 Remember this!

This promise is especially important to remember during this political season when the media (including social media) is alive with so much angst from every possible direction regarding what will happen if the "wrong" person or "wrong" side of the aisle gets into office. And yes, it's very important to vote. But, don't lose site that the REAL answer about how to "heal the land" is not about politics but is about what God's people does!

Here it is spelled out simply

Who and what:

1 - if my people, which are called by my name

2 - will humble themselves

3 - and pray

What God promises:

1 - I will hear from heaven

2 - I will forgive their sin

3 - and heal their land

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you; because he trusts in you." (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)

 Trust God to help you!

The enemy strikes with fear! But when you look to God, and you keep your "mind stayed on Him", and you "trust Him", no matter how bad things seem to be, He will give you perfect peace. Trust God to help you!

 Positive Triggers

Use fearful situations as triggers to apply God's promises to each situation. God's word is much stronger than anything the devil can throw your way! You can trust Him always! Show the Lord that you trust Him rather than what the enemy is telling you and the result will be peace!

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13 NKJV)

 Strength for everything needed!

This is a promise to think about and claim constantly. It is a powerful, wonderful, encouraging and empowering promise! No matter what happens during your day, this promise holds true and never fails.

Say to yourself

Today, as you attempt to do difficult things, make this promise a big part of it. Say to yourself, "I can do (put whatever it is here) through Christ who is giving me the strength to do it."

"But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33 NKJV)

Simple and powerful! 

This is another of my favorite promises that comes directly from Jesus Himself. It is so simple, direct, powerful, and filled with great promise!

Basically, if you SEEK the Lord FIRST (in every situation) along with His RIGHTEOUSNESS (doing God's right thing in the circumstance), then all the things He mentioned in the previous verses 25-32, about the things you need in life, will be added to you automatically.

"But, my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." (Phil.4:19 KJV)

The Golden Promise! 

I meditate on and confess this wonderful promise a lot! It is the golden promise that you can apply to every single "need" that arises, whether physical, mental, social, or spiritual!

 ALL your need!

Notice that the verse says "all your need". That's a HUGE statement and a wonderful blessing for us to have! And notice that He supplies "according to His riches in glory!"  It's not according to any earthly thing! And notice too, that the last part of the verse says that it's "by Christ Jesus". Praise God for that!

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (Eccles. 4:9-12 KJV)

This is another flexible promise that you can use in many applications. It will work in a family (working together as a team), in a business (partnerships), and all kinds of positive relationships (friendships). 

It especially works well in marriage relationships!

Couples who see themselves as totally committed partners (the Bible calls it "one flesh") are empowered to accomplish amazing things together. They become stronger working together than what was ever possible going it alone! They are able to take advantage of each other's strengths to overcome challenges and succeed.

 A threefold cord

The last part of this promise says, "a threefold cord is not quickly broken". In a marriage relationship that third cord must be God! When a couple puts God into their relationship, something wonderful happens. As they pray together to get closer to God, they get closer to each other in the process! And, another wonderful thing happens! The promise of Matthew 18:19 becomes active for them: "If two of you will agree together on anything, then God will do it".

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17

“For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” (Rom. 6:6)

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (John 5:24)

“And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.” (Eph. 4:24)

"Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1 Peter4:11 NASB)

I love this promise/command combination verse, that says that if we serve or speak, we should do so "as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies".

 You are God's instrument!

Wow, this is clearly telling you to be an instrument of God! This means when you are speaking, you should expect God to speak through you; you let Him use your voice! And when you serve, you should expect God to serve through you; you allow Him to use your hands to serve!

How do you do this?

You fill your mind with God's Words, so that they will roll off your tongue instantly, in positive and helpful ways (Out of the abundance of a man's heart, so he speaks - Luke 6:34), and so that His Words will transform the way you behave, and will make you useful, kind, and helpful (Be transformed by the renewing of your mind - Rom. 12:2).

 Here is the litmus test

You know you are doing it correctly when it brings glory to Jesus Christ. 

 Hansi, the girl who loved the swastika

Many years ago I had the privilege of meeting Maria Anne Hirschmann (Hansi), who, as a young peasant girl, had been intrenched in Adolf Hitler's school for students. She had also been held in a Russian prison camp and forced into slave labor as part of the many horrors of WWII! But, through an amazing set of circumstances, she was able to escape Nazi Germany and flee to an American prison camp. She hoped that she would be treated better by the American soldiers than she had been by the Russian soldiers. And, she was! Many of the American soldiers were Christians. At their camp she found both kindness as well as a genuine life-changing faith in Jesus Christ.

 Hansi's prayer

After the war concluded she traveled everywhere telling about her amazing journey from hopeless desperation to joyful redemption. Wherever she spoke, she always started every talk exactly the same way, with the same simple "Hansi's prayer".

"Lord, make me a nail upon the wall. And upon this thing, so insignificant and small; hang a great big picture of thy wonderful, smiling, face!"
Hansi expected God to use her and speak through her, and He always did! And, according to 1 Peter 4:11, He will certainly do the same with you!

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want." (Psalm 23 KJV)

 God is your personal Shepherd!

You never have to worry about anything! Ever! Not only does he take care of your "need" he also takes care of your "wants"!

There is a good reason that God compares himself to a "good shepherd".

• A good shepherd takes care of every single one of his sheep.
• He lays down his life for his sheep (Jesus did that for you!).
• The sheep are led to "green pastures and still waters" where they get all their wants met in complete safety.

It goes along perfectly with: "And, my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory, by Christ Jesus."