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)
Generation on fire, it has pleased the Lord to keep us through 2024 and bring us into 2025. For this reason, I give thanks to God for you, and I praise His holy name for His faithfulness and steadfast love. As we enter 2025, the word God has for us is healing! Physical healing, spiritual healing, territorial healing and the list goes on. God in His infinite mercy has appointed this time as a period of healing but we have a duty and an obligation to play our role in ushering in this new age.
In this word, the Lord shows keenness to meet His people, to forgive their sins and to ultimately heal their land. I don’t know if you’ve had a chance to take stock, but a simple glance around will show that the land is indeed sick. There is much pain and suffering on the individual and on the community level. Hunger and strife are ever present, mental health issues abound, and people are desperately seeking direction. In this new year the Lord is calling us to a new disposition – one of prayer and communion with Him but we must first repair our connection. Romans 3:23 reads “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” God is asking us this new year to come to terms with our nature and character and to tap into the redemption grace that Christ has so graciously given.
Often, we believers overlook the intercessory mandate that God has given us, and this is to our own detriment. Revelation 1:5-6 says “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Regularly, we seek out only the “king” part of the mandate where we enjoy dominion over all things and are seated at the right hand of God along with Christ. However, there is no kingship without priesthood. Christ himself, the ultimate example rules as King and intercedes at Priest. Hebrews 7:24-25 makes clear what Christ the King is doing “But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to completely save those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.” Christ is constantly interceding for us – how much pride do we have that we cannot devote ourselves to prayer.
If we have only one request in the new year, it must be for God to “pour upon us the spirit of grace and supplication.” (Zechariah 12:10). In taking up this mantle we have to turn from our old ways and face God. Proverbs 15:8 says, “The prayer of the upright is God’s delight.” Oh, how we would become the delight of God if we just prayed consistently. In Matthew 21:22 Jesus declared “And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive it all.” This offer is too good to pass on. God wants us to pray, and He derives no greater joy than answering our prayers. Let us open our mouths and begin to pray this year!
Prayer
Father pour upon me the spirit of grace and supplication this year. May I grow in my hunger for prayer and communion with you. Strengthen me to pray without ceasing even when I do not feel like it. Amen