02/09/2020
Yes! He will Hear, Forgive, and Heal | September 2
By Rev. Dr. David Go
In this time of global pandemic, people are quoting and sharing Bible verses liberally. Some do so as a confession of their faith while many do so as an expression of their hope or desire.
I have done my share of both. I believe you also have done the same.
In view of the Covid19 nightmare we are all in, people often quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 because it contains a three-pronged promise from the Lord that brings so much comfort and hope.
“If my people who are called by my name 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.”
These words of promises were originally offered to the Israelites at the dedication of Solomon’s Temple centuries ago, but we can claim them as well because God’s promise to hear prayers from Heaven was given to all of God’s people, even to those living beyond Jerusalem (2 Chron 6:19-21) and were particularly given to those who are suffering from drought, calamities and pestilences (2 Chron 7:13).
I believe the Lord will fulfill His promise if our prayers meet these conditions.
- If they are collective prayers offered by genuine people of God – God promises to hear from Heaven “if my people … pray.” In Hebrew, “my people” refers to those who are called by God and are wholly dedicated to Him.
- If they are humble prayers offered in genuine repentance – God’s people are to “humble themselves,” which means, “to bow before God and confess their iniquity, in true contrition.”
- If they are heartfelt prayers of genuine dependence on God – God’s people are to “seek His face,” referring to a posture of total reliance on God’s mercy.
- If they are sincere prayers offered with genuine willingness to stop sinning – God’s people are to “turn from their wicked ways.” This entails a real change of mind and direction regarding sin.
The Korean Church is known as a praying church whose spiritual passion has inspired Christians worldwide and has served as their model of spiritual fervor.
What is their secret? It is their unique Tongsung Kido style of praying. Tongsung Kido means, “praying together out loud.” This form of prayer is an important part of the Korean church life and is practiced by genuine spirit-filled Christians. I had personally witnessed and participated in their prayer meetings.
When I was there, a Korean church elder and professor of history, told me how Tongsung Kido came about. According to him, Koreans have experienced many tragedies that include the Japanese colonization, abusive military rules, and the Korean War – a war that technically has not ended. Because of these tragedies, Koreans hold Han, an unresolved emotional pain, in their hearts. To release this national pain, they always pray in unity, with passion and sincerity, as they implore the aid of divine protection.
Koreans find it hard to pray silently and singly because they believe they had to cry out to God together as an expression of their complete trust in Him. As a result, God answered their prayers. Similarly, when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt, they collectively cried out to God, in genuine repentance and with genuine faith. As a result, God sent Moses to deliver them out of their bo***ge. (Exodus 2:23-25)
Today, we can claim God’s promise to hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our lands if our prayers meet the conditions above. So, let’s pray together often and be set free from this pandemic, in God’s time.
