God Reveals to Us How We Are to React to a Pandemic (Ep. 4)

Week 4

This is Amazing

God Reveals to Us How We Are to React to a Pandemic

Solomon’s Temple Prayer – 2nd Chronicles 6:12-42

Verses 1 to 3 – God promises Solomon a place to worship.

Verses 4-11 – Solomon blessed the people.

What is the power of the spiritual blessing? A Biblical blessing is a statement which involves the blessing of God upon the life of another person (Numbers 6: 24-26).

Solomon’s Temple Prayer

Solomon the King knelt down with arms lifted up to heaven in front of all his people. It is important to remember that when God asked Solomon what he wanted, Solomon’s response: He asked for wisdom (1st Kings 3:3-13). God has extended the same offer to us (James 1: 5-6).

Solomon prayed for 12 things:

1. God’s faithfulness – verses 14-16

2. God’s continuous faithfulness – verses 16-17

3. God’s omnipresence – verses 18

4. Plea for answer to prayer – verses 19-21

5. Plea for just judgement – verses 22-23

6. Plea for forgiveness of sin – verses 24-25

7. Forgiveness and rain from heaven – verses 26-27

8. Plea for God’s help in a time of pestilence/war and sickness – verses 28-31

9. Blessings on Gentiles who are seeking God – verses 22-23

10. Plea for God’s help in war even if no sin had been committed – verses 34-35.

11. Plea for help in war when sin had been committed – verses 36-39

12. Plea for God’s continued presence and blessing – verses 40-42

2nd Corinthians 7:1-11 – Result of Solomon’s prayers: Divine acceptance and God’s Glory entered the Temple.

2nd Chronicles 7:12-22

God appeared to Solomon a second time, 20 years after the dedication of the Temple (2nd Chronicles 8:1).

2nd Chronicles 7:13-15 - God obviously knew that the people would not be obedient after Solomon’s dedication prayer. This is God speaking to us today: In verse 13, God says “if” three times, which means it is His choice, and there are 1,522 instances of the word “if” in the Bible.

1. “If I stop the rain…”

2. “If I command locust to devour the land…”

3. If I send pestilence…”

Today, there are billions of locusts destroying the food supply in parts of Africa and East Asia. Pestilence is a contagious, infectious disease greatly affecting us today with COVID-19.

Verse 14 – To me, this is one of the most incredible verses in the Bible because it is directed to us today. “If [our choice] my people who are called by name will do four things…”

1. Humble themselves which means to bend the knee. It is used in 2nd Chronicles 34:27. Spurgeon said voluntary humbleness is what God is looking for (that’s what Solomon did).

2. Pray. Pray means to make supplication, to ask for. There are at least 12 preparation steps for prayer in order for God to even hear our prayer. Details to follow. Two of the most important are repentance (1st John 1:5-10. 5 “ifs” in that chapter) and forgiveness of others (Matthew 6:14-15).

3. Seek my face. Seek me to search out, to worship or to request (Psalm 80: 7,19).

4. Turn from your wicked ways. Turn means return to the starting point or to relinquish. Solomon used the word turn three times in his prayer (2nd Chronicles 6:26,37,42).

If We Do These 4 Things Here is God’s Promise to Us

1. I will hear you from Heaven. Hear means attention.

2. I will forgive your sin as far as the East is from the West (Psalm 23:12).

3. Heal our land which means to mend like a physician, to repair thoroughly, DIVINE INTERVENTION.

Verse 15 – If we obey the 4 points in verse 14, God then says His eyes (the foundation or His presence) and His ears (radiance) will attend to our prayers.

God’s answer to Solomon in his prayers (2nd Chronicles 6: 20,40). Praise the Lord, He is Risen.

THIS IS A TIME FOR SPIRITUAL FITNESS, PRAYER, THE POWER OF HOPE

Hope for believers is not an illusion. It is the assurance that good things are going to happen based upon the promises in God’s Word. IF YOUR MARRIAGE IS FAILING, IF YOUR BUSIINESS OR FINANCES ARE SINKING, IF YOUR CHILDREN ARE IN TROUBLE, IF YOUR HEALTH IS AT RISK, THERE IS HOPE IN THE LIVING GOD.

TAKE TIME TO PREPARE FOR PRAYER

Jesus is taking time today to prepare a place for us John 14:1-3.

Preparation for prayer is very important so that God will hear our prayers.

Here are 7 prayer principles:

1. Repent of all known sin 1st John 1:5-10 (there are 5 ifs here - our choice).

2. God cannot hear us if we do not repent of sin Psalms 66:18-20.

3. Forgive others otherwise God cannot forgive us Matthew 7:14-15.

4. Do not worry. Worry is a sin Matthew 6: 24-34.

5. Like Solomon, ask God for wisdom James 1:5-6 but ask in faith Hebrews 11:6.

6. You have not because you ask not. Keep on asking Matthew 7:7-8, John 15:7.

7. Always address your prayer to the Father Matthew 6:9-15. Ask everything in the name of Jesus John 14 13-14. Remember the Holy Spirit intercedes for us (the meaning of intercession is to meet with, to make a petition Romans 8:25-28).

The Holy Spirit intercedes for us to Jesus Christ who then intercedes for us to the Father Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25.

Final thoughts

1. God dwells in the praises of His people Psalms 22:3.

2. David Wilkinson said, “the blood of Jesus Christ is the most powerful force in the universe.”

3. Apply the precious blood of Jesus to your prayer requests.

4. Consider taking communion as often as possible but, like prayer, take time to prepare 1st Corinthians 11:17-34.

1. Waiting for God is not laziness.

2. Waiting for God is not the abandonment of effort.

3. Waiting for God means activity under command.

4. Waiting means readiness for any new command that may come.

5. Waiting is the ability to do nothing till the command is given. If the eagles can do it so can we Isaiah 40:31.

God’s delays are not necessarily God’s denials.- G. Campbell Morgan.

Download notes for this episode (PDF): CLICK HERE

God did not promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, or sun without rain. But he did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it:

The essence of life.

~ Barry ~