Loading... BEGINING OF REVIVAL IS HUMILITY - 2 Chronicles 7:14
Saturday, March 31st, 20072 Chronicles 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.
Solomon was in the process of dedicating the temple to God and God laid out the steps of revival. The first step of revival is to humble ourselves. What does it mean to humble yourself? You know the scriptures, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6). You understand what pride is; it is easy to watch it creep up in your life, but how do you develop a humble life? How do you demonstrate to God humility?
Jesus taught that “Whosever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4). It is easy for you to look down on a little child; what have they done in comparison with you? What great feats has this little child done? However, that is pride speaking through you. The little child’s whole existence is dependent upon those who care for it. That is the attitude that God requests you to maintain in your life.
It is God who has given you life. It is God who has protected you from harm. It is God who loves you and has given you the talents that you have used to accomplish things that you think should give you honor and praise from those around you. However, apart from God you are nothing. When God allowed Satan to try Job’s faith, there was nothing Job could do to stop the loss of his wealth, his health and his family. Absolutely nothing. All Job could do it trust in God, that is all that he had and that is all that God wanted.
Job was a humble man who understood his position with God. A little child cannot earn the money to put food on the table. Yet that child’s simple trust in those around him or her is what God desires to see in you. God desires for you to recognize that nothing you have could have been obtained without HIS blessing on your life.
When the disciples tried to determine who would be the greatest, Jesus reminded them that “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12). In God’s eyes, greatness is not found by the person who can brag about all their accomplishments; greatness is found in the one who can acknowledge God’s greatness in their life and how they are unworthy of God’s blessing.
King Ahab is an interesting study. Here was a man who along with his wife did great wickedness in Israel. One day, Jezebel had an innocent man killed so that Ahab could take possession of this man’s vineyard. Elijah met Ahab in the vineyard and pronounced God’s judgment upon Ahab. Later on, God told Elijah that because Ahab humbled himself, God was not going to bring judgment upon Ahab during his lifetime.
What did Ahab do to demonstrate his humility to God? In 1 Kings 21:27 you find that Ahab ripped his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. Ahab may not have lived a life pleasing in the sight of God, but he understood that God was with Elijah and that whatever Elijah said was coming directly from God. Ahab understood God had pronounced judgment upon him and the fear of the Lord caused him to humble himself.
Many years later, there was a king named Josiah. Josiah started his reign when he was only eight years old. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. He ordered that the temple be repaired. While the temple was being repaired, a book was found that contained God’s judgment upon the nation. God spoke to Josiah through the prophets that because his “heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord” (2 Kings 22:19). The Lord did not bring HIS judgment upon Judah during Josiah’s reign.
What did Josiah do to demonstrate his humility? When Josiah heard God’s judgment as found in the book, Josiah humbled himself by ripping his cloths and by sending his servants to go inquire of the Lord. Josiah understood that God keeps his promise and by ripping his cloths from his body, Josiah was demonstrating to God a humble and tender spirit that was pleasing in the sight of God.
God tells us to humble ourselves “in the sight of the Lord, and he shall life you up.” (James 4:10). In between verse six and verse ten of this chapter, God lays out the things that you can do to demonstrate your humility before him.
God asks you to “submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). To submit means to yield, this means that you understand that it is not your will but HIS will that must be done. Christ taught us in the Lord’s Prayer that we are to ask God that HIS will be done. Christ not only taught us with HIS words, but HE also demonstrated with HIS actions by submitting to the Lord’s will when HE went to the cross to die for your sins.
God also asks you to “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8). God has not sinned; it was man who sinned back in the garden. Because of your sin, there is a great gap between you and God. God has demonstrated HIS love for you and it is HIS desire that you transform your life so that HE might be glorified through you. HE longs for you to take the steps necessary to come back to HIM. HE longs for the day for you to willingly ask HIM to forgive you for the sins that you have done that have damaged your relationship with HIM. God is waiting patiently for you. God desires that you demonstrate your humility by purifying your heart and learning to think upon the things of God.
Both king Ahab and king Josiah demonstrated their humility when they recognized God’s judgment. These men, demonstrated James 4:9 which says “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” If you desire to see God bring a great revival across this country, then you need to follow the example of these two kings. The first thing God requires of you is humility. Humility will be found as mourn and weep for the sin that is being committed around you.
Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah all confessed the sins of the people around them. All three men did great things for God, and God used them in mighty ways. God was able to use these men because they were not only concerned about themselves. These men looked to God and understood HIS’ faithfulness. These men understood that those around them had sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. As such, these men cried out to God and not only confessed their own sins but also cried out to God to forgive the sins of those around them and the sins of their fathers.
God desires to bring another revival into the hearts of HIS people. However, that revival must start with you. No longer can you wait for others to start the process, the process must start with you humbling yourself before God. You must follow the words of Peter who taught us to “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5:6-7).
You must understand that your life does not mean much if you do not have the right relationship with God. If you are not willing to lay aside the things of this world, you will never have a heart after God’s own heart. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Will you do that which is right in your own eyes or will you do that which is right in the eyes of God? Apart from God you can do nothing, the sooner you figure that out, the soon you can find yourself in a position that God can use you.
The Hebrew word that is translated humble in this passage means to bend the knee, to bring into subjection and to subdue. In countries that have a king, the subjects of the king will often bend their knees to the ground as an outward manifestation that they live their lives in subjection to their king. This gesture demonstrates to all that the will of the one who is bowing is subject to the one who stands.
God desires that you acknowledge HIS greatness in your life. HE desires that you put your life in subjection to HIM; that you yield your will and allow HIM to reign supreme in your life. Humility is simply acknowledging with both your words and actions that God is great and that without HIM you would be nothing. Humility is demonstrating to God the glory and honor that is due unto HIS name.