2 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.

Psalms 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

What is the desire of your heart? What are the things that you go to the Lord and ask HIM to give to you? Are you asking for things that you can consume upon your own lusts or are you asking for God to use you to expand HIS kingdom?

In 2 Chronicles, you see the story of king Asa. Early in King Asa’s career, he went out to battle with Zerah the Ethiopian. Asa cried out to God for deliverance. God delivered Asa. After this battle, Azariah, the son of Oded, told Asa “The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2).

Later in Asa’s life, Baasha, king of Israel came against Asa and Asa took the treasurers of the house of the Lord and gave them to Benhadad, king of Syria. Rather than crying out to God for deliverance as Asa had seen God do for HIM in the past, Asa chose to purchase his security by taking the things of God and giving them to the heathen. God was displeased with Asa and sent Hanani to remind Asa that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:8).

Asa had a testimony of how God worked in his life to deliver him from his enemies. Asa however forgot the power of God and decided to live his life under his own power. Three years after Asa asked not God for deliverance from his enemies, God gave Asa a disease in his feet and Asa sought physician�s help and did not turn his heart towards God. Asa had seen the power of God but later in his life he refused to seek God and because Asa’s heart was not right before God, it ended up costing him his life.

God is looking for individuals who are willing to allow God to use them to reveal HIS power to the entire world. God desires that you allow your life to reflect HIS light to the world. You must be willing to be like Asa who early in his life saw the enemy and was willing to humble himself before God and ask God to show HIMSELF strong in his life. Asa was not concerned about his reputation but was more concerned with God’s reputation. When Asa became more confident in his own abilities, that is when he became proud and he lost the blessings of the promises of God.

What are you asking God for today? Jabez asked God to bless him, enlarge his coasts, that God would be with him and that God would keep him from evil. Jabez asked God and God was willing to give Jabez his request. James tells you that “You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:3).

What is your prayer life like today? What are you daily asking God for? If you have added virtue to your life and have put on the mind of Christ, your prayer list should contain a request for God to use you. You should daily be praying that God gives to you HIS enemies as your inheritance. If you desire to see real power in your prayer life, than it is time that you change your request to reflect the will of God for your life. Set your mind upon the things of God so that you can ask HIM that HIS will be done through you.

II Chronicles 14:11 And Asa cried unto the Lord his God, and said, Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

Asa had an army of five hundred and eighty thousand men. However, he was going against Zerah of Ethiopia who had one million men and three hundred chariots. Before Asa went to battle he cried out to God and asked God to deliver him from the larger army. God heard Asa’s prayer and he went before Asa and destroyed the Ethiopians.

Later in Asa’s life when Baasha, king of Israel, arose up against Asa, Asa made a league with Benhadad, king of Syria. God’s prophet Hanani reproved Asa when he reminded Asa that God delivered him from the Ethiopians. Hanani told Asa that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” Because Asa made a league with man rather then cry out to God for help, Hanani told Asa that there would be no more peace.

Against the Ethiopians, Asa demonstrated his faith in God by crying out to God for deliverance. However, during this later encounter with the Israelites, Asa did not have the faith to rely upon God but instead, he relied upon his own wealth to attempt to get out of the problem he was in. While Asa was willing to trust the Lord for his protection, Asa lived in peace. Yet when Asa decided he was able to trust in himself, God took away the peace and filled Asa’s life with war.

There is no problem that you face that God cannot help you with. What do you lack? Do you need daily provision? God has demonstrated through the life of Elijah that HE can provide food on a daily basis. Do you lack direction? God has demonstrated through the nation of Israel that HE was able to guide them. Do you need protection? God has demonstrated through the life of Daniel that HE is able to protect those who cry out to HIM. Whatever your problem is, nothing is to hard for God if you will only let HIM.

God desires for you to cry out to HIM and to lean on HIM for your strength. God is looking for individuals who HE can work through to demonstrate to the world that HE is alive today. The question is not whether God can work through you, the question is whether you will allow God to work through you. It is so easy to get caught up in your own strength, but God desires that you demonstrate your faith and allow HIM to lead.

Without God you are nothing. God has demonstrated HIS power to humble one of the greatest kings when he humbled Nebuchadnezzar. If God can bring down Nebuchadnezzar, what makes you think that you can do anything in your own power absent God’s blessing upon your life? It is important to learn to rely upon God.

You must learn to cry out to God to help you. You must learn to seek the Lord and rely upon HIM. By faith, you understand that it is God working through you that enables you to do all the things that you do. God is the One who has given you your gifts, and HE has given them to you so that you might use them to glorify HIM. By faith you will rely upon God and HIS strength. By faith God will show HIMSELF strong through you.

II Chronicles 20:21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.

The children of Moab and of Ammon arose to do battle against Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. Rather then run and raise an army, Jehoshaphat sought the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout the land. Jehoshaphat went to the temple and reminded God that it was by HIS power that the land was given to them and that the nation had built the Lord’s temple. Scripture is clear that all of Judah came before God seeking HIM in this trial. Scripture tells us that even the little ones, the children, and the wives stood before God.

Jahaziel, one of the Levites, received a word from God that he shared in front of the entire congregation. Jahaziel told the people that they were not to be afraid because of the “great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” Jahaziel told them to go to battle but that they would not fight. Jehoshaphat then bowed before God and all the people with him and they worshiped God.

The nation was so excited to see the Lord’s work that the next day they arose early. There was so much joy in their heart to see what the Lord had done that Jehoshaphat put singers in front of the army to lead the nation in praising the Lord for delivering them from their enemies. When they reached the battlefield they found that the children of Ammon and Moab had attacked the inhabitants of mount Seir. Upon destroying the inhabitants of mount Seir, the fighting did not stop until they had destroyed each other. When Jehoshaphat arrived with his army, no one was alive and no one had escaped. There was so much spoil that it took Jehoshaphat and the people three days to gather it all.

A crisis arose in the life of Jehoshaphat and he chose to turn to God for help. Jehoshaphat’s example caused the entire nation to do the same. When God spoke, Jehoshaphat listened and he believed God. He was not afraid of the children of Ammon and Moab because God had told him that the battle was HIS and that he would not have to fight. Jehoshaphat believed God’s word and he demonstrated his faith by going into battle with singers leading the army.

When you have a crisis, do you turn to God? Do you fast and pray and ask God to help you? Do you find reasons why God should hear your prayers and answer them? When you receive an answer from God, do you believe it and act according to God’s promise?

There is a lot that you can learn from the life of Jehoshaphat and this battle. He demonstrated his faith by hearing God’s words and by obeying them. There was no doubt in him that God was going to do what HE had promised. Jehoshaphat sought God and when God answered, he had the faith to trust God’s response.

You will face many crises that are too big for you during your life. It is during these crises that you need to learn to stop everything and learn to cry out to God. Learn how to intercede with God which includes understanding how to remind God of the things HE has done for you in the pass. However, by faith, when you have heard God’s response, you must worship and thank God and believe what HE has told you will come to pass.