Healing the Land
It was in Juba, South Sudan, whilst ministering to a group of South Sudanese Army Chaplains at a Flame conference that I witnessed my first miracle as a result of this teaching, Healing the Land.
It was the final teaching of the conference, and after the teaching we gave space for the Chaplains to respond in prayer. These large, strong, and godly men humbled themselves, kneeling to pray and formed a large circle where they interceded and upheld one another’s hands in unity. With deep and heartfelt cries, they stood in the gap and repented of the sins that had happened on their land and pleaded in Christ Jesus to turn things around; to turn curse to a blessing.
That evening Jan and I sat on the pavement of our accommodation with the view of dry, dust-capped grounds all around us as this part of the country was experiencing a drought and the people were eagerly awaiting the rains to come. Almost out of nowhere, the heaven’s opened and the rain thundered out of the sky. Jan leant over to me, “That’s as a result of their prayers this afternoon”. I agreed, and we both continued to sit there in awe of the God whom we serve!
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 says, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a well-known passage, but before we dive into the application on how to pray, we have to first grapple with a really important question: What would cause God to “shut up the heavens”, and bring things that seem destructive to impact the land? The answer: mankind’s sin! This might sit uncomfortably with some of us, as we wrestle with the concept of divine discipline versus total forgiveness. But God doesn’t want us to be ignorant of the reality that our sin can bring direct implications to ourselves, others, and to the land in which we live and work on. Derek Prince wisely said, “It is important for all of us to remember that God’s forgiveness does not necessarily cancel all the consequences of our sins”.
On one hand, this could seem discouraging, mean, and disappointing, but when we delve deeper into understanding why this is the case, I do believe it is one of the most encouraging things we can hear! Why is it then, that our actions can bring direct implications (both good and bad) upon the land? Quite simply, because God has given us the awesome role and responsibility to represent Himself on the earth. We are God’s co-workers, His ambassadors, His image bearers on the earth and therefore, we have been given the authority to rule over the land and steward it. The purpose for us being made in the image of God is to be bearers of divine authority so that we can effectively rule on the earth, Genesis 1:26.
As God has given us His authority to act as gatekeepers to the land, we have the power and authority to allow things into the land or drive things from the land. As it was in the beginning, in order for Satan to attain a position of authority over the earth, he had to go through humanity who had the authority to let him in or drive him out. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve’s sin let him in and gave him authority and power over the earth. It is simple yet profound; our actions as gatekeepers can bring direct implications to the land; blessings because of our obedience, and curses because of our sin. To Adam, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you”, Genesis 3:17a
It was the final teaching of the conference, and after the teaching we gave space for the Chaplains to respond in prayer. These large, strong, and godly men humbled themselves, kneeling to pray and formed a large circle where they interceded and upheld one another’s hands in unity. With deep and heartfelt cries, they stood in the gap and repented of the sins that had happened on their land and pleaded in Christ Jesus to turn things around; to turn curse to a blessing.
That evening Jan and I sat on the pavement of our accommodation with the view of dry, dust-capped grounds all around us as this part of the country was experiencing a drought and the people were eagerly awaiting the rains to come. Almost out of nowhere, the heaven’s opened and the rain thundered out of the sky. Jan leant over to me, “That’s as a result of their prayers this afternoon”. I agreed, and we both continued to sit there in awe of the God whom we serve!
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 says, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
This is a well-known passage, but before we dive into the application on how to pray, we have to first grapple with a really important question: What would cause God to “shut up the heavens”, and bring things that seem destructive to impact the land? The answer: mankind’s sin! This might sit uncomfortably with some of us, as we wrestle with the concept of divine discipline versus total forgiveness. But God doesn’t want us to be ignorant of the reality that our sin can bring direct implications to ourselves, others, and to the land in which we live and work on. Derek Prince wisely said, “It is important for all of us to remember that God’s forgiveness does not necessarily cancel all the consequences of our sins”.
On one hand, this could seem discouraging, mean, and disappointing, but when we delve deeper into understanding why this is the case, I do believe it is one of the most encouraging things we can hear! Why is it then, that our actions can bring direct implications (both good and bad) upon the land? Quite simply, because God has given us the awesome role and responsibility to represent Himself on the earth. We are God’s co-workers, His ambassadors, His image bearers on the earth and therefore, we have been given the authority to rule over the land and steward it. The purpose for us being made in the image of God is to be bearers of divine authority so that we can effectively rule on the earth, Genesis 1:26.
As God has given us His authority to act as gatekeepers to the land, we have the power and authority to allow things into the land or drive things from the land. As it was in the beginning, in order for Satan to attain a position of authority over the earth, he had to go through humanity who had the authority to let him in or drive him out. Unfortunately, Adam and Eve’s sin let him in and gave him authority and power over the earth. It is simple yet profound; our actions as gatekeepers can bring direct implications to the land; blessings because of our obedience, and curses because of our sin. To Adam, God said, “Cursed is the ground because of you”, Genesis 3:17a
What sins in particular then, does the Bible tell us can bring curses on the land?
1. Idolatry
Idolatry is worship of other gods. We are to have no other gods before the Lord God Almighty, Exodus 20:3-6. Therefore, allegiance to other religions and philosophies defiles the land. This includes Witchcraft, Paganism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Humanism, Communism, and Freemasonry. Jeremiah 16:18, says, “I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols”.
2. Bloodshed
This brings death onto the land and defiles it. Numbers 35:33-34, “Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.”
There is much bloodshed on the land when there is war, conflict, massacres, genocide or ethnic cleansing and the land will be defiled. Murder, including abortion, also defiles the land as do suicides and fatal accidents.
3. Sexual Immorality
This is any sexual relations outside of Biblical marriage.
Leviticus 18 has a long list of sexual sins. In verses 24-25 it is written, “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.”
4. Broken Covenants & Forming Ungodly Covenants
Isaiah 24:5-6, “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.”
Examples of broken covenants include broken promises, agreements, and treaties. In 2 Samuel 21 God tells David that the 3-year famine in Israel is because Saul, the previous king, broke the treaty with the Gibeonites. Alliances with the ungodly have a similar effect because the covenant or promise to be holy is being dishonoured. Perhaps more relevant to our culture, another example of a broken covenant is divorce, which breaks the covenant of marriage.
1. Idolatry
Idolatry is worship of other gods. We are to have no other gods before the Lord God Almighty, Exodus 20:3-6. Therefore, allegiance to other religions and philosophies defiles the land. This includes Witchcraft, Paganism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Humanism, Communism, and Freemasonry. Jeremiah 16:18, says, “I will repay them double for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land with the lifeless forms of their vile images and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols”.
2. Bloodshed
This brings death onto the land and defiles it. Numbers 35:33-34, “Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the Lord, dwell among the Israelites.”
There is much bloodshed on the land when there is war, conflict, massacres, genocide or ethnic cleansing and the land will be defiled. Murder, including abortion, also defiles the land as do suicides and fatal accidents.
3. Sexual Immorality
This is any sexual relations outside of Biblical marriage.
Leviticus 18 has a long list of sexual sins. In verses 24-25 it is written, “Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, because this is how the nations that I am going to drive out before you became defiled. Even the land was defiled; so I punished it for its sin, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.”
4. Broken Covenants & Forming Ungodly Covenants
Isaiah 24:5-6, “The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore, a curse consumes the earth.”
Examples of broken covenants include broken promises, agreements, and treaties. In 2 Samuel 21 God tells David that the 3-year famine in Israel is because Saul, the previous king, broke the treaty with the Gibeonites. Alliances with the ungodly have a similar effect because the covenant or promise to be holy is being dishonoured. Perhaps more relevant to our culture, another example of a broken covenant is divorce, which breaks the covenant of marriage.
We would suggest that these four sins are the main sins that the Bible speaks of that can bring curse and defilement onto the land. There are others too though, as the Prophet Malachi expresses that even family breakdown can result in a curse upon the land. “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Malachi 4:5-6.
Flame delivers this teaching to many of the nations we go to; nations in Central and West Africa, war-torn nations in Eastern Europe and persecuted nations in Asia. One thing we have seen again and again as we deliver this teaching is the Holy Spirit descending upon the people and giving them a deep conviction of their country’s sins, in the fear of the Lord. Even here in the UK, our land is filled with the idolatrous and wicked sins that bring defilement and curse onto the land, but we, the people of God, can work with the Holy Spirit to see the Kingdom of Heaven come and transform things.
The scriptures identify several consequences of defilement on the land. Ezekiel 14 expresses that ecological disaster, war or conflict, disease, and famine (even famine of the word of God) can come upon the land because of sin. One African Pastor, on hearing this teaching went to pray over his small holding where he grew crops. He repented of the sins on his land, asked the Lord to break the curses and bring about blessings on the land. The next harvest his crops were twice the height of his neighbours! “How are your crops so big?” His neighbours asked him. “What fertiliser did you use?” He told them that he didn’t use fertiliser, but the power of the Holy Spirit!
As we resist God’s commands it is possible to even give way for demonic forces to attain positions of authority and rule over the land instead. One example we have of this was in Armenia. In one of the villages there was a particular street which was an accident ‘blackspot’. There had been several fatal accidents on this bend of the road, and it was well known. Two ladies who heard Flame’s teaching then went along the road and stood in the gap in intercessory prayer. They repented of sin on the land, forgave people who had done it and in Jesus’ name rebuked any spirit of accidents that was operating along that road.
A year later when the Flame team went back, they reported that there had been no fatal accidents since that time! Hallelujah!
Flame delivers this teaching to many of the nations we go to; nations in Central and West Africa, war-torn nations in Eastern Europe and persecuted nations in Asia. One thing we have seen again and again as we deliver this teaching is the Holy Spirit descending upon the people and giving them a deep conviction of their country’s sins, in the fear of the Lord. Even here in the UK, our land is filled with the idolatrous and wicked sins that bring defilement and curse onto the land, but we, the people of God, can work with the Holy Spirit to see the Kingdom of Heaven come and transform things.
The scriptures identify several consequences of defilement on the land. Ezekiel 14 expresses that ecological disaster, war or conflict, disease, and famine (even famine of the word of God) can come upon the land because of sin. One African Pastor, on hearing this teaching went to pray over his small holding where he grew crops. He repented of the sins on his land, asked the Lord to break the curses and bring about blessings on the land. The next harvest his crops were twice the height of his neighbours! “How are your crops so big?” His neighbours asked him. “What fertiliser did you use?” He told them that he didn’t use fertiliser, but the power of the Holy Spirit!
As we resist God’s commands it is possible to even give way for demonic forces to attain positions of authority and rule over the land instead. One example we have of this was in Armenia. In one of the villages there was a particular street which was an accident ‘blackspot’. There had been several fatal accidents on this bend of the road, and it was well known. Two ladies who heard Flame’s teaching then went along the road and stood in the gap in intercessory prayer. They repented of sin on the land, forgave people who had done it and in Jesus’ name rebuked any spirit of accidents that was operating along that road.
A year later when the Flame team went back, they reported that there had been no fatal accidents since that time! Hallelujah!
Is this something that we can all do? Are believers mandated to go around cleansing the land? A part of the discernment to that question is, “What area of land do you have authority over?” Perhaps you own land, your own house, or you have an area of work. If you have any form of legal authority over a plot of land, you have authority and stewardship to cleanse it. You may even rent accommodation or rent an office room. Even if you rent, we would say that you legally have some right over that area. What other areas/building do you have some responsibility or representation over? Your Church, your town, and even your nation? This is an important consideration, as in intercessory prayer for healing the land, you come before God on behalf of a place and people group that you identify with. If I were to pray for my Church, my town, or my nation, I could say to God, “We, the people, have sinned”, and I can personally identify with them. I can’t speak on behalf of people from another country and represent them, they must do it.
God says, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is incredible! We, the people of God, priests with Christ, have the role and honour to be able to come before God and stand in the gap on behalf of the sins on the land, and He will do what? He will “hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.
God says, “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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” This is incredible! We, the people of God, priests with Christ, have the role and honour to be able to come before God and stand in the gap on behalf of the sins on the land, and He will do what? He will “hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.
How do we pray?
Ask the Lord to give you the fear of the Lord regarding what sins have happened on the land and wait for Him to speak. As we then confess these sins to God, and repent of anything we have done too, we can forgive the people (and ourselves) who have sinned and ask the Lord Jesus to break any curse on the land. In faith, plead the blood of Christ over the land to cleanse mankind’s sin and turn the curse to a blessing. Are there any evil spirits that need evicting from the land? If you have authority over that land, then command them to go in Jesus’ name. Now, let’s consecrate the land to God to receive His blessings! Remove any idols or cursed objects you yourself have put up. Stake scriptures into the land, make written declarations and actively remain keeping the land holy before the Lord. If you are praying for your Church building, your town, or your nation, then don’t go at it alone! There is strength in unity, and the Church collective are to operate together in cleansing the land. Be encouraged,
be humble, and pray for the Kingdom of God to come onto the earth.
Ask the Lord to give you the fear of the Lord regarding what sins have happened on the land and wait for Him to speak. As we then confess these sins to God, and repent of anything we have done too, we can forgive the people (and ourselves) who have sinned and ask the Lord Jesus to break any curse on the land. In faith, plead the blood of Christ over the land to cleanse mankind’s sin and turn the curse to a blessing. Are there any evil spirits that need evicting from the land? If you have authority over that land, then command them to go in Jesus’ name. Now, let’s consecrate the land to God to receive His blessings! Remove any idols or cursed objects you yourself have put up. Stake scriptures into the land, make written declarations and actively remain keeping the land holy before the Lord. If you are praying for your Church building, your town, or your nation, then don’t go at it alone! There is strength in unity, and the Church collective are to operate together in cleansing the land. Be encouraged,
be humble, and pray for the Kingdom of God to come onto the earth.
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