Christian friends, we’re all familiar with 2 Chronicles 7:14 which 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land. 

But do we believe it? If so, do we really heed it?

For far too long we Christians have abdicated our place of authority to the government or other agencies. Rather than defend life ourselves, we have depended upon others. Rather than stand up for marriage and family, we have allowed the government to define those sacred things. Rather than stand firmly with Israel, we have allowed Antisemitism to drive us away from our spiritual roots.

So, what are we to do? Here’s a great start: Gov Bill Lee of Tennessee has declared July a month of prayer and fasting in Tennessee and others are taking notice. For example, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, led by Pastor Jack Hibbs, is joining Gov Lee and Tennesseans in prayer and fasting for the state of California.

According to that article (and videotape of the service), Pastor Jack encouraged his congregation to stand and he extended an invitation to “every pastor in America and every Christian church in America” to “join Tennessee.”

“Maybe God is waiting for America and its churches to wake up,” he suggested, then asked the congregation to join him in prayer, calling on God to “pour out Your Holy Spirit not only on Tennessee but on California.” 

Christian brothers and sisters, this is an effort worth joining! For those who love America and for those who also love Israel, make July a month of prayer and fasting. “Fasting” doesn’t mean starving yourself to death. It simple means giving up something significant for a significant amount of time. For example, perhaps you choose to give up food, coffee, material things or some pleasure for one day a week during July. The idea is to replace something meaningful with committed time to focus and pray.

Our states and our nations are steeped in violence, human-trafficking, addiction, corruption and so many other ills. The Lord God of heaven is just waiting to hear from heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. It doesn’t happen coincidentally. It happens when Christians follow the lead of godly men such as Gov Bill Lee of Tennessee and Pastor Jack Hibbs of California. Why not be the godly man or woman in your state who says, “I’m going to stand in the gap for my state and pray and fast during July!”

You could be a game changer! Who’s with me?

PS: Here is Gov Lee’s official declaration of prayer and fasting:

A RESOLUTION to seek God’s hand of mercy healing on Tennessee.

WHEREAS, our State and Nation suffer from violence committed upon our citizens by our citizens; and 

WHEREAS, our State and Nation suffer from violence committed upon our citizens by non-citizens; and

WHEREAS, acts of violent crime in our schools are unacceptable; and

WHEREAS, human trafficking is an unacceptable and violent evil in our State, enslaving lives and violating the core values of our Creator-endowed rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and

WHEREAS, drug addiction overwhelms our families, our government finances, our workforce productivity, as well as our healthcare and our law enforcement resources; and


WHEREAS, deadly fentanyl flows uncontrollably across our southern U.S. border resulting in the deaths of Tennesseans; and

WHEREAS, Driving Under the Influence, drunk driving, results in great pain and injury for Tennessee families; and

WHEREAS, we have approximately 9,000 children in need of foster care, indicating a brokenness in many Tennessee homes; and

WHEREAS, evidence of corruption in our federal government stands to impact every Tennessean; and

WHEREAS, our National and State Founders trusted in the omnipotent hand of Providence to guide and bless our land; and

WHEREAS, over decades, these leaders called our people to seek out the Creator’s favor by issuing proclamations like the one from John Adams on April 15, 1799: 

[This day] be observed throughout the United States of America as a day of solemn humiliation, fasting, and prayer; that the citizens on that day abstain, as far as may be, from their secular occupation, and devote the time to the sacred duties of religion, in public and in private; that they call to mind our numerous offenses against the most high God, confess them before Him with the sincerest penitence, implore his pardoning mercy, through the Great Mediator and Redeemer, for our past transgressions, and that through the grace of His Holy Spirit, we may be disposed and enabled to yield a more suitable obedience to his righteous requisitions in time to come; that He would interpose to arrest the progress of that impiety and licentiousness in principle and practice so offensive to Himself and so ruinous to mankind; that He would make us deeply sensible that “righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” [Proverbs 14:34]; and

WHEREAS, we hold that our Founders correctly acknowledged Truth in their words; and

WHEREAS, we hold that “Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1); now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE SENATE CONCURRING, that the period of July 1, 2024, through July 31, 2024, be recognized as a time of prayer and fasting in Tennessee.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we recognize that God, as Creator and King of all Glory, has both the authority to judge and to bless nations or states.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we, as public servants in the Tennessee General Assembly, seek God’s Mercy upon our land and beseech Him to not withdraw His Hand of blessing from us.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we recognize our sins and shortcomings before Him and humbly ask His Forgiveness.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we ask the Lord Jesus to heal our land and remove the violence, human-trafficking, addiction, and corruption.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we ask that the Holy Spirit fill our halls of government, our classrooms, our places of business, our churches, and our homes with peace, love, and joy.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon all those who are physically able and spiritually inclined to do so to join in a thirty-day season of prayer and intermittent fasting as we begin a new fiscal year as a means of seeking God’s blessing and humbling ourselves to receive His Grace and Mercy, transforming ourselves, our communities, our State, and our Nation.