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Intention

To seek God’s face in surrender, dying to ourselves and letting go of the things of this world.

Scripture

“If my people who are called by my name 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.”

– 2 Chronicles 7:14

Reflection

Australia needs an awakening — a spiritual revival.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God calls his people to humble themselves, pray, seek his face and turn from their wicked ways. Then comes his promise: he will hear, forgive and heal their land.

Revival begins when we want God himself more than we want the outcome.

But have you ever wondered why this verse speaks of both praying and seeking God’s face? What might that distinction mean?

In Exodus 33:18, Moses cried out, “Show me your glory.” He wasn’t simply asking for provision or a plan. He longed to see God’s face, his personal and unmediated presence.

I believe that often, when we approach God in prayer, we want an answer to a need. We want to see God move in a situation. Essentially, we are in a posture and attitude of receiving.

However, when we seek the face of God, I believe it’s a different posture — it’s one of surrender (giving ourselves to him) and a willingness to do his will.

When the Apostle John saw the Lord in Revelation 1:12–17, there was a ‘death’: John “fell at his feet like a dead man” (v. 17). When Isaiah saw the Lord in Isaiah 6, he could only say, “Woe is me, for I am ruined” (Isaiah 6:5). Isaiah was then cleansed and commissioned for the Lord’s purposes.

When we seek the face of God, we lay aside our agenda and wants. We die to ourselves and the things of this world. Revelation 12:11 describes those who did not cling to their lives even in the face of death. King David declared that God’s unfailing love is better than life itself (Psalm 63:3). We come with one desire — to see his face, whatever the cost.

Are we prepared to ‘die’ so we can see the face of God?

When we see his face, his eyes of fire will burn in us. His breath will revive us, and his word will be as a double-edged sword in our mouths as we confess and speak it (Revelation 1:12–17). And his favour will be upon us.

Video

Prayer

Father, we come seeking your face before we seek your hand. Forgive us for settling for Sunday attendance while our hearts wandered. Forgive us for trusting our comfort, our prosperity, and our own strength more than you. We have gone our own way, and now we humble ourselves before you.

Lord, show us your glory. Let your fire fall on us again, as it fell on the 120 in the upper room. Don’t let that fire stay locked inside our church buildings. Send it into our workplaces, schools, farms, and city streets, from Perth to Brisbane and from Hobart to Darwin.

As we seek your face, set us alight again with a passion to speak your word boldly. Breathe on the dry bones of this land. Breathe on marriages that have grown cold, on broken families and on young people who have never known a father’s love. Breathe on First Nations communities and on every new arrival who calls this country home. Where there has been only weariness, raise up a living army. 

Put your word in our mouths. Help us hold fast to what you have said, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holding nothing back, because your unfailing love is better than life itself.

Heal our land, Lord. Awaken the Southland of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Author Bio

Pastor Jonathan Mok is the Senior Minister of International City Church, Brisbane. He is passionate about equipping and empowering people to go and make disciples of all nations. His heart is to see the Church become a house of prayer for all nations and raise up strategic regional and national prayer altars. He holds an MA from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Prayer Points for October 2026

We are praying for the Church to:

1. Awaken to her first love for Jesus (Ephesians 5:14; Revelation 2:4).
2. Awaken to evangelism so that millions will trust in Christ (John 3:16; Proverbs 11:30).
3. Awaken to her prophetic voice to the nation (Isaiah 52:1; Matthew 14:4).

We invite you to support this campaign to multiply prayer in Australia for revival and see millions come to faith in Christ. Every donation to the Canberra Declaration helps us promote prayer and make a stand for family, faith, freedom, life, and the good news of God’s love through Jesus Christ.

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