Revival (Section 1) Vital Keys To Revival (From Charles Finney Revival Lectures) Series

VITAL KEYS TO REVIVAL

INTRODUCTION:

Revival history shows again and again that if there are two key elements to obtaining true revival, they would have to be DEEP REPENTANCE and AGONIZING PRAYER.

Frank Bartleman ( a leader in the Azusa Street Revival) wrote: "I received from God early in 1905 the following keynote to revival: 'THE DEPTH OF REVIVAL WILL BE DETERMINED EXACTLY BY THE DEPTH OF THE SPIRIT OF REPENTANCE'. And this will obtain for all people at all time."

The other thing that Bartleman emphasized in his book was the hours of agonizing travail and intercession they went through before Revival hit. By: Andrew Strom

Charles G. Finney was convinced that if the church would just meet the basic conditions for Revival--deep repentance and heartfelt, agonizing prayer for the outpouring of God's Spirit, then Revival would ALWAYS result.

Finney said: "Revival is no more a miracle than a crop of wheat. Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die - or if need be, to win and die!

( When Finney's "Revival Lectures" were published and his teaching were put into practice, there were outbreaks of true Revival all over the world.)

SCRIPTURE: "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."

II Chronicles 7:14

I. AGONIZING PRAYER

A. Famous quotations:

1. Matthew Henry stated: "When God intends great mercy for His people, the

first thing He does is set them a-praying." Would the DAY of Pentecost

have come had they not prayed? Acts 1 & 2

2. Leonard Ravenhill wrote, "the man who can get believers to praying would,

under God, usher in the greatest revival that the world has ever known."

3. A. T. Pierson wrote, "From the day of Pentecost, there has been NOT ONE great spiritual awakening in any land which has not begun in a

UNION OF PRAYER, though only among two or three . . . "

Acts 4:31 "And when they prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and

Then spake the word of God with boldness."

Remember Ezek 37: 7 " So I prophesied as I was commanded:

and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone." It doesn't take a stadium full to bring a

shaking!!!!

4. John Wesley said: "Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the

throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down."

B. Agonizing Prayer

1. Pleads with God that He might glorify Himself.

2. Pleads that His Spirit might be poured out.

C. What constitutes a spirit of prayer? Is it many prayers and warm words? No.

Prayer is the state of the heart. The spirit of prayer is a state of continual desire and anxiety of mind for the salvation of sinners. It is something that weighs them down. It is the same as when a man is anxious for some worldly interest. A Christian who has this spirit of prayer feelsanxious for souls.

(Charles G. Finney pg 25)

Genesis 32:24 "and there wrestled a man with him"

wrestled meaning to grapple or wrestle, also means to float away, but is used

only of dust. Hence, its use here could only mean to raise dust by wrestling,

proving the struggle between the Man and Jacob was a bodily contest. (Dake)

Agonizing prayer may leave you dusty and with a limp.

II. DEEP REPENTANCE

"Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you." Hosea 10:12

3 Things to do in seeking God (Dake)

1. "Sow to yourselves in righteousness" This means to stop sinning and start

doing what is right in all things--to consecrate to do that which is good and right. Sowing and reaping always stand out against each other, as labor and reward.

2. "Reap in mercy" This means to accept and appropriate the mercy of God

extended to us. If we do not accept mercy from God it will not be ours, for both sowing in righteousness and reaping in mercy are our responsibility. Righteousness is here to do, and mercy is here to receive, but neither will be a man's experience until he does what is right and accepts the mercy provided.

3. "Break up your fallow ground" This also is the work of man. Each must break

up the ground of his own life. Fallow ground is that which has been plowed but not sown; ground not in use; idle ground crusted over and hardened until it needs to be broken up again to receive the seed. Our hearts and will must be broken and yielded to God. We must make ourselves willing to receive the Word of God and to obey it or seeking Him will not avail us aanything.