Sermon Central
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Turn To God When You Need Revival Series
Contributed by John Dobbs on Dec 1, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: To speak of revival implies that there is something lost, something dead, something about faith that has lost it’s liveliness. Ezekiel’s audience certainly knew about that.
Call on the Lord When You Need Revival
Introduction
Call on God when you Hurt for Others, Need Hope, Feel Alone…Need Revival!
The word ‘Revival’ might conjure up different images for different people. Old fashioned tent meetings or gospel meetings; Worship characterized by extra enthusiasm; or even historic great awakenings.
To speak of revival implies that there is something lost, something dead, something about faith that has lost it’s liveliness. Ezekiel’s audience certainly knew about that. Living in Babylonian exile, they lost all connection to their previous life. Separated from God’s blessing and in a strange land, their hopes were low.
Ezekiel 37:11b “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.”
God calls Ezekiel to speak revival into the lives of those who were spiritually dead through a vision of one of the most striking scenes in Scripture.
Read Ezekiel 37:1-10
The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones.
2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry.
3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”
4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!
5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.
6 I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.
9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
From a pile of bones to a vast army - God infuses the dead and lifeless faith of the past into a living and vital living people. This vivid prophetic dream is a promise from God to bring life when all is lost, and bring hope when there is none.
Most of us have found ourselves in places where faith seemed dead and we needed to experience revival. More than just having a revival service, we need to turn to the Lord to receive what He has for us, illustrated by His love and reanimation of the faith of His people.
1. HOW TO KNOW IF YOU NEED REVIVAL
UNREAD BIBLE. Your Bible has sat unopened since the last time you went to church. The quest for Bible truth ceases and one grows content with knowledge already acquired. If your prayer closet has cobwebs and your Bible is dusty, then you’ve lost the connection to God’s power.
EARTHLY INTEREST. You’re more concerned about what’s happening in your favorite show or with your favorite team than you are with the things of the Lord. We seldom think thoughts of eternity. You adjust happily to the world's lifestyle and the slightest excuse seems sufficient to keep you from spiritual duty / opportunity.
PRAYER. Little or no interest. Our prayers lack fervency. Prayer ceases to be a vital part of a professing believer's life.
PASSION. When our Christianity is joyless and passionless. When our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry. When our singing is half-hearted and our worship lifeless. We just don’t love God as we once did.
GODLY LIVING/Holiness. You regularly make excuses for missing church. You are not living by the truth you know. When we have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment, but not for Bible study and prayer. The need for recreation and entertainment become a large and controlling part of your lifestyle. Sins of the body and of the mind can be indulged without an uproar in your conscience.
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. When we are blind to the extent of our need and don’t think we need revival.
SPIRITUAL DEADNESS: Ezekiel 37:11b “Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.”
*Remember God was not content, and sent Ezekiel with a message of revival.*
