A Heart For Revival

Title: A HEART FOR REVIVAL

TEXT: 2 Kings 22:8-10

Prayer

Throughout history revival has been THE means by which God sovereignly demonstrated His willingness to renew our hearts

And cleanse his church

Consider for a moment some historical reports.

They demonstrate what God is willing and able to do in His church through revival.

1. On New Year’s Eve 1739, John Wesley, George Whitefield, and some of their friends held a watch night of prayer. At about 3 a.m., Wesley wrote, "the power of God came mightily upon us, insomuch that many cried for exceeding joy, and many fell to the ground."

2. In the spring of 1904 a young Welshman named Evan Roberts was repeatedly awakened to pray from 1:00 to 5:00 a.m. By November that year a powerful spiritual awakening was spreading through Wales that became known as the Welsh revival.

3. The Welsh revival really exploded through a single testimony of a young new believer named Florrie Evans. When her pastor asked for testimonies Florrie arose and with a trembling voice said, "I love Jesus with all my heart." God used this to melt the hearts of many others.

4. "To read the newspapers in 1906, one might have wondered about all the excitement in an old building on Azusa Street in the industrial part of the city. According to the Los Angeles Times, a bizarre new religious sect had started with people “breathing strange utterances and mouthing a creed which it would seem no sane mortal could understand.” Furthermore, “Devotees of the weird doctrine practice the most fanatical rites, preach the wildest theories, and work themselves into a state of mad excitement.” "William J. Seymour and the Azusa Street Revival" by Gary B. McGee.

Revival had broken out at the Azusa street mission in California and it affected the entire U.S.

(You can add all kinds of historical data in this section)

5. Revival fires burned hot in Kentucky. In fact one Kentucky pastor reportedly died of overwork after receiving 1,000 new members in just two months.

6. In 1995 Revival broke out upon a church in Pensacola Florida, and more than 100,000 people have been saved

7. In Wyckoff New Jersey, on New Years eve 1995 the pastor prayed “Lord visit our church and I won’t get in your way”. In March 1996 the Spirit accepted the invitation. The 600-person congregation was turned upside down as revival struck. According to the pastor. “There is a passion to know the face of Christ” “This is a readying of the bride, and the church is now getting ready to view the

8. In Marysville Washington – The power of the Holy Spirit fell over the whole church on Labor Day weekend 1996. The first two weeks of revival drew 3200 people. During the Sunday evening service people ran to the altars; men, women, and children fell everywhere under the power of God.

1. WHAT IS A REVIVAL?

The following are some insights from the great revivalists of 18th, 19th and 20th centuries

1. Revival is the visitation of God that brings to life Christians who have been sleeping

2. Revival is an in rush of the spirit

3. Revival is times of refreshing

4. Revival is the when the dry and thirsty receive a drenching from the Lord.

There are similar perspectives on what revival is, but there are differing views about why revival comes.

2. WHY DOES REVIVAL COME?

(1) The first biblical reason is to save nations from judgement,

2 Chronicles. 7:14

“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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

(2) The Second reason is to awaken the church

• Awakened because they have walked away from God

• Awakened because they are in disunity

• Awakened Because they are in need of rebuilding

• Refreshing

• renewal

3. REVIVAL IS BIBLICAL.

• *The Bible records high points of revival among the people of God throughout both the old and the New Testaments.

Under Joshua. Joshua 5:2-9 Joshua 5:2

Under Mosos. Exodus 32-33

Under David 2 Sam. 6

Under Samuel. 1 Samuel 7:1-6

Under Elijah. 1 Kings 18:17-40

Under Jehoshephat 2 Chronicles 20

Under Jehoash and Jehoiada. 2 Kings 11:1-12:21; 2 Chron. 23:1-24:27

Under Hezekiah. 2 Kings 18:1-7; 2 Chron. 29:1-31:21

Under Josiah. 2 Kings 22:1-23:37; 2 Chron. 34:1-35:27

Under Asa. 2 Chron. 14:2-5; 2 Chron. 15:1-14

Under Manasseh. 2 Chron. 33:12-19

In Nineveh. Jonah 3:4-10

• And At pentecost,. Acts 2:1-42;

and throughout the book of acts

• The impression these revivals made upon the participants turned their prayers toward regular petitions like,

Psalm 85:6

Will you not revive us again,

that your people may rejoice in you?