A Time Of Refreshing-Praying For Revival

“A TIME OF REFRESHING-

PRAYING FOR REVIVAL”

Date: March 24, 2002 A.M. Service

Place: Allendale Baptist

Text: Acts 3:11-19

Introduction

Over the next few weeks, I will be speaking and preparing us for our Spring Revival, which will be on April 28, 29 &30.

But before I get too far ahead of myself, let me give you two (2) definitions we all need to know.

1. Revival- to restore or renew life.

Revival is for God’s people who need a fresh encounter, a fresh love relationship with Him. Revival is God touching the hearts & lives of His children & drawing them in a closer relationship to Him.

So to have true revival you must be alive. I am so thankful we don’t have some old dead church. Sure we are not perfect; some of us must admit today our relationship with the Lord is not where it should be.

When our love relationship is right, our obedience & faithfulness will follow.

 Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.”

Do you desire to have a time of revival in your personal life, in your family, in your community, and your nation?

2. Spiritual Awakening- is when people turn to Christ for salvation in large numbers. Spiritual awakening of the lost to saving faith in Christ is a by-product of revival of God’s people. (Repeat)

** Can stop here and say this; revival will change the way we live. It will compel us to live a life that glorifies God. It will compel us to bring others to Christ.

Read the story of the Awakening in Wales. (Fresh Encounters pg. 14.)

Four points to Evan Roberts message:

I. You Must Put Away Any Unconfessed Sin.

A. Psalms 66:18, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”

B. We will not experience true revival in our land until we confess our sin

C. 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful & just to forgive us our sins, & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”

II. You Must Put Away Any Doubtful Habit.

A. Confessing is not enough, there has to be a turning away.

B. 1 Thessalonians 5:22says, “Abstain from every form of evil.”

C. Here’s the hard thing we must all understand, we can not live the way we have always lived, When Christ comes into a persons life there will be a change.

D. Stories are told throughout history of revivals when God swept across a land, lives where so changed societies also changed.

E. Example: Several drunkards who spent there evenings away from their families were saved stopped drinking, went home to be with their families, bars & taverns begin to close down. What a testimony!!!

III. You Must Obey The Spirit Promptly.

A. Read 1 Peter 1:13-16

B. God has & is calling us to a holy lifestyle. How can you be holy, living an ungodly life???

C. Like forest Gump said, “That’s all I have to say about that…

IV. You Must Confess Publicly.

A. Matthew 10:32-33, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father who is in heaven, But whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”

B. This is not talking about the wavering & denying as Peter did, but never professing or accepting Christ as Savior.

C. I do have to say Christ does want you to confess Him publicly & openly.

D. There is something terrifying to some to walk down this aisle & say they have accepted Christ as Lord of their life.

E. Week after week I stand here and see people holding on to that pew in front of them not wanting to let go.

F. Some of us are holding on to things in our lives the same way, not wanting to let go & let God have His way with us.

Close:

Over the next few weeks I will be using this point of illustration.

Show the Plumb Line.

God has given His standard for living. His Son Jesus. He has reveled His plan for salvation to us through His Word.

How do you measure up to that standard??? If you are trying on your own you’ll never make it/

Invitation

Alter time