Sermon Central
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Asking For Revival
Contributed by Ray Scott on Sep 4, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: The Holy Spirit won’t force Himself on you. He wants you to ASK for Revival ... be PREPARED for Revival ... be ready for a CHANGE in your Christian heart and life.
“Asking For Revival”
INTRODUCTION: Next Sunday begins our Revival Services! I don’t know about you, but I’m EXCITED about what I believe God has in store for us. God is just WAITING to pour out His blessings.
This morning, I want us to prepare our hearts to RECEIVE all that God has for us. God will bless a prepared heart.
I. BE ASKING FOR REVIVAL
God will not pour out His blessings on us … UNLESS … we ASK Him to. The Holy Spirit will NOT FORCE Himself on you. He won’t go where He isn’t wanted. He won’t do a mighty work where the heart isn’t prepared. Matthew 13:58 – “And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”
Have you ever been somewhere, when you felt like you weren’t wanted there? Maybe you HAD to be there … maybe you WANTED to be there … BUT … you weren’t wanted. It’s a very uncomfortable feeling.
Jesus WANTS to make an impact on your life next week. He WANTS to renew the Holy Spirit within you … and change your life. He WANTS to REVIVE your spirit with His Holy Spirit. He WANTS to bring you into a close, personal relationship with Him. He WANTS to give you the power, strength, victory, peace, and hope that you so desperately need.
BUT … He won’t do this mighty work … UNLESS … you ASK Him. UNLESS you are READY … UNLESS you are PREPARED. UNLESS you DESIRE Him to do so.
ASK for the Holy Spirit to do a work in your life during our Revival Services.
II. BE PREPARED FOR REVIVAL
Luke 3:3-4 – all turn
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord.”
When you have company coming, you PREPARE, don’t you? You prepare a meal … prepare the house … prepare the activities you are going to do.
Back in Bible times, when a great King came to visit his subjects, they would make preparations ahead of time. They would clean the village of all the rubbish. They would fix the pot-holes in the streets. Sometimes, they would even build NEW highways, just for the event.
The KING is coming! I’m not just talking about the rapture. I’m talking about His coming into your life to CHANGE you … to REVIVE you … to USE you … to give you the JOY, HOPE, FAITH, LOVE and POWER that you so richly need. He wants you to get yourself PREPARED for His coming next week.
“Make His paths straight.”
I don’t like DETOURS. Sometimes there will be some road construction … or an accident … or a fallen tree over the road … or a bridge out. You’ll have to take a DETOUR … sometimes many miles out of your way. I don’t like DETOURS … I like to go STRAIGHT to where I want to go.
Jesus has a path all prepared, to go straight to your heart next week. He wants to go STRAIGHT to your PROBLEMS, and meet them. He wants to go STRAIGHT to your FAITH, and strengthen it. He wants to go STRAIGHT to you NEEDS and supply them. He wants to go STRAIGHT to your TRIALS, and guide you through them. He wants to go STRAIGHT to your FEARS, and calm them.
Jesus doesn’t want any DETOURS … “Make His paths straight.” He doesn’t want to go AROUND the DETOUR of:
o A heart that isn’t prepared and available.
o A life that isn’t clean and expecting to be blessed.
o A sin that isn’t confessed and repented of.
o A stubborn will that isn’t surrendered to His will and way.
Maybe there are some sins that need to be confessed and repented of.
STORY: 4 preachers got together and they talked about how people came to them and poured out their hearts to them. They often advised them to confess their sins. The preachers decided that, since they had no one to confess their sins to, it might be a good idea to confess them to each other.
The 1st preacher said: “I like to gamble … sometimes it becomes a problem.”
The 2nd preacher said: “I like to drink a little … but nobody knows.”
The 3rd Preacher said: “I have a problem controlling my spending, and I’ve got all my credit cards maxed out.”
The 4th preacher wouldn’t say anything. They said: “We 3 told our secret sins, now it’s you’re turn.”
The 4th preacher said: “I love to gossip … and I can’t wait to get out of here!”
Maybe we have some sins that WE need to confess … and repent of.
We need to spend some time PREPARING for the COMING of the King … PREPARING for REVIVAL … PREPARING for the BLESSING … PREPARING for the CHANGE that Jesus wants to bring to your heart and life.
