Do You Need Revival

TITLE: DO I NEED A REVIVAL? 5/5/02

TEXT: 2 SAMUEL 11:1 - 4

INTRO:

LAST YEAR I PREACHED A MESSAGE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS OUT OF THE BOOK OF LUKE CHAPTER 15 CONCERNING THE PRODIGAL SON: AND IN THAT MESSAGE I GAVE SOME 8 THINGS TO USE AS AN INDICATOR FOR WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED A REVIVAL.

AND SO TODAY, I WANT TO FOCUS IN ON SOME OTHER THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT WILL ACT AS A SCALE TO SEE WHERE WE STAND.

NOW I AM FOR REVIVAL MEETINGS. HOWEVER, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE A MEETING WITH SOME GREAT SPEAKER THAT, THAT WILL BRING REVIVAL. LISTEN, REVIVAL WILL COME AS A RESULT OF YOU AND I -

· FALLING ON OUR FACE IN BROKENESS OVER SIN

· REPENTANCE AND

· TURNING BACK TO GOD

2 CHRONICLES 7:14

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.

NOW TODAY I WANT TO USE THE LIFE OF THE MAN DAVID AS AN ENTRANCE INTO THE MESSAGE. MOST OF YOU KNOW THIS STORY. AS WE HAVE ALREADY READ –

· DAVID LOOKED AT A WOMAN THAT WAS NOT HIS WIFE AND DECIDED TO COMMIT ADULTERY WITH HER.

· THIS RELATIONSHIP AS WE KNOW ENDED UP CAUSING THE PREGNANCY OF BATHSHEBA.

· AND SO DAVID KNOWING HIS SIN WAS HOT ON HIS HEELS - HAD TO MURDER URIAH THE HITTITE IN ORDER TO TRY AND COVER UP HIS WICKED DEEDS.

NOW TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT, OVER A YEAR HAS PAST, DAVID HAS TAKEN BATHSHEBA TO WIFE AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING FINE. BUT ONE DAY NATHAN THE MAN OF GOD CAME TO DAVID, POINTED OUT HIS SIN, DAVID CONFESSED, AND REPENTED OF HIS SIN AND GOT HIS HEART RIGHT WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.

NOW THINK ABOUT THIS MAN DAVID. HERE WAS A MAN WHO STARTED OFF ON THE RIGHT TRACK – BUT SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE HE WENT WRONG. HERE WAS A YOUNG MAN WHO WAS –

· ANNOINTED BY GOD FROM HIS YOUTH

· IT WAS THIS FIERCE YOUNG LAD WHO STOOD AGAINST GOLIATH AND TOOK OFF HIS HEAD

· IT WAS THIS FIERCE YOUNG LAD WHO STOOD AS GENERAL OVER SAUL’S ARMY.

· IT WAS THIS FIERCE YOUNG MAN THAT THE WOMEN SANG – “SAUL HATH KILLED HIS THOUSANDS & DAVID HIS TEN THOUSANDS.”

· DAVID WAS A MAN MIGHTILY BLESSED OF GOD

· FURTHERMORE DAVID WAS A MAN AFTER GODS OWN HEART

NOW AS I THOUGHT ABOUT DAVID, I WAS REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT, THE EASIEST THING FOR YOU AND I TO DO IS TO GET SAVED AND START DOING SOMETHING GREAT FOR GOD, BUT FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER WE ALLOW SOME SIN TO ENTER INTO OUR LIVES THAT ENDS UP LEADING US DOWN THE WRONG ROAD – AND BEFORE YOU KNOW IT OUR LIVES ARE ALL IN A MESS.

SO THE QUESTION I WANT YOU TO ASK YOURSELF TODAY: IS DO YOU NEED A REVIVAL?

* HAVE I DEPARTED FROM GOD AND WENT ON MY OWN WAY?

* HAVE I ALLOWED SOME SIN TO ENTER INTO MY LIFE,

SEPARATING ME FROM MY FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD.

* HAVE I GROWN COLD TOWARDS CHRIST IN SOME AREA OF MY

LIFE?

I BELIEVE THE GREATEST NEED FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN IN AMERICA TODAY IS THE NEED FOR REVIVAL!

AND I WANT TO GIVE YOU SOME THINGS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MINUTES, A MEASURING STICK IF YOU WILL, THAT WILL HELP YOU TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT YOU NEED A REVIVAL.

FIRST OF ALL, YOU NEED REVIVAL WHEN -

I. SALVATION NO LONGER BLESSES YOU!

THINK ABOUT IT! BEFORE YOU WERE SAVED, YOU WERE –

· ON A ONE WAY TRIP HEADED FOR HELL

· TAKEN CAPTIVE BY SATAN AT HIS WILL

· BOUND BY CHAINS OF SIN

· UNABLE TO HELP YOURSELF

· NO ONE ELSE CARED FOR YOU – BUT JESUS DID!

SONG: I WAS SINKING DEEP IN SIN….

DAVID REMEMBERED THAT TIME –

PSALM 40:1 – 3

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

NOW THINK ABOUT THE DAY YOU GOT SAVED –

· DOES IT STILL BLESS YOU?

· DOES IT STILL BRING A TEAR TO YOUR EYE?

· ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THE WAY THAT GOD REACHED WAY DOWN AND LIFTED YOU UP?