Pentecostal Revival: Our Only Hope

Pentecostal Revival, Our Only Hope

The cry we hear rising from within the church is a cry for revival. We sing songs like "Revive Us O Lord," "Light the Fire Again" and others which represent our heart cry, the heart cry for revival. How many of you want to see not only a revival in the nations, but a personal revival in your own lives?

Stand with me as we read the Word of God in opening tonight’s service. Turn in your Bibles to 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

PRAYER

I key to revival is found in this verse. The word revival comes from the Latin word, re, which means "again," and vivo, which means "to live". Revival literally means "to live again." Where do we find revival? It may not necessarily be great preaching, or people being converted, or huge crowds of Christian people. Revival is found in people who love the Lord Jesus Christ in a deep and powerful way.

One of the great books written on revival was by Charles Finney called Lecture Notes on Revival. Quite a powerful book. Finney describes revival as "a new beginning of obedience to God."

This is what our church needs, "a new beginning of obedience to God." That is what I hope will be birthed this month as we look at the issues of Lordship and prayer, a new beginning of obedience to God. Amen.

Again, the key is found in the passage in 2 Chronicles we just read. It is a promise from God that if the church, His people, will do their part, then God will fulfill a promise He also makes in the same verse. I want to break this prayer down so we will have a fuller understanding of what our part is and God’s promise to us.

1. If My people, who are called by My name.

Revival begins with the people of God. It is when you and I who have been bought by Jesus Christ and have accepted and made Him our Lord and Savior begin to believe the answer to this lost and saying world is within our grasp. This is a tremendous responsibility, but God has given to the church the power through the Holy Spirit to accomplish what He has set before us. Understand this, when God asks His church, you and I, to do something, He will always give us the ability to do, He just awaits for us to have the courage to do it.

How do we move in the ability to accomplish His purpose. We need to pray that the eyes of our understanding be open so we can see what God wants to do through us, and that our ears will be open to hear the voice of God calling and encouraging us to press on. Imagine what we would forge ahead and do for the Kingdom if each one of us responded with the knowledge, understanding and obedience to the call of God for our generation.

2. If my people...will humble themselves.

Humility. God’s people must be broken, modest and humble. We are not to be proud and arrogant. James 4:6 states, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Do you want God’s grace upon your life? Tragically I have seen Pentecostal people who have become spiritually arrogant. Because they have walked into a deeper communion with God than some others of non-Pentecostal belief, they walk and talk with spiritual arrogance. Be careful. God’s gifts are irrevocable, but the presence of God becomes distant when we act superior to others. When God’s people are humble, He is drawn to them. When pride is present, God resists them.

When David Brainerd was dying, he continued to cry out to God for the souls of the American Indians. Revival can come when God’s people humble themselves, become concerned and seek God’s forgiveness and become open to all of God’s ways.

How can you do this? When is the last time you went before God on Bended knees instead of just singing about coming to Him on them? We need to kneel before the King, to humble ourselves on Bended knee. We need to pray for God’s compassion upon the lost, and to ask God to forgive us for our lack of concern for the world which so desperately needs Jesus Christ.

3. If My people...will...pray

Prayer sound easy, yes I will pray. But words are cheap, action is costly. We need to pray. To pray for our children, our schools, our homes, our government leaders, our cities, our churches, for the world. We need to pray for a new Pentecost, a fresh overflowing of the Holy Spirit on the world. Our prayers should be full of faith, mixed with compassion. But let me warn you about something in revival prayer. Man cannot bring revival through prayer by his own technique. It only comes when man looks to God’s ability. Zechariah wrote in chapter 4:6, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit."