God’s Promise of Spiritual Revival
Isaiah 57:15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:” I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Do you ever feel spiritually lifeless? How about inwardly empty? Are you less than hot in your love relationship with God?
Years ago, an entire nation was wrestling with sort of questions. The answer led them to experience God’s promise pf revival!
Let’s talk about the water gate revival. To our generation, the name Watergate brings back bad memories; it brings to our mind a painful period of shame and the downfall of a United States president!
The Watergate I’m speaking of happened around 450 BC; Nehemiah led a group of Jews from Babylon back to Jerusalem. One of the 12 gates on the east side of Jerusalem near the Gihon Spring. People carried water into the city from the spring through the gate, so it became known as the “Water Gate!”
After the walls were complete Nehemiah gathered all of the people together in front of the Water Gate, and then Ezra did something that hadn’t been done in 70 years.
Nehemiah 8:1-3 Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses, which the LORD had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with understanding on the first day of the seventh month. 3 Then he read from it in the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Nehemiah 8: 4-5 say’s as Ezra unrolled the scroll the people stood up in reverence to the word of God!
Jer. 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
Nehemiah 8:6 And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God.
Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground.
All morning Ezra read the law, and though most of the people had never heard God’s word read, it brought a holy cut into the hearts of God’s people!
Hebrews 4:12-13 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
Nehemiah 8:8-9 So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. 9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
Revelation 1: 9-11a I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Neh. 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 9:1-3 1 Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads. 2 Then those of Israelite lineage separated themselves from all foreigners; and they stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for one-fourth of the day; and for another fourth they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.
They spent a quarter of the day listening to the Law and the next quarter confessing their sins and worshiping!
(This brought revival.) Re meaning new or again. Vive meaning, life. So, revival is “new life” or “renewed life!”
James 4: 6-10 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
Peter, Paul and most of Jesus’ disciples lived in a continual state of revival because they were all spiritually broken!
II. Cor. 12:10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Remember, when we finally come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God!
Have you grown tired of what you can do? Are you worn out by business as usual? Good! Because this makes you a qualified candidate for revival!
