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These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit.
While ideas and illustrations are often obtained from many sources including those at sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording including sermon titles, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental.
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It is my sincere desire that all who read them and hear them may be lifted up to a higher relationship with God.
Most of the scriptures quoted in these sermons are copies and quoted from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.
I do at times use scripture from several different versions of the Bible such as NIV, New King James Version, King James Version etc.
Any and all ministers may freely use any of my sermons and post them anywhere that they want to.
After all, it is Gods Word and not our own!
Pastor Ed Pruitt
How To Have A Personal Revival
Sunday August 05, 2007
There are time in our life when we just seem to take things for granted and I am afraid that some of us take our Christian experience with a grain of salt.
Some seem to spend a little too much time depending on God’s grace rather than trying to grow in the Holy Spirit.
I am hoping that we will take this opportunity this morning to do a little growing so to speak.
I want to start out this morning with a very good scripture that will get us on the right track.
(Psalm 139:23-24) Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Confession of sin is necessary for fellowship with God, and revival among God’s people.
Prayerfully consider the following questions.
Go through these questions one by one.
Answer truthfully these questions.
Every "yes" answer means sin in your life!
In listening to these questions, as you are convicted of sin, confess it at once to God.
Be willing to make it right.
Then you can claim cleansing and forgiveness.
(1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Be sure to name your sin to God, as, "Lord, I have not put You first in my plans," or "I have neglected Your Word and prayer."
Do not make the least excuse for sin of any kind in your life.
(Proverbs 28:13) He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
No matter what other do, or do not do, leave nothing undone on your part.
God wants to work through you to bring about a spiritual awakening.
He can begin by fulfilling every requirement shown by the Lord through the Holy Spirit and His Word.
A revival from the presence of the Lord begins today, IF YOU DESIRE IT.
(Matthew 6:14-15) For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Is there anyone against whom you hold a grudge?
Is there anyone you haven’t forgiven?
Is there anyone you hate?
Is there anyone you do not love?
Are there any misunderstandings that you are unwilling to forget?
Or resentment, bitterness, that you are harboring against another person
Is there anyone you dislike to hear praised or well spoken of?
Do you allow anything to justify a wrong attitude toward another?
(Matthew 6:33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Is there anything in which you have failed to put God first?
Have your decisions been made after your own wisdom and desires, rather than seeking and following God’s will?
Do any of the following in any way interfere with your surrender and service to God:
ambition, pleasures, loved ones, friendships, desire for recognition, money, your own plans?
(Acts 1:8) But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Have you neglected to seek the lost for Christ?
Have you neglected to witness consistently with your mouth for the Lord Jesus Christ?
Has your life not shown the lost, the Lord Jesus?
(John 13:35) By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Are you secretly pleased over the misfortune of another?
Are you secretly annoyed over the accomplishments or advancements of another?
Are you guilty of any contention or strife?
Do you quarrel, argue, or engage in heated discussions?
Are you a partaker in any divisions, or party spirits?
Are there people whom you deliberately slight?
(2 Corinthians 9:6-7) But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
Have you robbed God by withholding His due of time, talents and money?
Have you robbed God by withholding your income for God’s work?
Have you failed to support mission work either in prayer or offerings?
(1 Corinthians 4:2) Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
Are you undependable so that you cannot be trusted with responsibilities in the Lord’s work?
Are you allowing your emotions to be stirred for things of the Lord but doing nothing about it?
(1 Corinthians 6:19-20) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Are you in any way careless with your body?
Do you fail to care for your body as the temple of the Holy Spirit?
Are you guilty of intemperance in eating or drinking?
Do you have any habits that are defiling to the body?
(Psalm 115:1) Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
Do you take the slightest credit for anything good about you, rather than give all the glory to God?
Do you talk of what you have done rather than what Christ has done?
Are your statements mostly about "I"?
Are your feelings easily hurt?
Have you made a pretense of being something you are not?
(2 Corinthians 3:5) Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Are you self-conscious rather than Christ-conscious?
Do you allow feelings of inferiority to keep you from attempting things you should in serving God?
(Ephesians 4:28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Do you underpay?
Do you do very little in your work?
Have you been careless in the payment of your debts?
Have you sought to evade payment of debts?
Do you waste time?
Do you waste the time of others?
(Ephesians 4:31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
Do you complain?
Do you find fault?
Do you have a critical attitude towards any person or thing?
Are you irritable or cranky?
Do you ever carry hidden anger?
Do you become impatient with others?
Are you ever harsh or unkind?
(Ephesians 5:16) Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
Do you listen to radio or television programs that are not edifying?
Do you read unworthy magazines?
Do you partake in worldly amusements?
Do you find it necessary to seek satisfaction from any questionable source?
Are you doing certain things that show you are not satisfied in the Lord Jesus Christ?
(Ephesians 5:20) Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Have you neglected to thank God for all things, the seemingly bad as well as the good?
Have you virtually called God a liar by doubting His Word?
Do you worry?
Is your spiritual temperature based on your feelings instead of on the facts of God’s Word?
(Philippians 1:21) For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Do you ever by word or deed seek to hurt someone?
Do you gossip?
Do you speak unkindly concerning people when they are not present?
Do you carry prejudice against Christians because they are of some different group than yours, or because they do not see everything exactly like you?
(Philippians 4:4) Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Have you neglected to seek to be pleasing to God in all things?
Do you carry bitterness toward God?
Have you complained against Him in any way?
Have you been dissatisfied with His provision for you?
Is there in your heart any unwillingness to obey God fully?
Do you have any reservations as to what you would or would not do concerning anything that might be
His will?
Have you disobeyed some direct leading from Him?
(Colossians 3:9) Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Do you engage in empty and unprofitable conversation?
Do you ever lie?
Do you ever exaggerate?
Do you ever cheat?
Do you ever steal?
Carefully consider: Do you ever overcharge?
(2 Timothy 2:22) Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
Do you have any personal habits that are not pure?
Do you allow impure thoughts about the opposite sex to stay in your mind?
Do you read that which is impure or suggests unholy things?
Do you indulge in any unclean entertainment?
Are you guilty of the lustful look?
(Hebrews 10:25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Do you stay away from the meetings of preaching the gospel?
Do you whisper or think about other things while God’s Word is being read or preached?
Are you irregular in attendance at services?
Do you neglect to attend or participate at services?
Do you neglect to attend or participate in meetings for prayer?
Have you neglected or slighted daily or private prayer?
Have you neglected God’s Word?
Do you find the Bible and prayer uninteresting?
Have you neglected thanksgiving at meals?
Have you neglected daily family devotions?
(Hebrews 13:17) Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Do you hesitate to submit to leaders in the church or elsewhere?
Are you lazy?
Do you rebel at requests given to you to help in the work of the Gospel?
Do you in any way have a stubborn or unteachable spirit?
(James 1:27) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
Have you allowed yourself to become "spotted" by the world?
Is your manner of dress displeasing to God?
Do you spend beyond what is pleasing to God on anything?
Do you neglect to pray about things that you buy?
(James 4:6) But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Do you feel that you are doing quite well as a Christian?
Do you feel that you are not so bad?
Do you feel that you are good enough?
Are you stubborn?
Do you insist on having your own way?
Do you insist on your "rights"?
(James 4:11) Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
Have your dishonored God and hindered His work by criticizing His servants?
Have you failed to pray regularly for your pastor and other spiritual leaders?
Do you find it hard to be corrected?
Is there rebellion toward one who wants to restore you?
Are you more concerned about what people will think than what will be pleasing to God?
If you have been honest and true in the matter of admitting your sins, then you are ready for God’s cleansing.
Sins that are admitted are sins that are confessed.
Remember these three things:
If the sin is against God, confess it to God, and make things right with Him.
If the sin is against another person, confess it to God, and make things right with that person.
If the sin is against a group, confess it to God, and make it right with the group.
If there is full confession, there will be full cleansing.
Then the joy of the Lord will follow.
Then there can be testimony and prayer in the power of the Holy Spirit. Revival will soon follow.
In closing
(Psalm 19:12) Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
