DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL?
ACTS 19:18-20
January 31, 2001 (WED)
PARKERSBURG BAPTIST CHURCH
INTRODUCTION:
QUESTION—IS EXPECTING THE FULL SUPPORT FOR A SERIES OF REVIVAL MEETINGS ENTIRELY TOO MUCH FOR MOST CHURCH MEMBERS? IS THE ATTITUDE OF MOST MEMBERS, I’LL TRY AND MAKE IT ONE SERVICE, BUT DON’T EXPECT ME TO GIVE UP ALL MY NIGHTLY PLEASURES AND MAKE THEM ALL.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? DO YOU NEED A:
PARDON FROM THE SAVIOR—I JOHN 1:5-10
DO YOU NEED TO CONFESS SIN TO CHRIST, AND REVIVE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM TO WHAT IT ONCE WAS?
DO YOU NEED A COMPLETE PARDON FROM ALL SIN?
DO YOU NEED TO BE CLEANSED BY FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF CHRIST?
WE ALL COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD, WHETHER SAVED OR UNSAVED.
IF YOU HARBOR SIN IN YOUR LIFE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL OR INSIGNIFICANT IT MAY SEEM, YOU DO NOT HAVE THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
THE ONLY WAY TO RIGHT THIS RELATIONSHIP IS TO CONFESS YOUR SINS, AND BY FAITH BE CLEANSED OR RECEIVE A PARDON FROM THE SAVIOR.
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? DO YOU NEED TO HEAR:
PREACHING OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES—II TIM. 4:1-3
DO YOU NEED TO HEAR THE PREACHING OF THE LORDSHIP OF THE SAVIOR?
DO YOU NEED TO HEAR THE PREACHING OF REPENT AND LEAVE YOUR SINS?
DO YOU NEED TO HEAR THE PREACHING THAT WILL INSTRUCT YOU TO GROW AS A SAINT?
ALL CHRISTIANS NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE LORDSHIP OF THE SAVIOR. TO REMIND US OF WHO HE IS AND WHO WE ARE.
WE NEED TO BE REMINDED TO REPENT OUR SINS AND LEAVE THEM BEHIND. BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN TRULY GROW AS A SAINT.
WE CAN STUDY THE BIBLE ALL WE WANT TO, BUT AS LONG AS WE DO NOT REPENT AND LEAVE THOSE SINS BEHIND, THEN THE SCRIPTURES ARE NOTHING BUT WORDS. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT GOING TO LEAD US OR DIRECT US THROUGH THE WORD, UNLESS WE ARE CONFESSED UP.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? DO YOU NEED:
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT—ACTS 1:8
DO YOU NEED THE SPIRIT WHO HAS THE POWER TO CLEANSE YOUR HEART?
DO YOU NEED THE SPIRIT WHO HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE YOUR HABITS?
DO YOU NEED THE SPIRIT WHO HAS THE POWER TO CALL YOU TO A PLACE OF SERVICE AND HONOR?
WE CHRISTIANS NEED THE SPIRIT MORE THAN WE KNOW. JESUS COMMANDED US TO GO TEACH ALL NATIONS, AND HERE IN ACTS 1:8 HE TELLS US HOW AND WHERE WE WILL GET THE POWER TO GO AND TEACH TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH.
HE COMMANDS US AND THEN HE EQUIPS US. DON’T WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SAVIOR?
THE SPIRIT TOO HAS THE POWER TO CLEANSE OUR HEARTS AND TO CHANGE OUR HABITS. THE SPIRIT IS ANOTHER PERSONALITY OF OUR TRIUNE GOD. THE SPIRIT HAS ALL THE POWER THAT GOD HAS. SO DON’T YOU THINK THAT SOMEONE WITH ALL THIS POWER CAN HELP US TO BE CLEANSED AND TO CHANGE?
THE SPIRIT WILL CALL US TO SERVICE AND HONOR. THE SPIRIT GIVES US THE POWER TO SERVE AND WHAT IS MORE HONORABLE THAN TO REACH HEAVEN, AND HEAR, WELL DONE THOU GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? WILL YOU:
PLAN TO BE IN EVERY SERVICE—HEBREWS 10:25
DO YOU NEED TO BE THERE TO WORSHIP?
DO YOU NEED TO BE THERE TO WORK?
DO YOU NEED TO BE THERE TO WITNESS?
IT IS TRUE THAT ONE CAN WORSHIP GOD ALONE, AND IN HIS/HER OWN WAY. AND THIS IS ENCOURAGED IN OUR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS LISTED IN THE SCRIPTURES WHERE GOD RESPONDS TO THE VOICES OF MANY.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN, GOD RESPONDED TO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AS THEY WOULD REPENT AND HAVE A NATIONWIDE REVIVAL.
THE PRAYERS OF ONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT I BELIEVE THE PRAYERS OF ONE BODY, MAKE AN IMPACT UPON GOD.
WHAT DOES CHRONICLES 7:14 THAT WE READ LAST WEEK SAY?
“IF MY (PERSON) PEOPLE, WHICH (IS) ARE CALLED BY MY NAME, SHALL HUMBLE (HIMSELF) THEMSELVES AND PRAY, AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM (HIS) THEIR WICKED WAYS; THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE (HIS) THEIR SIN, AND WILL HEAL (HIS) THEIR LAND.”
WE SHOULD NEVER FORSAKE THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER.
WE NEED TO WORSHIP TOGETHER, WORK TOGETHER, AND BE IN EVERY SERVICE TO WITNESS TO THE LOST THAT MAY BE DRAWN IN.
WE EACH HAVE A PURPOSE IN THE WORK AND WORSHIP OF GOD.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? DO YOU NEED TO BE:
PART OF THE SOUL-WINNING—ACTS 4:32
DO YOU HAVE A BURDEN FOR THE LOST? AS A CHRISTIAN YOU SHOULD. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM AND WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO.
CAN YOU BRING A FRIEND TO THE SERVICE? YOU SHOULD. WE ARE COMMANDED TO GO REACH THE WORLD FOR JESUS.
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN BE A SOUL-WINNER? YOU CAN. ACTS 1:8 TELLS US THAT WE SHALL RECEIVE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE WITNESSES TO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? WILL YOU:
PROMOTE AND HELP THE SINGING—EPHESIANS 5:19
CAN YOU BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR PLACE OF RESPONSIBILITY? WE ARE ALL CALLED TO DO SOMETHING FOR CHRIST. THE SPIRIT HAS GIVEN US ALL DIFFERENT TALENTS AND GIFTS.
IT IS OUR DUTY TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE TALENTS AND GIFTS THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN, BY USING THEM IN SERVICE TO THE LORD.
CAN YOU BE FRIENDLY TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU? NO ONE LIKES GOING SOMEWHERE THAT THEY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO A CHURCH AND JUST FELT COMPLETELY OUT OF PLACE?
HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO A CHURCH AND FELT LIKE PEOPLE WERE LOOKING DOWN ON YOU?
HAVE YOU EVER GONE TO A CHURCH WHERE THE ATMOSPHERE WAS A DEAD ONE?
IF YOU HAVE, THEN LET US TOGETHER MAKE SURE THAT WE DO NOT PROJECT THESE TYPES OF ATMOSPHERES AND FEELINGS TOWARDS THOSE THAT MAY VISIT US FROM TIME TO TIME.
MAKE SURE THAT PARKERSBURG IS A WELCOMING AND LOVING PLACE, WHERE JESUS CHRIST CAN BE SEEN AND FELT AMONG US IN THE WAY WE ACT TOWARDS OTHERS.
CAN YOU FERVENTLY AND JOYFULLY EXPRESS YOUR FAITH? (READ EPH 5:19 AGAIN)
SING WITH JOY AND THANKSGIVING IN OUR HEARTS. PROJECT JOY AND PEACE IN YOUR VOICE WHEN TALKING WITH OTHERS IN THE CONGREGATION.
I HAVE HEARD MANY OF YOU SAY, THAT YOU CANNOT SING. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING THAT MAY CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK AND FEEL ABOUT YOUR SINGING ABILITY.
MAN HEARS WHAT YOUR VOICE IS DOING. HE HEARS WHETHER YOU ARE ON KEY OR OFF KEY. HE HEARS THE CRACK OF NERVOUSNESS YOU MAY FEEL, HE HEARS THE HOARSENESS YOU MAY HAVE. MAN HEARS WHETHER YOU HAVE A VOICE GIFTED FOR SINGING.
NOW LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION. WHO KNOWS OUR HEARTS BETTER THAN WE DO?
GOD LISTENS TO YOUR HEART. GOD PICKS UP ON THE EMOTION, THE PRAISE AND ADORATION THAT IS FELT WHEN YOU SING, THE BIBLE SAYS MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE, NOT SING ON KEY.
DON’T LET YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT HOW YOU THINK YOU OUGHT TO SOUND, DESTROY THE PRAISE IN YOUR HEART FOR GOD WHEN YOU SING PRAISES TO HIS NAME. ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT GOD LISTENS TO YOUR HEART, GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART.
YOU ARE SINGING TO GOD ANYWAY AND TO NO ONE IN THE SERVICE.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL? CAN YOU:
PRAY AND FAST FOR THE SALVATION OF SINNERS—ACTS 13:3
CAN YOU PRAY AND FAST FOR THOSE YOU KNOW ARE LOST? WE SHOULD. PRAYING AND FASTING CAN BE A FORM OF SACRIFICE FOR GOD. THIS IS THE NEW TESTAMENT PLAN. WE SEE HERE IN THIS PASSAGE THAT THE CHURCH PRAYED AND FASTED FOR THOSE AROUND THEM.
WHEN GOD SEES THAT WE DEPRIVE OURSELVES OF SOMETHING WE NEED, IT GETS HIS ATTENTION.
IF YOU FAST FOR ONE MEAL, USE THAT NORMAL MEAL TIME TO PRAY.
LET GOD AND GOD ALONE SEE YOUR EARNESTNESS. NEVER FAST OR TELL ANYONE THAT DOES NOT NEED TO KNOW, THAT YOU ARE FASTING.
FAITH AND PRACTICE ARE THE CHRISTIAN WAY. LOOK AT V 4 IN CHAPTER 13. THE HOLY SPIRIT SENT THEM. AND THEY OBEYED. THEY WENT. THEY HAD FAITH THAT THEY WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF.
DO WE HAVE THAT TYPE OF FAITH TODAY?
FORGIVENESS AND PRAISE ARE THE RESULTS OF REVIVAL.
PRAYING AND FASTING FOR THE SALVATION OF SINNERS WILL RESULT IN THE FORGIVENESS OF THEIR SINS AND PRAISE TO THE LORD FOR THE FORGIVENESS THAT HE HAS GIVEN.
DON’T YOU NEED A REVIVAL?
