• Throwing things away is not my strong point. My wife and my mother can attest to this. I remember when I was a teenager Mom used to come in my room and ask, "Glenn, are you in there?" Of course she was being sarcastic (At least I think she was).
• When we moved I decided I would throw away anything I didn’t really need anymore. Of course my Regina was overjoyed by this and I don’t think I’m being sarcastic when I say we threw away more than we moved. "Why do you do that?" she asked. The truth is I don’t know. I guess I just get so used to having things around that it seems natural. I don’t really think about throwing it away.
o Colossians 3:5,6 - "Therefore put to death your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the son’s of disobedience."
o II Chr 7:14
• This morning I want to talking about “Clearing the Landscape” – getting those things out of our live that are keeping the revival flames from igniting.
• To do that… very popular Biblical Character… One you have all heard of… Jehoidia (GE-HOI-A-DUH)
o Sarcasm – A bit more obscure, powerful story of Revival
• King Ahaziah, a very evil king (influence by his even more evil mother – Ath-a-ly-a) , was brought down of his throne, by Jehu. After his death, Athaliah proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah.
o Why would she do that? If no king…Queen!
o The only possible heir she did not kill was Joash. He was taken into hiding when he was only one year old and remained there until he was 7.
• This is the point where Jehoidia took over, and stood up as God’s man to bring revival to a land being ruled by a tyrant queen.
Read Chapter 23:1-15
I. JEHOIDIA LED JUDAH TO REVIVAL WITH…
a. Strength
i. Preparation
1. He didn’t just run in blindly.
2. Know from other texts – man of prayer
3. Man of deep religious conviction
a. Warned no one besides priests and Levites to enter temple.
ii. Did not go alone – gathered Levites
iii. According to 2 Kings 11, he also gathered soldiers
b. Strategy
i. I love the line in verse 4 – “Now this is what you are to do…”
ii. Again – did not go in blindly – had a strategy!
1. third at the doors
2. third at the palace
3. third at the foundation gate
iii.Because of going in with a strategy, he was able to not only overthrow Athaliah, but place young Joash upon the throne.
iv. Now, you would think that would be enough, but he knew that true revival would not be possible without
c. Sanctification
i. Read 16-17
ii. Made a great statement - We will be the Lord’s people
iii.Tore down idols
Great example –
II. FOR US TO EXPERIENCE REVIVAL, WE MUST HAVE…
a. Strength
i. Society of spiritual wimps –
1. What can God do for me?
2. 100 reasons why a plan or program won’t be successful, but won’t give an alternate approach or offer to help.
3. Similar to the 10 spies – “We can do it” – Isreal listened to them instead of Joshua and Caleb – Why? Wimpiness is contagious!
4. Jehoiada – Verse 3b – “This is going to happen! He know that it was God’s will and that God was with him
ii. Holy Spirit
1. Wonderful gift
iii. Others
1. Just like wimpiness is contagious – So in Strength – Resolve – “How this is what is going to happen!!!”
b. Strategy
i. What do you want to accomplish with your Christianity?
1. Heaven? That’s fine – but if that is the ultimate goal of your Christianity, isn’t that kind of selfish?
2. Eph 3:10
3. Glorify God
4. Show him Praise
ii. We must have a strategy for personal revival which means asking “what do I want to accomplish” … But we also must
iii. Determine what is standing in the way of your serving God.
1. What does revival look like? What would my life look like if I experienced revival?
2. Jehoiada knew that Revival looked like Joash sitting on a throne in a land free of idols.
3. Do you know what revival looks like? God sitting on a throne, in a life free of idols!
c. Sanctification
i. Revival – Clearing the Landscape
1. Society – Political
2. Church – Watchdog
ii. SELF – CLEAR THE LANDSCAPE
1. Colossians 3:5,6 - "Therefore put to death your members which are on earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the son’s of disobedience."
2. Romans 12:1-2
3. Paul says “kill the sinful self”
a. A little sin is still sin!
CH Spurgeon graphically illustrates the danger of the "little foxes" that destroy the vineyard.
"Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines." Song of Solomon 2:15
A little thorn may cause much suffering. A little cloud may hide the sun. Little foxes spoil the vines; and little sins do mischief to the tender heart. These little sins burrow in the soul, and make it so full of that which is hateful to Christ, that he will hold no comfortable fellowship and communion with us. A great sin cannot destroy a Christian, but a little sin can make him miserable.
iii. Do you know what revival comes down to – it comes down to echoing the great words of Jehoiada – but on a personal level. I will be the Lords person!
Conclusion
God, thru Paul, tells us in 1 Cor. 10:14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. – Clear idols from your landscape. What idols am I talking about? Not necessarily a carved image, but a craved object! Anything that stands in the way of God ruling your life.
In The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen retells a tale from ancient India: Four royal brothers decided each to master a special ability. Time went by, and the brothers met to reveal what they had learned. "I have mastered a science," said the first, "by which I can take but a bone of some creature and create the flesh that goes with it." I," said the second "know how to grow that creature’s skin and hair if there is flesh on its bones." The third said, "I am able to create its limbs if I have flesh, the skin, and the hair." "And I," concluded the fourth, "know how to give life to that creature if its form is complete."
Thereupon the brothers went into the jungle to find a bone so they could demonstrate their specialities. As fate would have it, the bone they found was a lion’s. One added flesh to the bone, the second grew hide and hair, the third completed it with matching limbs, and the fourth gave the lion life. Shaking its mane, the ferocious beast arose and jumped on his creators. He killed them all and vanished contentedly into the jungle.
We too have the capacity to create what can devour us. Goals and dreams can consume us. Possessions and property can turn and destroy us--unless we first seek God’s kingdom and righteousness, and allow Him to breathe into what we make of life.
Pray
Why this emphasis on clearing the landscape? Jehoiada knew…We must clear the landscape if the KING is to be effective on his throne!
