FINDING THE POWER FOR REVIVAL
Introduction
Sir C. Aubrey Smith, grand old gentlemen of stage and screen, liked to dine quietly. Consequently he was rather put out when, in a Hollywood restaurant, he happened to be seated near a noisy diner who kept yelling for the waiter. "What do you have to do," demanded the pest finally, "to get a glass of water in this dump?"
The sedate, polished Sir Aubrey turned to the noisy one and quietly asked, "Why don’t you try setting yourself on fire?"
1. Introductory Comments
2. In today’s lessons I have 3 points
1 - A Fading Fire - The typical cycle
2 - Rekindling the flame
3 - Acquiring the Fire
That fire – that power for revival difficult to find
3. As we begin this morning - let us ask, WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FIRE?
(After long he’ll be just like us)
I. THE TYPICAL CYCLE
A. The Initial Reaction
1. Acts 8 - Ethiopian "went on his way rejoicing"
2. Out of Baptistery - What did you do? TOLD PEOPLE
3. Byron - called at 1 in the morning
4. Buy a new car - excited
5. Something happens after time
B. The Newness wears off
1. You don’t show the car off/ wash it / want a new one!
2. How many people did you tell about you salvation the first week?
a. In contrast - How many did you tell last week? Last year?
b. Paul reminded the philippians to rejoice 10 times in that small letter
c. (1) Why did he remind them - he knew that the newness would wear off
(2) Other things would take precedence
C. Sub-conscious shame
1. Larry’s story / "Who know’s Jesus?"
a. Would you have answered?
2. Phil. 1:20 - "In nothing shall I be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so no also Christ will be magnified in my body.
3. Are you excited about being a Christian?
4. Are you proud of Jesus Christ?
I know you are - there for we must rekindle the flame – find the power for Revival
II. FINDING THE POWER FOR REVIVAL
A. I Kings 18 - Stand off between Elijah and the prophets of Baal
1. Go over story
B. The difference between Elijah and Prophets
1. Baal - looking to nothing for their fire - a false God
2. Elijah - looked to God
C. Where do we look for fire
1. False gods?
D. Look to God!
1. Jesus said "Do all I have commanded you - and lo I am with you always"
2. "Move this mountain" (matt.17)
3. Matt 19:26 - "With god all things are Possible"
4. Mk. 9:23 "All things are possible to him that Loves the Lord"
E. If you want the church to grow - If you want the fire back in your heart as it
once was, realize what the prophets of Baal realized when they saw this fire from heaven
"THE LORD - HE IS GOD"
F. The problem is, sometime as soon as we get fired up - it goes out again.
1. Lasting Revival
III. ACQUIRING THE FIRE
A. Recognize the need
1. We live in a time of great moral decline
2. Same was true in the time of Elijah, Moses, Ezekiel
a. Clutter, desensitization, our false God’s
B. Recognize God’s power
1. We cannot bring fire - comes from God
a. The Lord - He is God
C. Get on our knees - and STAY THERE
1. Pray - seek God face - Confess (II Chr. 7:14)
D. Be willing to change from the status quo
1. Not the church - it cannot be changed
2. Yourself
3. In John 1:35-42 we see a change
a. Simon’s name was changed to Peter
b. Why? Because Jesus did not want him to be "Simon" anymore - he wanted a change
c. We too have received a name change - "CHRISTIAN"
d. If we allow Christ to change our name - we must be willing to change our life style.
E. Share your Revival experience
a. Mark 16:15 - Go into all the world"
(1) Greek word "as you are going into all the world"
b. as we are going we must teach
c. But for revival to be shared - it must be seen!
(SONG - “THE FIRE”)
CONCLUSION
1. Concluding remarks
2. Today people are not looking for “church” - they are looking for God!
3. What about you - are you seeking God - his fire -
4. Did you once have it and it faded
