THE FIVE PRINCIPLES OF REVIVAL
Mark 2:1-5
And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them) no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. And they come unto him) bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins beforgiven thee.
I believe we are in perilous times, but we do have a way to survive them.
We have a copy of the blessed book. the Bible.
A.W. Tozier said, '"Revival is the church getting back to 'normal'.
"I believe normality is shown to us in
Acts 4:33
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.'
I believe normality is essentially the church in unity and Christ in control!
What is the solution to bring us back to the normality of revival-in the church?
I. THE MASTER MUST BE EXALTED.
"It was noised that he was in the house."
I believe that if we could just get Jesus in the house, we wouldn't have a problem getting people to the church.
When it was noised that He was in the house, the multitude came.
I still believe Jesus will draw the biggest crowds.
I believe that He can draw a bigger crowd than the rodeo or Nascar, or the Superbowl.
If we could just get Jesus "in the house" we would see God do something.
I believe we are in the Laodicean age.
We have a carnival atmosphere in many churches, and Jesus is outside knocking at the door.
He is saying, "If you will open the door, I will come in."
Paul calls what we see in many churches today "fairground religion."
In Galatians 6: 12, he mentions "those who like to make a fair show' in the flesh. "
That's where we are today; merry-go round worship - you get off where you got on; cotton candy preaching - it melts in your mouth before it gets to your heart; funhouse activities we've got it all.
Not every church really wants Jesus in the house, because if He were there, they might have to change their order of program.
Jesus must be in our "bodily" house before He can be in our "church" house.
Has it ever really dawned on you that you are literally housing the etemal Son of the Living God?
The One who fashioned the universe has reduced Himself to live in my heart.
"Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27).
He's seated on the right hand of the Father, but He's right here in our hearts.
He's not only there, He's here!
If we could just get up there while we're down here, we could start getting some of "up there" "down here."
It would change things!
II. THE MESSAGE MUST BE EXPOUNDED.
Verse 2 says, "He preached the word unto them.
This is what we need - the Word of God.
We are living in a famine today.
Amos 8:11
" Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."
You'd be surprised how little of the pure Word of God is preached in our land today.
God didn't call us to entertain people; He called us to preach the Word.
This is what it's all about.
The devil is doing his best to take the Word of God out of America.
They've tried to legislate it out; they've tried to print it out; they've tried to translate it out; they've tried to preach it out.
When our soldiers went to Saudi Arabia, they couldn't even take a Bible on their grounds, but we have Muslim mosques all over the landscape of America.
When a Muslim senator; elected by the people of America, can refuse to be sworn in on the Holy Word of God, but instead was sworn in on the Koran, our country has come a long, long way!
If we don’t have revival, there is absolutely no hope.
We have "user friendly religion" now catering to the consumer!
But the Word is still here because the Word is Jesus.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us ... " (vs. 1-4 &14).
The divine Son of God became the son of man in order for the sons of men to become the sons of God.
We are housing the eternal Son of God in our hearts.
He is the Word of God.
All we need is the blessed Word of God.
Preachers, you are responsible!
The only hope for our churches and our country is the Word of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
We must proclaim that Jesus is Lord.
There is a doctrine floating around today that says that you can receive Jesus as your Savior now and make him Lord later.
I want you to know that you can't make Jesus anything!
Peter said in his discourse on the day of Pentecost, "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).
God has already said that Jesus IS Lord.
All we can do is confess the settled fact.
It isn't a matter of whether" you're going to do it; it's a matter of "when" you're going to do it.
This message must be expounded!
III. MISSIONS MUST BE EXHORTED.
Verse 5 says,
And they come unto Him brining one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
We need to get back to thepriority of reaching people. Soul-winning is a Scriptural term.
Proverbs 11:30
He that winneth souls is wise.
Daniel 12:3
And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.
We need to get back to doing the will of God.
Matthew 28:18-20
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
Many churches are bereft of the presence of God, because they have ceased to be "mission-minded."
You don't have to go to Africa or Nicaragua, or Honduras to be on the mission field.
Are there any more sinners in Arizona?
Are there any more sinners in Louisiana?
This whole world is a mission field.
We are responsible, as God's children, to take the Word of God into this world.
He has never withdrawn this commission from the church of the Living God.
When the woman at the well met Jesus, she ran and told the whole town about Him.
The disciples had just been into that town to buy food and had failed to tell one person that Jesus was at the well.
This little woman became an instant soul-winner when she met Jesus.
God has called us to plant the seed, and He will bring the harvest.
IV. MIRACLES MUST BE EXPECTED.
Verse 5 says, "When Jesus saw their faith ... "
A person who doesn't believe in miracles doesn’t believe in God.
When Sonny Holland was in Cambodia, they were trying to take Bibles about 100 miles north from where they were staying.
They were told not be out of town after sundown.
They got about half way there and the transmission started going out in their jeep.
All four of them got out and stood around the jeep.
Holland said, "Men, we can stand here until sundown, and they will come by and blow us away, or we can believe God, pray, and ask God for a miracle."
He had never prayed for an inanimate object in his life, but when it's life or death, He said, it will change your mind.
They got back in that jeep, turned the key; it cranked up, and they drove to their destination.
They distributed those Bibles and returned to their town an hour before sundown.
God still answers prayer! Faith is simply taking God at His Word.
Hebrews 11:6
"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
He still performs miracles.
We are going to have to have a miracle to get through these perilous times in our world.
He is everything we need.
V. A MANIFESTATION OF PRAISES MUST BE EXPRESSED.
Mark 2:12
And immediately he arose, took up the bed and went forth before them all, insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
They glorified God.
I owe God so much!
You would have to know where God got me from to really know where I am now.
Psalm 40:2-3
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
CONCLUSION
Would you be willing to be a candidate for revival?
Wouldn’t you like to see an an old-fashioned, God-breathed Heaven sent, Hell-disturbing, Christ-exalting, sin-killing, devil-driving, revival where God draws souls into the kingdom of God?
It can still happen.
God is looking for us to believe Him.
Are you willing to take the keys of your life and lay them on the altar?
Are you willing to tell God you will go anywhere He leads?
We must be emptied of ourselves before we can be filled with God’s Spirit. God must be in control.
That’s why the only way real revival can happen.
