What America Needs Most By Gerald Van Horn
Text. Psalms 85:6 “Wilt thou not revive us again; that thy people may rejoice in thee?”
I want to speak to your conscience and to your heart today. I believe that this is message from God for America. There is one thing and one thing only that will save America. Political parties, the GMA, the military, our culture or our constitution cannot save America. One thing and one thing only can save our land.
A Mighty nation-wide Holy Ghost sent revival can and will save America. The only ones who can do this is the people of God. The church. The world cannot do it.
Ill. In our text. In the darkest our of Israel David cried out to God for revival. This was an earnest prayer. It is not to be taken lightly. David realized that the only thing that would save his nation. He believed that there was hope. I believe that there is hope for our nation. The key is revival of God’s people. I mean not just bringing in an evangelist for a few nights services or some great promotional program. Not some new fangled thing to tickle the peoples ears but a heart felt prayer of crying out to God for what
we need as a nation. A people with such a purpose will bring back that which was lost. Let me touch on four things in the text:
1. An earnest prayer.
No revival ever came to a nation with out prayer. A desperate kind of prayer. One that moves the heart of God. God will answer that kind of prayer. However, the Christians are not receiving the blessing and the answer that will awake our nation again. Our forefathers knew the secret in this area. God help us to learn from them. God will bless and answer this kind of earnest prayer. Our nation will be blessed. God will keep His Word. Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Now is the time. We must not wait. May I remind you of what James said in James 4:3 “ Ye ask, and receive not because you ask amiss.” On this day in our history we need to desperately pray.
2. God can and will send refreshing in the darkest hour. Israel dwelt with humanism. Time and time again God indicts them for you have departed from the Lord and despised His commandments. We have secularism to deal with today. God is waiting for the church to wake up. It is a dark hour for our country. Need I remind you of all the lawlessness, innocent lives being taken every second in the day. The land we all love is full of rebellion. There is hope. The Old Testament tells us about Ahab that wicked king and Jezebel. It was
a dark hour for Israel. One man stood alone on Mt Carmel and challenged the devil’s crowd. 400 prophets were hiding. Elijah called fire down from heaven by a short but desperate prayer. Nehemiah is also good example for America. He stood along among ruins of his beloved city and wept. And God heard him. He was desperate and prayed a desperate prayer. On the day of Pentecost were 120 in the upper room received power to reach their world. My friends it can and must happen again. Despite our sins God still loves America. Revival came to Europe by such men as John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, Calvin to name just a few. God is no respecter of persons and He will do the same for America. In our history I remind you Billy Graham. I point you to Azusa street fostered by a black man named Seymour and spread to Kansas and even Oklahoma. Our nation was shaken and needs to be shaken again. Not to digress but in the tribulation period many will come to Christ during those dark hours. Where sin and inequity abounds there grace much more abound. The directions are clear.” If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.” (Chronicles 7:14). We know it and we love to quote it but are we really doing it? Turn is a good anachronism. T- for take time. U_ for understand the truth. R- repent. N- do it now.
3- God always uses His people. We must be an open vessel before the Lord. Seek His face and wait on Him. The answer will come. I do not know of a single church that would not want to be a part in such a manifestation. God is looking down from heaven for a people on their knees. We have no one to blame but ourselves. It’s not a happy refrain. It’s not a matter of pointing fingers and blaming each other. It is a matter of the heart. We must do what we know is right.
Ill. An older man and his wife went to a marriage counselor. They felt they needed some help in their relationship. The wife went on and on about the man not being efficient toward her. She complained that her pays no attention to her and all she wanted was some act of love on his part. The counselor looked at the man and he just sat there saying nothing. Finally the counselor got up from his desk and bent the woman over backward and gave her a big kiss. He turned to the man and said, “That’s what she needs!” To which the man replied, “O.k. I’ll bring her in twice a week.”
From our text the directions are very clear. II Chronicles 7:14. (We love to quote it) “If my people , which are called by mine name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” Almost anyone can quote it. But have we done it. The verse points out what is most important. Turn.
#4. The results of such a revival. Great is the reward. People will rejoice in the Lord. They will experience the love of the Lord. It will prompt great joy in each life and in the church. There will be prayer. There will be brokenness for souls. America will be blessed again. The church is the hope of the world stands between judgment and redemption. We are to be the light of the world but is the light turned on. An old commercial had a saying, “Try it you might like it.”
