God’s Prescription for Revival
April 13, 2008 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: True revival will come when God’s people humble themselves.
Focus Passage: 2 Chronicles 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Supplemental Passage: Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?
Introduction: A severe rash prompted a man from a rural area to come to town to be examined by a doctor. After the usual history-taking followed by a series of test, the physician advised the patient that he would have to get rid of the dog that was evidently causing the allergic reaction. As the man was preparing to leave the office, the doctor asked him out of curiosity if he planned to sell the animal or give it away. "Neither one," the patient replied. "I'm going to get me one of them second opinions I been reading about. It's a lot easier to find a doctor than a good bird dog."
I. Revival is for God’s People
a. God’s ownership – my people
b. God’s family- my name
II. Revival includes four ingredients:
a. Humility
i. Mat 23:12 "Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
ii. Php 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
b. Prayer
i. (Matthew 7:7) "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:"
ii. Prayer pulls the rope below and the great bell rings above in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell, for they pray so languidly. Others give but an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins with heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continuously, with all his might. Charles Spurgeon
c. Desire
i. 1 Chronicles 16:11) "Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually."
ii. Mat 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
d. Repentance
i. (Isaiah 55:7) Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
ii. Repentance is like getting lost in the desert. You must first realize that you are lost, then you must turn around to take a different track.
III. Revival results?
a. I will hear from Heaven
b. I will forgive their sin
c. I will heal their land
Invitation:
The kingdom of God is not going to advance by our churches becoming filled with men, but by men in our churches becoming filled with God.
Howard Spring.
Revival is that sovereign work of God in which He visits His own people, restoring and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing.
Robert Coleman.
Revival cannot be organized, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again.
G. Campbell Morgan.
Revival is an invasion from heaven that brings a conscious awareness of God.
Stephen Olford.
A true revival means nothing less than a revolution, casting out the spirit of worldliness, making God's love triumph in the heart.
Andrew Murray.
Revival is the church falling in love with Jesus all over again.
Vance Havner.
