The Recipe For Revival 2 Chronicles 7
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my 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. We See : -
I. THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD Notice the three "I's" of verse 13:
2 Chronicles 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
A. We Must look to HIM
Psalms 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.
B. We Must listen to HIM
Privately Matthew 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Prayerfully James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Practically Psalms 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
C. We Must learn from HIM
In Our Country Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
In Our Churches, Acts 13:2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. v.3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
In Our Homes 2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. II. THE PEOPLE OF GOD v.14 If my people, which are called by my 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.
A. GOD'S people must Seek the fire (Solomon's Prayer)
B. GOD'S people must Start the fire (of turning back to God) Only God's People : - Sense The Need For Revival Psalms 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? See The Nature Of Revival ACTS 2 v.12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: Sigh The Neglect Of Revival Psalm 85 v 4 Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. 5 Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? 6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? 7 Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. C. GOD'S people must Spread the fire Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
D. God's people must Sustain the fire 2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
III. THE PROBLEM FOR GOD :14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves ...(Pride)
There must be the humility of : -
A. Reception ie. to receive correction Job 5:17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: Proverbs 3:12 For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. Hebrews 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
B. Recognition ie. of our sins before God
As a country, As a church, As individuals
C. Reconcilation ie. with brethren Acts Ch 2 v 1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
D. Realisation ie. of our insufficiency in ourselves 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
E. Requesting ie. help from our God "and pray" Hindrance to Prayer Is Pride
IV. THE PRAYER TO GOD 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray ...
There will be no revival without a revival of PRAYING!
There Must Be A Revival Of : -
A. Private Praying Mark 1:35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.
B. Public Praying Acts 12:12 And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John, whose surname was Mark; where many were gathered together praying.
C. Persistent Praying Luke 11:8-10 I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
Importunity - sticking with it!, Ask, and keep on asking!
Seek, and keep on seeking!, Knock, and keep on knocking!
D. Passionate Praying James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
E. Positive Praying James 1:5-6 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
V. THE PURSUIT OF GOD 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall ... 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.
A. We need to seek God's person in fellowship Psalms 42:1 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.
B. We need to seek God's power in fruitfulness John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
C. We need to seek God's plan in faithfulness Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
D. We need to seek God's priorities in fearlessness Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
E. We need to seek God's partnership in fullness 1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
VI. THE PARTING FOR GOD 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall ... turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
There will be no revival without a turning from sin among God's people!
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
Turning From : -
A. Self
B. Scorn in God's tithes and offerings Malachi 3:8-10, Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. 9 Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. 10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
C. Sloth James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
D. Slander James 4:11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.
E. Sacrilige (idols in hearts) Jobs,Family
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
F. Sympathy with the world, the flesh, and the devil
Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom, and he eventually ended up living in Sodom and sitting with the elders in the gates of the city!
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
VII. THE PROMISE FROM GOD 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my 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. There will be:
A. A regard for our prayers "then will I hear from heaven" Isaiah 59:1-2 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: 2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
B. A restoration of our fellowship "and will forgive their sin" 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
C. A repair of our land "and will heal their land"
Praying for Revival PRAY for REVELATION -- "Show me, Lord!", PRAY with REPENTANCE -- "Cleanse me, Lord!" PRAY for REFINING -- "Mold me, Lord!" PRAY for REFUELING -- "Fill me, Lord!" PRAY for RESULTS -- "Use me, Lord!"
