GETTING READY FOR REVIVAL
INTRO TO TOPIC:
Do you ever ask yourself: Is this as good as it gets? Is Christianity just about coming to church and singing songs and hearing stories about what God did in the past? Or is there more?
QUOTE: Leonard Ravenhill said, “There was a time when people went to church to meet with God. Now they come to church to sing songs and hear stories about Him.”
“The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former.” (Haggai 2:9).
• The Lord declared that the glory of the latter church would be greater than the former.
• We’re not there yet! Look at the early church:
o They were a close-knit family of believers, extravagantly generous with their lives
o Thousands were saved in a day; signs and wonders and miracles were common
• My prayer today is, “More, Lord!” I want to experience everything God has for us!
THE BIG IDEA: If we want to see God bring a revival to the church, we must walk in humility, pray bold prayers, hunger after God, and turn from sin.
WHAT IS REVIVAL: Chayah: sustain life, be restored to life or health; cause to grow; restore.
“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6).
“O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!” (Habakkuk 3:2).
• Two kinds of revival in the Bible: Personal and corporate - the church.
• Something that’s alive and healthy will be growing and bear fruit!
• When we are revived, we will be ‘juicy fruit’ Christians – full of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control).
SIGNS THE CHURCH NEEDS A REVIVAL:
When the people of God are easily offended; easily gossip; compromise with and justify sin; act and talk just like the world, put sports over God’s house, neglect prayer and Bible reading…
AN EXAMPLE: THE WELSH REVIVAL OF 1904:
- 1904 - 26 year old ‘youth intern’ Evan Roberts had prayed for revival for 11 years.
- felt God was going to pour out a mighty spirit of revival on Wales - prayed, Bend me, O Lord!
- pastor led him speak following a prayer meeting, only 17 stayed, mostly youth & young adults.
- all ended up at altar crying out to God until 2 am. That week, 60 people were saved,
- next 1 1/2 years = revival in Wales, 100,000 people saved.
- changed national culture - bars & liquor stores shut down; entire police force dismissed
- would pray from 1-5 am; prayer meetings were multiplied (2,000 in a meeting).
WHEN REVIVAL FIRE FELL:
“1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house. 3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the Lord, saying: "For He is good, For His mercy endures forever…” (2 Chron. 7:1-3).
FOUR KEYS TO GETTING READY FOR REVIVAL:
“if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14).
1. WALK IN HUMILITY: (roadblock: pride)
1. “For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble.” (Is. 57:15).
• ILLUSTRATION: A young woman went to her pastor and said, “Pastor, I’m struggling with a sin, and I want your help. I come to church on Sunday and I can’t help thinking I’m the prettiest girl in the congregation. I know I shouldn’t think that, but I can’t help it. Please help me.” The pastor replied, “Mary, don’t worry about it. In your case it’s not a sin. It’s just a horrible mistake.”
• Humility means we acknowledge we need God.
• How many of us go through a whole day without calling on Him?
• QUOTE: “God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for His power.” (Jim Cymbala, Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire).
2. PRAY BOLD PRAYERS: (roadblock: prayerlessness)
• “Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24).
• It’s time for us to make this our one main prayer: “Lord, send revival!”
• QUOTE: “Faith’s supreme longing is for the return of the glory that has departed from the sanctuary… If we today could rediscover the virtue in that Name, the victory in that Name, the violence in that Name, we could set this world alight for God.” (Leonard Ravenhill, Revival Praying).
• It’s time to pray big prayers! Ephesians 3:20: God promised to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ask or imagine…
3. HUNGER AFTER GOD: (roadblock: satisfaction)
• “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water. So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.” (Psalm 63:1-2).
• We need to realize revival isn’t a formula, it’s about falling in love with Jesus again!
• QUOTE: “God chasers are after the fresh presence of the Almighty. Sometimes their pursuit raises the eyebrows of the existing church, but usually they lead the church from a place of dryness back into the place of His presence. It’s simply not enough to know about God. We have churches filled with people who can win Bible trivia contests but who don’t know Him.” (Tommy Tenney, The God Chasers).
• We’ve got to stop just seeking His hands (his blessings – health, prosperity, peace, etc) and start seeking His face (His presence, knowing Him).
• Paul said, “My determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him.” (Phil. 3:10, Amp).
• The secret place – Matt. 6:6 – return to first love, Mary and Martha – PREACH!
4. TURN FROM SIN: (roadblock: sin)
• “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.” (Matthew 3:1-3).
• Before Jesus came the first time (2,000 years ago) in power, He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way. Repentance precedes revival!
• Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand (it’s here, it’s near).
• God will come in revival when we seek Him in humility, prayer and repentance.
CLOSING: PRAYER FOR HUNGER!
Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
