How To Have Revival.
2 Chronicles 7:14-16NKJV
What is Revival?
1. Revival is not a weeks worth of meetings.
2. Revival is not started in one day.
3. Revival is not controlled by man.
4. Revival is a heart thing.
5. Revival is always brought on by repentance.
6. Revival is renewed zeal to obey God.
In the year 2020, the definition for revival remains the same. Improvement, Advance, A spiritual clean-up that makes everything better. In some cases, when it comes to Home improvement such as furniture, it means to repair, buff out the old look, fix dents and sometimes make dents, to restore means to produce restoration.
How do we have a revival?
Today text, God appears to Solomon for the second time—2 Chronicles 7:14-16NKJV.
14 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. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
Notice—A humbling of ones self.
Secondly—Pray. No substitute.
Thirdly—First, and foremost—A seeking of His face.
Fourthly—Turn from all their wicked ways.
God say’s, “Then and only then, will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land.”
What is God saying? “There will be an open heaven; God is saying, “My name will be there forever!”
Testimony—I don’t know if you’ve ever heard the bio of Betty Maltz, She’s written 10 books. One of her books is called, My Glimpse Into Eternity. She writes while on vacation I became deathly ill with an infected appendix. She was medically dead for 27 mins. She came back to life; however, she slipped in a coma that lasted 44 days. Toxic poison spread throughout her body. Her body became gangrene. All her organs begin shutting down.
In her book she speaks of hearing the true spirit of everyone’s prayers as they came by to pray for her. Some prayed with doubt, some prayed lifeless prayers. However, Betty speaks of those that could pray, and the difference it made. She remembered her daddies prayer the most. As he came in her room all he could say is—Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
A spiritual awakening—Revival—produces perpetual open eyes and ears from God.
How about that?
Again, Revival’s are sometimes connected to a set of meetings with special speakers, God can and will anoint this.
Key Note—I’d like to add right here, “A submitted life, fully committed to God will walk in a new- founded joy, righteousness, peace, and love in and through the Holy Spirit.”
Some attend revivals and receive emotional touches. However, without submission, and a taking up of ‘ones’ cross, it won’t last. P.H
It might feel good, but that’s not enough.
Some seek for a spiritual awakening, and if this awakening is genuine it will produce fruitful service, mixed with humility before God and man.
What do you think Jesus’ definition of revival would be?
He answered that question in, Matthew 22:36-40NKJV “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
“The God kind of revival produces a new relationship with God and man.” P.H
Revival is deeper and greater than just a set of meetings. Revival is a renewal, it’s an awareness of the filth of our flesh, and by faith through God’s grace we are set free!
God gave His church—His bride—A blue-print for revival.
The first part—Receiving God’s love. You have to receive God’s love. You can’t love God without receiving His free unconditional love.
Listen in a new way to Acts 2:1-4NKJV When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
You could say, Pentecost was God loving His bride—His church!
CECC, you want revival? Love God.
Always remember, God first loved you!
Romans 5:8-9NKJV But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Revival means the soul of a person—Their mind, will and emotions are touched through God’s spoken word. The soul is touched and the spirit man renewed.
Jeremiah 23:29NIV Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
2 Timothy 3:16NET Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
The spirit of God moves through your awareness that something is missing or forgotten, or maybe lost. P.H
Remember Luke 15, Jesus cares so much— Jesus speaks of a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son.
Revival is a great manifestation of God’s Holy Spirit coming down and producing love, joy and peace. Revival is first and foremost for the Church. As joy and love make their way up and down every church chair, this joy flows forward into our everyday life.
How many of you know that you will talked of what you’re excited about?
“Has God’s word excited the spirit in you lately?” P.H
The early church in Acts 2, received a word explosion. The OT producing fulfilled prophecy from Joel 2:23-29NKJV Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you—The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month. 24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat, And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. 25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust,
My great army which I sent among you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. 27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame. 28 “And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. 29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
Not only do you love, and are loved by God. Now you love others as well. You see others as God sees them.
Listen to the second part of revival. Acts 2, Peter preaches, and three thousand people are saved.
Hear what revival produced—Loving each other. Here’s the results of loving others. Acts 2:42-47NKJV And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added [q]to the church daily those who were being saved.
Revival should ring forth—the lost being saved! Revival should speak clearly—“Come as you are; come home, come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Give your heart and life to the King. The King who created purpose, renewed vision, renewed love, joy and peace!”
Last but not least, Revival should produce happy, wholesome marriages and in all relationships—God desires revival in our marriages.
In fact, The spiritual level of your marriage, meaning your walk with your spouse, will always exemplify your spiritual level with God. P.H
How do I have revival? “Come to Jesus, come as you are. Come humbly, Come and pray—dialogue with Creator—God. Seek His face, turn from wickedness.”
RG Lee—Revival -- If?
If all the sleeping folk will wake up,
If all the lukewarm folk will fire up,
If all the dishonest folk will confess up,
If all the disgruntled folk will cheer up,
If all the depressed folk will cheer up,
If all the estranged folk will make up,
If all the gossipers will shut up,
If all true soldiers will stand up,
If all the dry bones will shake up,
If all the church members will pray up...
Then we can have a revival!
Benediction.
