Intro: I like to call this message “Some Like it Hot!” It is from these passages that I find instruction for Revival. These instructions themselves are not direct, but form in a type or an allegory. The Body of Christ has found itself crying out for an awakening, shaken, for Revival, but in order to experience Revival we must dismiss that it only comes as an arranged event. Revival is more than a yearly event, but is something that can be acquired daily. In order to understand this point we must go back to the passages that I read where we find this 3 step plan for Revival.
I. The first step to Revival is listening to the man of God.
A. From the text the problems of that ship started when they didn’t listen to the man of God.
1. In Acts 27, Paul is taken prisoner, and is to be taken to Rome.
2. Where he is to make his appeals before Caesar.
3. During much of the travels by sea the waters are not welcoming.
4. It is for these troubles that Paul warns his captors of an immediate danger.
5. In Acts 27:11 Paul’s captors would not heed this warning, but would rather rely on their on judgment, which resulted in their ship being caught by the storm, and running a ground near the island of Melita.
B. Many great Revivals have been missed, because men and women would not hearken to the voice of the man of God.
1. The man of God is the oracle or mouth piece of God whereby he speaks: 1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, [let him speak] as the oracles of God; if any man minister, [let him do it] as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
2. In Ezekiel 3:17-21, Jeremiah 23, and the epistles written to Timothy and Titus, and in other New Testament Books; God sets the requirements for a minister.
3. I will not read these passages, but I will give a brief synopsis of there content.
4. The man of God is to be a watchman and Shepherd unto the children of God.
5. He is to minister and study the truths of the scriptures, that he may warn the sinner of their destruction, and to reprove, rebuke, exhort, and instruct the believer in their walk with Christ. Condemning sin and encouraging all to live holy and acceptable before the living God.
6. He is to edify Christ so that others will do the same that the Kingdom of God may grow.
7. The man of God is accountable for the word he speaks and for those he is to warn.
8. It is a calling without repentance and one of great importance.
C. It was the words that Paul spoke that the men did not want to hear.
1. It was by not listening that these men became rebellious.
2. Rebellion is one of the leading causes for no Revival.
3. Rebellion is such an offense to God it is classified in the category of witchcraft in 1 Samuel 15:23.
4. It is because of rebellion that sin entered into the world; that only the Children of Israel’s children were permitted entry into the Promised Land, it was Saul that begun a trend of Rebellion that other Kings would follow which would split the Jews into two nations and ultimately lead to the Babylonian Exile, and the destruction of the Temple.
5. Isaiah 30:1 ¶ Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
6. Rebellion has destroyed and split more churches than any other factor.
7. It is rebellion that causes a member to leave a church. When the Word of God cuts them instead of allowing it to prune them they let it bruise them, and take offense and leave to go to another church for “HEALING”; that is until they get cut again.
8. But on the job when your employer corrects you, you don’t quit your job. You take the correction apply it and try to do better. You know that when raise time comes you want that money and plus you don’t want a pink slip. Let me tell you it’s almost RAISE time for the Saints of God because He is coming and many are going to be shocked when they are pink slipped.
9. The Word of God does not cast stumbling blocks, but removes them.
10. The man of God speaks with the burden of the Love of God; to see the captive freed, and enjoying the fulness of Christ.
11. The word of God is going to be offensive, it is for correction and chastisement, it is not to destroy you, but to build you up.
12. If children were not chastised and corrected this world would be a living Hell more than it is now. If we spare the rod we spoil the Child.
13. Hebrews 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Those are harsh words, but it shows the importance in correction. The Good Shepherd in Psalms 23 carries with him a staff to correct and keep His sheep in line and out of danger.
D. It is the path of rebellion that causes so many to miss out. Many are called but few are chosen.
1. When the man of God says “don’t do this” or “join yourself to that”, he is trying to warn us and keep us from sin.
2. He isn’t trying to be controlling and manipulative, he is trying to lead us and guide us.
3. There is that catch phrase now WWJD that everyone is saying and wearing but I prefer WJDI “Would Jesus Do It.” If I can’t see Jesus doing it then I know I shouldn’t do it.
4. In 2 Corinthians 5:20 we are told that we are the ambassadors of Christ that means we represent Christ and all His Holiness. If we can’t see Jesus doing examples (watching filthy movies, listening to worldly music Satan’s pied piper Eminem is telling teenagers around the world to lose themselves in the moment and the music, but God is saying loose yourself from the moment and the music and turn unto Him, getting body piercing and tattoos, looking at porn, etc. etc.)
5. We must not be unequally yoked or joined together with unbelievers and their works of darkness. In 2 Peter 2:7 ¶ And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (8) (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed [his] righteous soul from day to day with [their] unlawful deeds;)
6. When we surround ourselves with elements of the World we are weighed down. Just look at the influence movies and music has on us. We must be careful to what we see and hear, and keep ourselves from rebellion.
7. There are those with talents that will go unused because of rebellion, now many will argue that when God gives the gifts or talents He will never take them back for they are gifts.
8. There may be some truth in that, He may not take the gift away but He can cut off the power. A car is no good without an engine, it may still be a car, but without the engine it’s useless.
9. 1 Peter 5:6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
II. Which brings me to step 2; if we want Revival we got to do more than stare at the fire!
A. From the text we see that the barbarous people built for these castaways a fire.
1. The Barbarous people represent those in the past that God has used.
2. The fire is there works, the foundation that has been laid for the growth of the Church.
3. There are many in scripture that have labored and worked for God. Building this foundation so that others will continue.
4. We find the prophets carrying the message of God, the Apostles and Disciples continuing the work of Christ through the Holy Spirit.
5. We hear of varies renewal movements in the Church such as the Reformation, the Wesleyan Holiness movement, The revivals of the past from great men and women of God including those in the mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina where the Church of God was birthed from, we have Azusa Street, and on and on.
6. From all these movements we have added to the foundation.
B. But we find in the midst of great moves of God there are those willing to stay there, and stare at the fire.
1. Just like the men shipwrecked on the island, when the fire was built not one of them moved to keep it going, they seemed satisfied. The Barbarians built the fire, but it was up to the castaways to keep it going.
2. Many great Revivals and awakenings have taken place but few ever last because they are not kept up.
3. Many expect it to last with little to no effort on their part.
4. A sense of complacency settles in and it becomes just a thing.
5. Allowing the fire to burn down to embers.
6. There becomes a satisfaction in just embers rather than fire.
III. Revival happens when we build on the fire.
A. Paul wanted to turn the heat up!
1. He wasn’t satisfied; He wanted a larger fire.
2. Paul did something about it by getting up.
3. Church it’s time to get up and build the flames of Revival, if we want to see the fire burn “WE NEED TO GET UP!”
4. We need to unite ourselves in one accord as the 120 did in the upper room, so that we may have the same great Revival experience.
5. It’s is time to stand behind the man of God and his vision for the church.
B. I told you earlier that revival can be daily.
1. Revival starts with an individual’s desire for Revival in their life.
2. A forsaking of the old and a turning unto the new.
3. A willingness to give and make sacrifice.
4. A hunger for the deep things of God, a thirsting for living water.
5. It is a longing for the fulness of Christ, to walk in the power, love, and authority of His Spirit.
6. To fulfill John 14:12 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
7. Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (18) They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
C. Revival is the resurrection of the Spirit within.
1. If the spirit is to be revived than something must die.
2. The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. We must kill the desires of the flesh. Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23 to take up our cross daily and follow Him.
3. The flesh must come under subjection, all desires and foolishness of the flesh must be crucified. Galatians 5:16 [This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
4. The spirit doesn’t like to eat what that flesh does, when the flesh wants milk and salad, the spirit wants meat and water.
5. If I got to die daily than I must be revived daily also. There must be an awakening of the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward [man] is renewed day by day.
6. In the old west the Sheriff would say he wanted them did or alive, but God wants us dead and alive. Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [him], that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.(7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.
7. When we crucify the flesh we must renew and revive the spirit to compensate for the dead flesh. Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
8. There are too many dead Saints walking around they killed the flesh, but never resurrect the spirit.
D. If you want a fire to burn, you got to add fuel to the fire.
1. The Spirit longs for its meat to be served hot, over the open flames of Revival.
2. If we are to build this fire, we need to add the right kind of fuel.
3. The flames of Revival are to be fanned with prayer.
a. Paul commands us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
b. Prayer is talked more about than done.
c. Our prayers should be fueled by desire, a deep groaning within for change and Revival.
d. 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.
e. Jesus tells us in Mark 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].
f. When we pray I am not talking about one of those “Now a lay me” prayers but a heart felt lamentation unto God for our needs; out of the mouth speaks the abundance of the heart.
4. Our prayers should be accompanied by periods of fasting.
i. It is through periods of fasting that we draw near unto God.
ii. Fasting will break yokes and strong holds.
iii. It is by withholding food from the flesh that the spirit can receive nourishment.
5. This nourishment comes from staying in the Word; Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Also a constancy of praise and worship which is the fruit of our lips. Colossians 3:2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.
6. All these elements combined will draw us closer to God and fill us with His fulness.
IV. Turning up the Heat brings out the enemy.
A. After Paul gathered the wood and placed it on the fire, the heat that the wood began to produce brought out the snake which fastened itself to Paul.
1. Many say that Paul may have gathered the snake in the wood or that the fire was built upon its burrow.
2. Which ever the case it was until the heat got turned up that the snake was disturbed, and came out to attack the one that disturbed him with the heat.
3. Snakes are a type of Satan.
4. When ever we begin to turn the heat up, and fuel the flames of Revival; we begin to disturb the devil.
5. Things were fine when it wasn’t so hot, “when the church wasn’t praying and interceding and fasting.”
6. When we do pray and fast and cry out to God for Revival we then disturb his business, and he comes out attacking those that messed with him.
B. The snake that bite Paul should of killed him.
1. When the enemy attacks his plan is to steal, kill, and destroy.
2. When he strikes he will do whatever it takes to silence the one(s) causing so much trouble.
3. He will sow in the believer the “4D’S” which are discord, division, discouragement, and disbelief.
a. The “4D’S” bring with them sickness and set backs.
4. All with the intention to cause a believer to give up.
5. But you see that old snake that attacked Paul couldn’t kill him because the blood that flowed through his veins was immune to snake bites.
6. When that old snake Satan tries to bite a Blood Bought; Holy Ghost energized believer that same immunity is in our blood also. Greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world.
a. Isaiah 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.
Conclusion: After the snake had bite Paul he just shook it of in the fire; what I am trying to say is that same fire that brought out the enemy is going to be the same fire that will destroy the enemy. The same Revival that gets him stirred up is going to be same one that puts him in his place. DON’T MESS WITH GOD’S BLESSED! It is time to shake off the dust of the past, and stand up and walk in the fulness of Christ into the enemies’ camp and take back what the enemy has stolen from you. Church let us take back Revival!
