Why Does Revival Terry? (Series #1)
Dale Carter Sr.
Harvest Fellowship Community Church
June 27, 2021
1 Sam 1:8-17
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the Lord.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.
11 And she vowed a vow, and said, O Lord of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the Lord all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she continued praying before the Lord, that Eli marked her mouth.
13 Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.
14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy wine from thee.
15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto.
17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him.
1 Cor 4:14-16
14 I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.
15 For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.
16 Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me. KJV
Intro: How long and how many times have I heard, “We need a revival” how true this is, but how serious are those that ask the question. Time and time again Israel needed a revival. They needed a revival because of their backslidden condition. They had left off following the Lord God of Israel and sought and followed other gods, gods of idolatry, gods of entertainment, success, money, romance, gods of sex, even food and most of all, the one god that is very prevalent today, “self” or “me.”
Before a revival can come to the land or people they (the people) must be prepared. God has a way preparing His people to long for a revival. As hunger and thirst will produce a meal of good food and drank for the present, a longing for more will produce a family reunion, with even the neighbors invited. There is not a shortage of digestible foods in America, we are a land of plenty. There has only been a shortage of things in America was when the politicians were seeking a power grab. It’s a proven fact if, make people hungry or having to do without and you can sway them into following the person that promises prosperity. But there is a shortage of Spiritual power and anointing. The shortage is not because God does not have an ample supply, the fault lies in and among the people. When we the people return to a falling out, anointing saturating, signs following, life changing, church stirring, falling on face, humbling self, un-controllable praying, repenting hearts, turning from wickedness and seeking the only true God of Heaven then we will see an out pouring of revival and restoration that cannot be reckoned with or diminished by the mockeries of atheists and antagonistic of today’s world.
Revival must start from behind the pulpit. where preachers point the congregations to Jesus Christ, His Holiness and righteousness not to their own glory. It must start with praise and worship leaders that transform praise into worship. Singers whose lyrics bring brokenness and conviction colliding with joy unspeakable and full of glory, peace like a river in my soul flowing from valley to mountain top whose floods gates are the spouts where the glory comes out.
I am plum past the plum as being plum fed up with these two and three nights meetings where only fifteen to twenty percent of the home folk show up. I’m not trying to embrace a critical spirit, but I am tired of listening to words of great intellects educated higher than the eagles can sour, telling me to just think positive and do good works and God will overlook my sin. Well, Horsefeather, God will never over look sin no matter how many good works we do and the wages of sin is still death. I am looking for the Word that will produce the evidence of casting out devils, speaking with new tongue, putting that old serpent under our heel and stomping his ugly head and laying hands on the sick and witness the healing or recovery as we pray in the Name of Jesus.
Revival will come when the man of God is released from bondage and stands tooth and nail with that old sloughfoot called Satan, the Devil and look in his eyes and scream so loud that it shakes the gates of hell, “Satan it is Written. We will serve the Lord our God and Him only will we serve”
We need God called, God planted, Holy Ghost Baptized men who’s greatest desire for one more soul to be redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb, washed clean from the inside out and set on fire that burn deep in the bones. Men that when powerful sinners looked upon them there came a sound like an earthquake that crumbled their knees and they fall on their face pleading for forgiveness of their sins and the fire of the Holy Ghost sat upon them. Men whose stand for God and dedication and determination to be a shadow of Jesus Himself changed this nation at the turn of the nineteenth century shook their generation for God not only in America but around the world.
Let me tell you of such a man. His name was Mordecai F. Ham. Rev. Ham wrought revivals and restored some semblance of righteousness to America such as has never been accomplished since. When his grandfather (Mordecai F.,Sr.) died, the young Mordecai knew he was to preach. As a seven-year-old he had such inclinations--preaching to neighborhood cats and dogs, even trying to baptize them every once in a while. Ham mirrored much of the old man whose plain preaching influenced Mordecai to be, as he called himself, "A hog-jowl and turnip green" preacher. Today we may call it tithes and offerings.
In his early days, Ham began a practice he pursued most of his ministry, "He hunted the lowest sinners in the community and, finding them, would pray and lead with them until they were surrendered to Christ." Ham was fearless in his ministry, strongly denouncing sin in his preaching, carrying the battle to moonshiners, the liquor crowd, confronting rioters, disturbers, opposing modernists, praying down and pronouncing judgement upon those who contested his campaigns. One instance illustrates his courage and convictions:
Quote:
On that second night it seemed all "hell" broke loose as the moonshine crowd stole up around the church and threw rocks at us. They unharnessed the horses, cut the saddle straps and stole everything they could carry off. Ham went out and confronted the ringleader, who proceeded to pull a knife on him. "Put up that knife, you coward. If you were not a coward you would not pull a knife on an unarmed man. Now I'm going to ask the Lord either to convert you or to kill you."
"Do as you please," he snarled at Ham and stalked off. Ham prayed and the bully was dead the next morning. Three others of the gang were killed the next morning when a sawmill blew up. That night Ham demanded all the stolen property returned or the Lord might kill someone else. Twenty-four hours later all had been returned but one saddle. Ham announced he was going to lead in prayer, and the one fellow "jumped up and hollered, 'You needn't pray! It will be here in a few minutes,' and it was."
As we look around at our nation there should be an awakening an awakening to society. But our society has grown numb to the effects of God. So I think that it would be safe to conclude that what this nation needs is Holy Ghost Baptized men and women such as Mordecai Ham that will preach and stand on the unadulterated, unabridged never compromising Word of God. That will preach the Word of God with such power that the high class beer joints and liquor serving greases spoon will close their doors. Drug dealers and attics will crumbles to their knees and bring their customers to the foot of the cross. Whores and whoremongers will get on their knees beside their defiled bed call upon the name of the Lord, repent and beg God for mercy and forgiveness. Queers and lesbians will turn from their abominable lifestyle and become the man and woman God created them to be.
Who is qualified to be these men and women? King David ask the same question but then gave the answer in: Ps 24:3-6. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
I have talked of the places where revival needs to happen, the pulpit, the community and other locals. But first and foremost it must begin with you. The people that sit on the church house pews feeling safe and secure in their non-care lifestyle. Until we have a broken heart for a son like Hannah’s heart and will not stop grieving and praying until we have the attitude of the fathers of Paul Cor. 4:15, there will be no great revival only meetings.
