04/08/2001
Desiring A True Move of God
2 Chr 7:14 “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.
A direct word for the church in these times
If we want to see a move of God, then there is a cost
Many cry out for a move but will not pay the price
IF MY PEOPLE, WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME
This great promise from God begins with a condition
God has made His move, now it is our turn (choice)
We are His people, His children, His heirs
John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Rom 8:16-17
16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
17 and if children, then heirs-- heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
I Jn 3:1-2
1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
This condition (choice) is for us
Do you want to move toward God?
WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES
True revival begins in each of our hearts
Humility is not the outward show, it begins in our heart
It is a recognition that we are not our own
It is the place where we realize that we need Jesus more than anything
We simply become desperate for Him in our lives
James 4:6-10
6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
The Pharisee and the Tax collector
AND PRAY
“You can tell how popular a church is by how many attend of Sunday morning, You can tell how popular a Pastor is by how many attend on Wed night but you can tell how popular Jesus is by how many attend prayer meetings (or if you even have one!)” - Jim Cymbala
Prayer is for serious people who mean business
We need to be a church that is “prayer conditioned”
Isa 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
Ps 3:4 I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heard me from His holy hill. Selah
Ps 34:4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
It starts by seeking Him in our prayer closets!
He who dwells in the secret place of the most High…
Matt 7:7-8
7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
AND SEEK MY FACE
What does it mean to seek the face of the Lord?
Simply this, to understand His will & His Heart
WWJD
We need the counsel of God
Ps 27:7-8
7 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
This is the listening part of prayer
Not just talking but waiting for Him to answer
Seeking Him in prayer and in worship
AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS
It is one thing to know the will of God but another to do it
Here is where the rubber meets the road
If we have truly humbled ourselves we will turn from our carnal ways (troubled, sorrow, wrong)
Prov 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
Ezek 18:27-32
27 "Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive.
28 "Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die.
29 "Yet the house of Israel says, ’The way of the Lord is not fair.’ O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair?
30 "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.
31 "Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel?
32 "For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!"
There is life and prosperity in God’s ways
There is death in our own
THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN
Now we have made our move
“He receives our prayers..” Psa 6:9
AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN
God is a forgiving God
God is in the restoration business
Ps 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah
I Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
God is faithful even when we are not
Even in the worst of messes, He will restore
AND HEAL THEIR LAND
God is in the restoration business!
Does your land need some healing?
“He takes pleasure in prospering us…” Psa 35:27
Joel 2:25-27
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.
When God’s blessing is on you – everyone knows it!
SUMMARY:
You can make your move today
If you will draw near to the Lord… (Jas 4:8)
Lam 3:40-41
40 Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD;
41 Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven.
It is so simple, yet profound
We must come to a place that nothing but a genuine move of God will do!
We can’t be satisfied to tread water till Jesus comes!
If we want the move of God, we must make our move – we must count the cost!
