WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT REVIVAL
ISAIAH 35
Rev. Michael Fogaras
INTRODUCTION:
What we see in Isaiah 35 is Revival taking place.
Where there are those who thirst God says, ¡§water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.¡¨
Where there is little or no vision of the greatness of God, God says, ¡§They will see the glory of the Lord the splendor of our God.¡¨
Where there is fearfulness God says, ¡§Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance.¡¨
Where there are those who are crippled in their walk with God, God says, ¡§Then will the lame leap like deer and the mute tongue shout for joy!¡¨
And where there seems to be no path God says, I will make a highway called ¡§The Way of Holiness.¡¨
Over the last week at North Thurston Life Center God has poured out His Holy Spirit and we have sensed His manifold presence in spectacular ways!
Can we now agree with the writer of Habakkuk when he writes, ¡§Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day; in our time make them known.¡¨ (Habakkuk 3:2)
I. GOD SAYS; WATER WILL GUSH FORTH IN THE WILDERNESS AND STREAMS IN THE DESERT
In ¡§Revival¡¨ there are two areas in our lives that God likes to work in.
A. WILDERNESS: A place you don¡¦t go to very often!
B. DESERT: A place where there is no water to drink!
A. WILDERNESS
Going into the wilderness is sometimes frightening. There are entities out there that want to destroy you. (Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!)
For some entering into ¡§Revival¡¨ could be a wilderness. (Fear, doubt, apathy, sin)
But to be in God¡¦s presence requires an act on our part. We need to follow the Holy Spirit. Matthew 4:1 ¡§Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert.¡¨
B. DESERT
Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone and into a Holy Spirit led desert so you can experience the ¡§River of Life¡¨ that bears much fruit?
Revelation 22:1-2; Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
I. GOD SAYS WATER WILL GUSH FORTH IN THE WILDERNESS AND STREAMS IN THE DESERT
II. GOD SAYS; THEY WILL SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD THE SPLENDOR OF OUR GOD
A. Spiritual Sight: The Glory of God
God says that in ¡§Revival¡¨ His people will see His glory!
1. The Fire of God (Leaves a mark)
Exodus 24:17, To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.
2. The Presence of God (Leaves a residue)
1 Kings 8:11, And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
3. The People of God (Leaves a lasting change)
2 Corinthians 3:18, And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect„T the Lord¡¦s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
I. GOD SAYS WATER WILL GUSH FORTH IN THE WILDERNESS AND STREAMS IN THE DESERT
II. GOD SAYS THEY WILL SEE THE GLORY OF THE LORD THE SPLENDOR OF OUR GOD
III. GOD SAYS; BE STRONG DO NOT FEAR YOUR GOD WILL COME, HE WILL COME WITH A VENGEANCE
In ¡§Revival¡¨ we draw closer to God and with that come a feeling of inadequacy.
If we will press on towards the prize that God has in store for us there is no telling what God can do here at North Thurston Life Center!
But we must be strong and not let the Enemy steal what God has done in you.
1. Friends may come against you. (Your new zealousness)
Psalm 94:20-23, They band together against the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge. He will repay them for their sins and destroy them for their wickedness; the LORD our God will destroy them
2. You may fight against yourself. (Carnal Man)
Romans 7:23-25, but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God¡Xthrough Jesus Christ our Lord!
IV. GOD SAYS; THEN THE LAME WILL LEAP LIKE DEER AND THE MUTE TONGUE SHOUT FOR JOY
During ¡§Revival¡¨ God will show us areas in our lives to be healed.
1. Spiritually Crippled (By Others)
2 Samuel 4:4, (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
2. The Spiritually Mute (Unwillingness to call upon God)
Psalms 22:23, You who fear the Lord praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob honor Him! Revere Him all you descendants of Israel!
V. GOD SAYS HE WILL SHOW US THE WAY OF HOLINESS
In ¡§Revival¡¨ God will give you direction.
1. In your Spiritual Walk.
Isaiah 26:7, The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth.
Jeremiah 42:3, Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.¡¨
CONCLUSION:
We as God¡¦s people called by His name must continue with even greater intensity to share the ¡§good news¡¨ of Jesus Christ.
Revival is not an end it is a beginning.
The beginning of a greater desire to draw close to God for the purpose of bringing in the ¡§Harvest of Souls¡¨ for the kingdom of God.
