PREAMBLE TO REVIVAL Acts 5:10-11; Neh 9:2; II Kings 18:5
Introduction: There are some people who want revival, some who do not, and some who passively do not care. There are some people who know what revival means; they have experienced revival in their hearts. There are some people who do not want spiritual revival because it would disrupt many of their personal plans. We are going to talk about some things that come before Revival, some events that precede revival.
I. DEATH
A-Sometimes Death Comes before Revival; Acts 5
1-Fear came upon all the church; fear of the power
of God; Acts 5:14--And believers were the more added
to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.
2-Death brought the Salvation of many precious
souls. Revival came—Preceded by death.
B-There are two kinds of death which bring Revival.
1-The first is actual death, as in the case of
Ananias and Sapphira.
2-The second death is spiritual death. Prior to
revival at any church, there must be a dying of self
on the part of the members; Romans 6:11--Likewise
reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,
but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
II. CLEANSING
A-Cleansing comes before Revival; Nehemiah 9:1--Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them. 2 And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3 And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
B-Revival cannot come to an individual heart when sin is there. Sin must be put out.
1-The Sin Of Selfishness must be put away.
2-The Sins Of Unfaithfulness must be confessed and
forsaken; UNFAITHFULNESS:
1-to the house of God,
2-in Worship,
3-in prayer,
4-in Bible Study.
3-The Sins Of Neglect must be confessed.
4-The Sins Of The World must be given up. Revival
cannot come to any heart when that heart is partaking
of the evil of this world.
5-Revival cannot come to a church when sin is
present, unconfessed and unforsaken.
6-Revival can come when there is honest confession
unto the Lord; I John 1:9--If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness..
III. HUMILITY
A-Humility is a meeting with God on the right terms.
II Kings 18:4-He removed the high places, and brake the images, and cut down the groves, and brake in pieces the brazen serpent that Moses had made: for unto those days the children of Israel did burn incense to it: and he called it Nehushtan. 5 He trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him. 6 For he clave to the LORD, and departed not from following him, but kept his commandments, which the LORD commanded Moses. 7 And the LORD was with him; and he prospered whithersoever he went forth: and he rebelled against the king of Assyria, and served him not.
1-First, we note that Hezekiah cast out sin.
2-Second, Hezekiah trusted in the Lord.
3-Third, Hezekiah followed God. No person can
have revival unless he is willing to say, “Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do?” the big need of the average
Christian is simply to follow the Lord---not self, not
selfishness, but following after him.
CONCLUSION: Meeting God on the Right terms will mean a casting out of sin, a trusting God, and a following of the Lord; and if we follow God, we will do His bidding and He will give the blessing.
