James O. Davis is the founder and president of Second Billion (TM). You are invited to learn more about Second Billion by visiting www.billion.tv.
WHEN GOD COMES DOWN
By James O. Davis
(Isaiah 64)
Introduction
Why is there no revival today in North America? We cannot say that there is no revival because of the disunity of God’s people. We cannot say that there is no revival because we have not been evangelistic enough today.
We cannot say that there is no revival because we have not been holy enough, prayed enough or praised God enough. If we were to achieve all of these things correctly, this would not bring revival. These accomplishments are the result of revival. These things do not bring revival. Revival comes from God alone.
Revival is when God comes down. Revival is when God rends the heavens and comes down among His people. It is a meeting with almighty God.
Most people seek God’s hand and not His face. They want what God can do for them instead of seeking to please Him first and foremost. God loves to come down. He stepped down into the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve sinned against Him. He stepped down and wrote with his finger the Ten Commandments in stone. He stepped down and filled the Old Testament Tabernacle. He stepped down from heaven when was born on Christmas morning. He stepped down to Calvary and saved us. He came down on the Day of Pentecost and baptized the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit. In the future, He will step down again at Christ’s return.
God loves to come down among his people. In modern history, God steps down in different times and places around the world. When we survey the world scene we can see where God has stepped down and great revival has taken place in recent years. Please do not think that America has to change first before there is revival. God can use only one person to affect great change in a society. He has done it in the past and could very well do it again in the future. God-given revival changes a nation.
There are several steps to God sparking the flames of revival and spreading them by the wind of His Holy Spirit. I hope you desire for God to come down and visit you and your ministry.
First, we need to: I. REALIZE THE PRESCENCE THAT PRODUCES REVIVAL
(Is. 64:1-5)
Our text tells us that “mountains will melt” (vv. 1-2), “sinners will shake” (vv. 3-4), and the “righteous will rejoice” (vv.4-5). When we look around at our society we find mountains of pride and bigotry. Yet, there is nothing that can stop the Lord from bringing revival. He can melt the mountains!
There is no mountain too tall or too wide that God can not bring low. God can shake this earth. The nations will tremble under the mighty hand of God. Sinners will shake. The lost tremble when God does a work that they cannot explain. When revival comes to America, the late night comedians will no longer mock the things of God. When revival comes to our nation Hollywood and glitz will become holiness and godliness. When God-given revival comes to our cities, crime will go down as Christ is lifted up.
God wants to meet with us. God wants to minister to you. He wants to put a song in your heart. When God comes down, there will be no boring church services. When God comes down the Church will move from form to function, from worship to witness, from praise to production, from singing to soul winning.
Second, we need to:
II. RECONGIZE THE PROBLEMS THAT PREVENT REVIVAL
(Is. 64:6-8)
We need to pay close attention to what God’s Word states as to what the real issues are in our culture. We are corrupted by our sins (v. 6) Our righteousness is like filthy rags. The filthy rags were worn by lepers who trying to bring healing to their disease by covering their sores with contaminated rags.
Our self-righteous is like filthy rags. We try to cover ourselves with the very things that condemn us and contaminate us. We wrap ourselves with pride and self-centered attitudes. We cover ourselves with sensuality and sin. Yet, the filthy rags we use make us more sick and sinful with each passing day.
Our faithfulness is like a fading leaf. When the fall season comes, the leaves begin to fade and then fall. The trees can be covered with fading leaves and the wind can blow them all away. Oftentimes, when the storms begin to blow, people, like leaves, are blown away.
We are complacent in our sins (v. 7). Have you stirred yourself up in order to take hold of God? Are you willing to stir yourself and experience Godgiven revival? We have become so complacent in our day. I do not know how much of God you have in your life, but have as much of God as you want. You do not need to persuade God to empower you; you need to permit God to do so. He wants to bring personal revival to you more than you even want personal revival in your life.
We are consumed by our sins (v. 7). God has hidden his face from us. Our sins are eating us alive. If we will turn to God, then automatically we will turn away from sin. We must always remember that the whole universe is against the person who is against God. Sin will never win and faith in God will never fail. When we sin against the Lord we have no protection from our enemies. In the midst of busyness we need to stir up ourselves and once again seek the face of God. Third, we need to:
III. RECOMMIT TO THE PRAYER THAT PRECEEDS REVIVAL
(Is. 64:8-12)
Our Prayer Must Recognize The Sovereignty of God (v. 8). Our God is King. He is the potter and we are the clay. God demands not a place, or a priority but preeminence in our lives. Are you willing to be and do whatever God has planned for you? There is one place that God will not work in our lives. He will not work in second place. We must continue in First Love relationship with Him everyday.
Our Prayer Must Remember God’s Mercy (v. 9). God desires to give us mercy. God would rather forgive sin instead of punishing sin. God’s will is for none to perish but all to come to everlasting life. God gets more glory when sinners come to him than any other time. God cannot put away our sin by forgiving it unless we put it away by forsaking it. Religion without righteousness is repugnant to God.
Our Prayer Must Respect God’s Glory (vv.10-12). We need to remember what God has done in the past and ask Him to do it again today. Revival is when God comes down. Our God is visiting this world today in splendor, might and power. More people are coming to faith in Christ today than any other time in history. We need to pray and ask our King to invade our nation a mountain moving, sinner shaking and righteous rejoicing revival.
He has done this in the past and He can do it again even in this generation.
Conclusion
There are more than 1 billion Christians in the world today. In the next ten years, missiologists state that this staggering number will double in size. We are living in an unprecedented time. I encourage you to believe God for revival in your life and ministry. God wants to stepped down and visit you, your life and your ministry. In order for God to step down, we need to realize the presence that produces revival, recognize the problems that prevent revival and recommit to the prayer that proceeds revival.
