Revere And Revive

1. 2 Chronicles 7:11-14

11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king's house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the LORD and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name 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.

2. I’ve been praying for another, “Great Awakening” for America.

a. There have been four Great Awakenings in America (1730-1830; 1800-1920; 1890-?; 1960 - ?). The first Great Awakening of 1720-1745 was a period of intense religious revivalism that spread throughout the American colonies. The movement deemphasized the higher authority of church doctrine and instead put greater importance on the individual and his or her spiritual experience with God.

b. Cane Ridge, KY 8.6-12, 1801 (Barton W. Stone)

3. Both Revival for the Church and Awakening for those outside are needed – it begins with US!

4. God starts with his people with others in mind – Acts 1:8

5. Ingredients for Revival and Awakening from God’s people:

I. A Defined Spirit of Humility (Verse 14)

A. God Looks to the Humble, not the Arrogant – Isaiah 66:2b

But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

B. God Blesses the Humble – James 4:6-10

6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves therefore 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 Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

C. “Humble” Refers to Bowing the Knee – worship, dependence, and submission

D. Our Option – Humble Ourselves or Be Humbled – Philippians 2:10-11 at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

II. A Dedicated Prayer of Intercession (Verse 14)

A. House of Prayer for the Nations – Isaiah 5:6-7

B. “Palal” – Intercession – Numbers 11:1-2 And the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, and when the LORD heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the LORD burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. 2 Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire died down.

C. “Intercession is love on its knees.” Dick Eastman

III. A Desperation for God with Intensity (Verse 14)

A. Pain Produces Gain:

1. Famine (Amos 8:11-12)

2. Locusts – Cause of Famine; Invading Armies; and even Demonic Spirits

3. Pestilence – Diseases [COVID-19 and Spanish Flu of 1918 – no comparison 50M died; proportionally today in excess of 200M; yet, each life is important and this reminds us of our need for God

4. War – Mid. East; China; cyberwars; Civil War in USA

B. Desperate for God

1. Not JUST Relief or “Things”

2. Some are seeking God; some are seeking experiences – godless BLM, etc.

IV. A Devout Repentance with Expectation (Verse 14)

[William Bennett in his Index of Leading Cultural Indicators gives the following statistics for the past 30 years.

• Despite increased funding for law enforcement and stricter laws violent crime has increased 500%. (The mass murder of 32 people at Virginia Tech last week is a good example of this.)

• Sex education programs have proliferated and at the same time illegitimate births have increased over 400%

• The divorce rate has quadrupled during the last 30 years.

• Single parent homes have become the majority, rather than the minority.

• During the last 30 years there has been more than a 200% increase in the number of teenage suicides.

A. Renounce Sinful and Selfish Ways

B. Renew Relationship with God and His Presence (Face) – Psalm 51:11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

1. No more running

2. No more hiding