Sermon Central
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Want A Move Of God?
Contributed by Ron Hicks on Jun 26, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: If you want God to move in your heart, then you are going to have to move His heart.
Want a True Move of God?
Many people today mistaken a great church service for a move of God. But I believe that when God moves, there will be change. God is always about change. We see it in the early church, through our own conversion, etc.
2 Cor 3:18
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
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,
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Now it is our turn (The choice is ours)
We are His people, His children, His heirs
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:
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,
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!
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 (when we see the contrasts between God’s holiness and our sinfulness, it humbles us)
We must realize that we are not our own and that we were bought with a price.
Does it not humble us that a man would suffer, go to a rugged cross and die for us?
We must realize that we need Jesus more than anything (wealth, health, position)
We simply become desperate for Him in our lives
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 people gather around the altars and pray.
Prayer is for serious people who mean business with God.
We need to be a church that is prayer conditioned.
Isa 1:18 "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD,
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.
God-likeness comes by seeking Him in our prayer closets!
He who dwells in the secret place of the most High
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 desire His will for your life and tirelessly persueing it, and desiring that His very heart beat in your chest.
WWJD
Receiving with joy the counsel of God and obeying it
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."
Seeking His face is the listening part of prayer
Not just talking but waiting for Him to answer
