What Kind Of Revival Do We Need?

WHAT KIND OF REVIVAL DO WE NEED?

PSALM 85:6

INTRODUCTION

A. In light of the times…there is no doubt that we are in need of revival.

1. Some would listen to this statement and say, Yes our country is in serious need of revival.

2. With all the things that our country allows to take place and considers as normal…

a. The attack…and I do mean the attack…on the traditional family…

b. Not even the traditional…but the family unit...as defined by God himself.

c. The blatant refusal by our Government to allow anything having to do with God to be placed in our courtrooms, our schools, or any of our public buildings!!!

d. The rampant killing of millions of children in the abortion mills across our great country

e. Our children being taught that it’s normal for Little Billy to live in a house with 2 daddies.

f. The dumbing down of Christians.

B. But…here’s a somber thought for you…the world does not need revival…the church does!

1. Walter Boldt defines revival as “God at work restoring His church to health.

2. What this old world really needs is for God’s people to get on fire for Him.

3. This old world and it’s leader (Satan) have warred against the church for so long that the church has become too weary to fight…we have lost our will to stand up for Christ.

4. As we can plainly see…it is the church that needs revival…

5. But…what kind of revival do we need?

Psa 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?

BODY

A. First of all, We need a revival that resurrects the church.

1. Revival actually means a return to the living.

a. The return to the living brings the idea of resurrection.

b. The example of Lazarus…dead for four days…Jesus revived him.

c. There are some churches and lots of individuals who have been just as dead spiritually as Lazarus.

d. We need a revival that will call us back to life…we need to wake our churches up out of their slumber.

2. A spiritual resurrection that is like the physical resurrection will take place when Jesus comes.

a. We need a revival that will awaken the saints…just as the trumpet sound will.

b. There are too many of God’s people asleep.

c. We have lost many of our rights as Christians because we have fallen asleep at the wheel.

d. We stand to lose a lot more unless we wake up and defend our rights and our faith.

Bill of Rights

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

e. Now I ask you, did you hear anything in this amendment that even remotely sounds like the term “separation of church and state”?

f. That’s because it doesn’t say that, or even imply that.

g. Yet we have let a few alarmists calling themselves the American civil liberties union, cower Christians and browbeat churches by threatening to sue them for standing up for God. As a preacher of the Gospel I will challenge them openly. They are nothing more than agents of the devil.

Mat 12:30 He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

h. We need a revival that will wake God’s people up.

i. A revival that makes this old world sit up and take notice.

3. What kind of difference would it make in your life for a revival like this to come to our church?

a. What are you willing to do to bring genuine revival to HBC?

b. Are you willing to take the first step to making that happen?

c. Are you willing to re-commit yourself to Jesus?

B. We need a revival that will rekindle old fires.

1. Revive us again…implies that we have been revived before.

a. It is a sad fact…most Christians live in a cycle.

b. We start out close to the Lord when we are saved…only to let sin drive a wedge between us and God…then to be revived when God touches our heart.

c. It was the same for the nation of Israel.

d. Israel was known for living a life of dedication…followed by a going away from God, followed by repentance, and once again enjoying the graces of God.

e. Jer 8:5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

f. The Christian life is made up of many beginnings.

g. Do you remember better days?