Revival - 2
Subject - What Will Bring Revival in America
–We must first understand just what Revival is. Many in the Church, especially in the Bible belt where I live, think of Revival as simply a series of special evangelistic meetings.
--For these, Revival is synonymous with Revival meetings…consecutive services…planned meetings.
–But this is not what is meant by the term Revival, either historically or biblically.
Habakkuk 3:2 (NKJV)
2 O LORD, I have heard your speech and was afraid; O LORD, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.
–Revival in the biblical and historical sense, is a work of God's Spirit whereby the love and zeal of Christians are renewed and rekindled leading to the conversion of sinners and the transformation of society.
Charles Finney - Revival consists of conviction, repentance and reformation. Revival begins with Christians convicted of sin.
–A backslidden, coldhearted Church cannot regain its zeal and begin to serve God without a deep soul searching of Holy Spirit.
–Then there must be true repentance. Many believe and act as if simply feeling deeply sorry or remorseful over sin is sufficient. Not true biblically.
2 Corinthians 7:8-11 (NLT)
8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.
9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.
8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while.
9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.
10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.
11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.
–Finney - True repentance is a breaking of the heart, getting down into the dust before God with deep humility, and forsaking sin. Only then can the Christian's faith be renewed and reformed.
–Reformation involves a return to Godly living and work springing forth from a heart filled with love.
Finney - When the Church catches on fire, the world will come to watch it burn!
Steps to Revival
1. Revival must begin with the leaders; a Church rises no higher than its leadership.
--The ministers of God must cry out as Joel proclaimed,
Joel 2:1718 (NKJV)
17 Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "
18 Then the LORD will be zealous (jealously guard) for His land, And pity His people.
–Revival takes aim at the Church not the world. It sweeps people out of the world, but it must start with the Church.
1 Peter 4:16-19 (NKJV)
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?"
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.
--If we have no Revival it is because the Church hinders it with: Coldness of heart. We have no zeal for God, no passion for His will.
Psalm 69:9 (NLT)
9 Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.
BEWARE OF REVIVAL
BY MICHAEL AMICO
There is nothing soothing about revival. Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin. Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”. Revival often takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. There is nothing soothing about revival.
* Revival often scorches before it soothes!
* Revival burns before it blesses!
* Revival eliminates before it edifies! * Revival hurts before it heals! * Revival empties before it fills!
* Revival breaks before it builds. Revival breaks everything in its path.
* Revival breaks pride, programs, prejudices, and platforms.
* Revival makes demands, real demands.
* Revival demands painful repentance!
* Revival demands painful sacrifice!
* Revival demands painful commitment!
* Revival demands ambitious evangelism!
Beware of revival! Revival is not all preachers and teachers have made it out to be. Let me suggest that the next time you pray for revival, you first of all count the cost.
–Finney goes on and speaks of hindrances in the church: Sin in the Camp. Division and strife. Prayerlessness. Has there ever been a time when prayer was needed more yet exercised less?
Luke 18:1 (NLT)
1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
–Men should take it to heart that Jesus is talking to them, men should always pray! If we should, then to not do it must be sin! The Church today does not pray and so it cannot have Revival.
James 4:17 (NKJV)
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
--Hindrances to revival is to emphasis on wrong doctrine and wrong emphasis on right doctrine. Every doctrine that centers our attention on man rather than Jesus hinders Revival.
–Every doctrine that makes man the center of God's attention rather than God the center of man's devotion hinders Revival.
–Every heart that is seeking or serving God for what He will do for them is a backslidden heart in need of Revival! Prosperity movement!
2. The Church must begin to pray!
Galatians 4:19 (NKJV)
19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you…
Jonathan Duttweiler –Prayer is the communion with God by which the Church is impregnated with concern for lost souls; the avenue by which the Church travails for those souls. Prayer is the midwife of Revival and the nursemaid by which converts are stabilized and fixed! For Revival to come the Church must pray!
Finney wrote in his Memoirs - "In regard to my own experience, I will say that unless I had the Spirit of prayer I could do nothing. If even for a day or an hour I lost the Spirit of grace and supplication, I found myself unable to preach with power and efficiency, or to win souls by personal conversation...I found myself having more or less power in preaching and in personal labor for souls just in proportion as I had the Spirit of prevailing prayer."
3. The Church must then be filled with the Holy Spirit!
Ephesians 5:1721 (NIV)
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord,
20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
21 Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
–Pray for your pastors to have anointed preaching which conveys the conviction of the Holy Spirit which will bring Revival.
–Charles Spurgeon wrote, "Unction [Holy Spirit anointing] is a thing which you cannot manufacture, and its counterfeits are worse than worthless. Yet it is, in itself, priceless, and beyond measure needful if you would edify believers and bring sinners to Christ."
4. To have Revival, the Church's chief motive must be to please God.
Mark 12:3034 (NLT)
30 And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’
31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other.
33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
It is God, in Christ, Who has suffered and died in order that all men everywhere might be saved, He deserves souls. Love for souls is good, but love for God must be first!
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT)
31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
5. If we are to have Revival ministers must deal directly with the people where they are.
–Don't preach to the choir! Ministers of God must learn to deal with the people they have before them, not to some group of sinners unrelated to the congregation at hand.
–It is much easier for the minister to preach to those dirty rotten sinners outside the church instead of dealing with those in house. (People get very uncomfortable when dealt with!)
1 Peter 4:17 (NLT)
17 For the time has come for judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God’s Good News?
–Someone once told me that I should not deal with problems in the church from the pulpit in my preaching. My response was that if that is the case Paul would have to apologize for his writings and preaching.
–Sometimes God’s Word is like a Sword (Sword of the Spirit):
Hebrews 4:1213 (NLT)
12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest twoedged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
(6) The Church must preach the Word and leave out doctrines and traditions of men and denominations if we are to have real Revival.
–Many hold to the notion that doctrines are unimportant and that as long as we have fire and zeal and love for God we will see results. But hear this loud and clear, the truth matters! (We cannot pick and choose...preach the whole counsel of God).
–The truth is the Holy Spirit's instrument to probe the hearts and minds of men and bring about conviction. Paul told Timothy that he must learn to rightly divide the word of truth. Listen to Jesus:
John 8:3136 (NLT)
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.
32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 “But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”
34 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.
35 A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.
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