Revival – 1 - What Revival Is and What It Is Not
Subject: Investigating Revival
by Rick Welborne
Hosea 6:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
2 After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.
3 Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth
1. Revival is not just showing up three times a week (church) and working hard.
Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Romans 12:1 (NIV)
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
--It is not just you being present…it is His presence being among His people. It is allowing Him to heal us and binding us up.
--He will come like the rain…what does rain do? It washes stuff away and it causes things to grow.
2. Revival is not just abstaining from this world though we should not be a friend of the world.
James 4:4 (NLT)
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.
1 Cor 9:27 (NKJV)
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
--A revived person considers how their lives affect those they come in contact with every day. A revived person will have an awesome awareness of Holy Spirit in their lives.
3. Revival is not just a series of meeting or even combined meetings though we should meet together as we get closer to Christ’s return.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NKJV)
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
--It is hard to stir one another up if we are not here at Life Church. This is probably one of the most ignored portions of scripture in the Bible. He wants us to spend time together! Come hungry for more!
4. Revival is not just a series of planned prayer meetings (must be sincere seekers).
Matthew 15:7-9 (NKJV)
7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
--We can ramble or just run off at the mouth (Matthew calls them vain repetitions) but that does not mean our hearts are in tune with God’s presence. Seekers seek until they find Him.
2 Chron 7:14 (NKJV)
14 "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.
--There are a lot of action verbs in this verse…they are…humble…pray…seek…turn. When we do God acts… He hears, He forgives, and He heals.
5. Revival is not just an exciting worship service with great music, singing, and preaching.
--It is not revival when the building fills up for winter…so do the restaurants.
1 Kings 18:26-29 (NKJV)
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."
28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
26 So they took the bull which was given them, and they prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even till noon, saying, "O Baal, hear us!" But there was no voice; no one answered. Then they leaped about the altar which they had made.
27 And so it was, at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, "Cry aloud, for he is a god; either he is meditating, or he is busy, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened."
28 So they cried aloud, and cut themselves, as was their custom, with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them.
29 And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.
--Again we think God moves because of all of our activity and coercion…not so…He is moved when He sees people sincerely seeking Him…people who are hungry.
--Elijah saw God move because he trusted God to be Who He said He was. All the false prophets thought with all their shouting, prophesying, and foolishness God would move.
--This portion of scripture show us that God is moved by simple faith and obedience to His Word. Once we have received His instructions, then we step out in boldness and do what He wants us to do,
6. Revival is a choice.
Josh 24:14-15 (NKJV)
14 "Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. '
--This is probably one of the toughest things we Christians have to do…we choose today to serve God and to seek Him with all our hearts. Then, we do it tomorrow and the next day…and the next and the next.
--Revival is not necessarily a feeling either…feelings come and go but choosing to seek God and choosing to hunger after Him until He shows up is the key.
--I will be the first to say that when Holy Spirit comes into a room, a church, or a life…there will be an overwhelming presence that is tangible and wonderful.
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.
--Do you still choose for revival to come?
7. Revival is and must be the passion of our lives.
Psalms 27:4-8 (NKJV)
4 One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
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."
--Right now, if you could choose any one thing…what would that be? A car, a house, a new job, a new spouse, a big checking account? Or would you be like David…to dwell in the presence of the Lord?
--Passion demands that God must be first in my life and that as I seek Him and find Him…His presence becomes more valuable than gold or anything else.
8. Revival is the resurrection of that which was dead.
Ezekiel 37:1-10 (NKJV)
1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."
4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' "
10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
1 The hand of the LORD came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
2 Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.
3 And He said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" So I answered, "O Lord GOD, You know."
4 Again He said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, 'O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.
8 Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.
9 Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' "
10 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
--There are so many ways we could go with these dry bones…lost loved ones or our lost community or world. It could be those in our churches who are dead and are very very dry.
--When revival comes, resurrection comes…those who are separated from God and their lives being scattered all over the place come back to God and see their lives resurrected in His presence…stand to their feet…army!
--Revival rescues those who are headed for death and destruction and raises them up to be productive in the Kingdom of God…that is how I pray for the prodigals.
9. Revival is a commission.
Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8 "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
--Don’t tell me you are in revival or experiencing revival if you have no concern for the lost. If revival is just you coming to a service and getting goose bumps or drunk in the spirit…you have missed the point.
--Revival in the Book of Acts was being filled with Holy Spirit power and being commissioned to go tell everyone everywhere about Jesus.
--We will know revival has come when we leave the church house and go into the world and start compelling them to come in.
10. Revival is a sovereign act of God.
2 Chron 7:14-16 (NKJV)
14 "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.
15 "Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
16 "For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.
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