Revival 5
Subject: Six Steps that Lead to Revival
by Rick Welborne
Isaiah 14:12-15 (NKJV)
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
1. Humility leads to revival.
--You see, pride says, “I will.” Look how many times Lucifer said I will…I will ascend…I will exalt…I will sit…I will ascend above…I love verse 15 where God says “You shall be brought down.”
--Very seldom do you hear anyone mention verse 16. We give way too much power and authority to Lucifer but listen to what will be said about him.
Isaiah 14:16 (NKJV)
16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
16 "Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying: 'Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
--When we compare the Omnipotence of our God to the limited power of Satan or Lucifer…is it any wonder that we will be saying…Is this the guy who made my world tremble.
--Lucifer is the perfect example of being anti-humble while Jesus is the perfect example of humility before God.
Matthew 26:36-42 (NKJV)
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."
36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there."
37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed.
38 Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me."
39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."
40 Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?
41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."
--This portion of scripture says so much to us but we quite often seem to miss it.
A. It reminds us that Jesus was always making time for prayer (36).
B. It reminds us that Jesus had to deal with being sorrowful and deeply distressed (37-38).
C. It reminds us that Jesus needed the support of His closest friends (38).
D. It reminds us that what God wants us to do can be tough (39).
E. It reminds us that no matter how difficult life gets, God’s “will” takes pre-imminence (39).
F. It reminds us that those closest to us may not provide the support we need (40).
G. It reminds us that our flesh is weak and that only through prayer can we overcome (41).
H. It reminds us of God’s sovereignty and how His will must be obeyed completely (42).
2. Prayer leads to revival.
Acts 12:1-5 (NKJV)
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
--Where verse 5 says “constant prayer was offered” and NKJV says “the church was earnestly praying” the original Greek of this verse meant to (stretch out).
--What this meant was they were laying prostrate before the Lord praying with every fiber of their being for Peter to be released. Their minds were so focused on what they were praying for…
Acts 12:13-16 (NKJV)
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
15 But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel."
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
13 And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a girl named Rhoda came to answer.
14 When she recognized Peter's voice, because of her gladness she did not open the gate, but ran in and announced that Peter stood before the gate.
15 But they said to her, "You are beside yourself!" Yet she kept insisting that it was so. So they said, "It is his angel."
16 Now Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished.
--The main point here is that if were are going to see revival come it will be because we offer constant prayer…we pray earnestly…we get on our faces before God and pray with every fiber of our being.
--Prayer leads to revival and it leads to people being delivered and set free…it happens when we follow the pattern of those praying for Peter’s release from prison.
3. Seeking God’s face leads to revival.
--What we consider prayer is mostly when we petition God for specific needs but seeking God’s face is not the same. Listen to God’s instruction to Moses for how Aaron would bless the people:
Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV)
24 "The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '
24 "The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace." '
--What medieval theologians considered to be the ultimate was called the Summon Bonum (the greatest good) is to know God and to stand in His presence.
--It is not asking God for anything but just desiring His presence above any and all of this world’s distractions. Instead of desiring petitions to be given or met…all that is desired is God’s glorious face.
Psalm 27:8-10 (NKJV)
8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
8 When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."
9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
--David said…Lord, You said Seek My face…My heart cries to you…"Your face, LORD, I will seek." He also begs God not to hide Himself from Him…I really want to find You, God, I want to see Your face.
--This is so key to revival because revival comes from, not just wanting stuff, but it comes from wanting God to show up and to reveal His face. We want Him more than anything in this life!
Psalm 24:3-6 (NKJV)
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah
4. Repentance leads to revival.
Hosea 10:12-13 (NLT)
12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
13 “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe.
12 I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and shower righteousness upon you.’
13 “But you have cultivated wickedness and harvested a thriving crop of sins. You have eaten the fruit of lies— trusting in your military might, believing that great armies could make your nation safe.
--How can we plant seeds of righteousness and have a harvest of God’s love?
1. Let our hearts be broken. Plow up the hard ground of our hearts. Repentance.
2. Seek Him until He showers His righteousness on us.
--Verse 13 tells us the mess we have made with our lives but verse 12 tells us that when we repent, God will forgive and shower blessings on us. This familiar verse combines these first 4 points:
2 Chronicles 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.
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.
5. Unity leads to revival.
Matthew 18:19-20 (NKJV)
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
19 Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
--Doesn’t it just make sense that when we love each other at home, at church, at work, at school, or wherever there is an atmosphere of unity that great things can and will happen.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6 (NKJV)
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
--Why these verses, Pastor Rick? Over 500 people saw Jesus after His resurrection but only 120 showed up at the upper-room. The good news was that they were in one mind and one accord.
Acts 2:1-4 (NKJV)
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
--Don’t we want another Pentecost?
6. Perseverance leads to revival.
--We Americans and even American Christians want things to come to us easily and quickly but as you study God’s economy…it usually does not work that way. Ask Moses, ask Joseph, ask the Apostle Paul.
Hebrews 10:35-39 (NLT)
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!
36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
37 “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
35 So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!
36 Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.
37 “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.
38 And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”
39 But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved.
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