REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD IS PRESENT
SERMON STARTER
Everything around us need revival. Our Winter-weary land is looking forward to the Spring Revival. Warm sun and rain will call the crocus and bulbs in my front flower bed to life and blossom. Our homes need revival. Postponed home repairs will be done. Chores neglected by the cold weather will be done.
The nation, our culture and the world need revival. Economic upswings cannot bring revival. Military power cannot bring revival. No election or change of national power can bring revival. It is the Sovereign work of God.
Our churches need revival. I'm not talking about a two-weak revival (pardon the play on words). I'm talking about renewing and refreshing your faith in Christ.
In today's text Isaiah 64 Judah and Jerusalem had fallen and the people carried away into captivity. God's work was stopped. His people lost hope. They were a lot like God's people today. The church has been taken captive by the world, the flesh and the devil. People are discouraged and have given up hope for a personal or national revival.
It all starts with God's people getting themselves right with God. What's the problem? The true believers have become desensitized to SIN. We're a nation of frog-in-the-beaker people. We look the other way as national leaders mock our values and beliefs. Murdering newborn babies (Infanticide) doesn't shock us as it once might have shocked us.
2 Chronicles 7:14, says "If my people which are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways. . ." Revival is a natural consequence when God's people turn their hearts toward God.
Isaiah made the true revival cry in Isaiah 74:2
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence--
Revival happens when heaven comes down and fills our broken hearts with Jesus' fire and love.
Pastor Phil <><<
February 24, 2019 - Sheepfold Ministries
Pastor Phil Roland <><<
revival is when god is present
Isaiah 64:1-12
"What is the Meaning of Revival? It has been debated for hundreds of years as to exactly what revival is. I like Vance Havner's definition, 'Revival is falling in love with Jesus all over again.' Revival is about getting a new connection with God and yourself." Pastor Phil <><<
REVIVAL HAS MANY DEFINITIONS:
A Revival calls a people or a church out of spiritual slumber - Rom. 13:11
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
A revival is an awakening, in a church or community, of interest in and care for matters relating to personal religion.
A revival is an evangelistic service or a series of services for the purpose of effecting a religious awakening:
David cried out for God's forgiveness and renewal. Psalm 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
BACKGROUND:
Isaiah was a Southern Kingdom Prophet to Judah.
589 BCE when Judah fell. They were captive 70 years in Babylon.
REVIVAL'S MAIN INGREDIENT IS FOR GOD TO SHOW UP
I. REVIVAL HAPPENS WHEN GOD HIMSELF COMES DOWN
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence-- 2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
A. Mountains will shake and melt
1. If God shows up mankind's mountains of arrogance, pride and bigotry will shake and flow down
2. Nothing will stop God's revival fires once kindled
3. Nationally we are a volcano shaking and ready to blow
4. It's time for God's people to speak out in His Presence
23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be
removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart,
but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have
whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask
when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have
them. Mark 11:23-24
B. Your personal mountains will surely melt in God's Presence
REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD IS PRESENT, cont. p.2
REVIVAL'S MAIN INGREDIENT IS FOR GOD TO SHOW UP
II. REVIVAL HAPPENS WHEN SINNERS BEGIN TO SHAKE
2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
A. Those who are without God become dumbfounded
1. Coincidences happened they cannot explain
2. They realize that God's supernatural power is at work
B. The Convicting Power of the Holy Spirit sets in
1. The lost without Jesus begin to shake
2. Involuntary trembling happens in God's Presence
C. The inevitable clash between flesh and spirit
1. The flesh caves in and begins to tremble
2. No flesh can stand in His Presence - Philippians 1
REVIVAL'S MAIN INGREDIENT FOR GOD TO SHOW UP. . .
III. REVIVAL HAPPENS WHEN THE RIGHTEOUS REJOICE
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence. 4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
A. God desires to come down into our presence
1. No joy in this life compares with His Presence
2. I long to have my children and grandchildren see Him
B. He comes when our hearts and humbled and penitent
13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your
heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back
from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the
places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you to the
place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. Jere. 29:13-14
1. Notice when you are content w/anything but God: Captivity
2. Notice God will give you up if you choose willful sin
3. He longs for your righteous choices and rejoices with you
REVIVAL'S MAIN OBSTRUCTIONS. . .
IV. OUR PROBLEMS THAT PREVENT REVIVAL
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
A. Proud, we are corrupted by our sins
1. We dress in Sunday finery
2. We neglect or ignore our hearts. . .we go unprepared
B. Pride and arrogance our self-righteous robes
1. Our best righteousness is as filthy rags in His Sight
2. We all fade like last Autumn's leaf
3. When winds of adversity blow, we are blown away
REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD IS PRESENT, cont. p.3
4. Poem by Beth Moore: "I am Pride"
C. Presumptuous, we neglect our own sins - Isaiah 64:7a
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take
hold of You. . .
1. Ever stir your spiritual self up?
2. Are you just a Sunday pew warmer putting in the time?
3. If you have a burning heart for renewal revival will come
4. This is the Age of Chloroformed Saints passing judgment
5. POEM, "Saints and Sinners"
6. Let's covenant together to pray for Revival
7. Let's stir ourselves up. . .
D. Our Sins have consumed us - v. 7b
For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
1. Our sins are literally eaten us alive
2. God cannot look on sin and has turned His Face from us
3. We are unprotected from sin and its consequences
4. Repent and turn from the sin that consumes
5. Seek Jesus with your whole heart, hold nothing back
E. We must believe that God is Sovereign - v. 8
8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our
potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.
1. He is not "a god" created by the hand and mind of man
2. He is THE LORD GOD, creator of the universe
3. He demands to be the Pre-eminent Sovereign in your life
4. Lord, You are Sovereign, You are the Potter, I am the clay
F. Remember, we have a Merciful God - v. 9
9 Do not be furious, O LORD, Nor remember iniquity forever; Indeed, please
look--we all are Your people!
1. Pray for God's Mercy and believe He hears your cry
2. God takes no joy in punishing sin
3. His Pleasure is incurred when we repent and turn to Him
4. Repentance must be in our cries for Revival
5. Prayer to God w/o repentance is a religious smokescreen
G. Respect God's Glory - vs. 10-12
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a
desolation. 11 Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised
You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O LORD? Will You
hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
1. This is Revival: when God actually shows up
2. What's holding you up?
3. Rags of self-righteousness? Self-Satisfaction?
4. Dying leaf and aren't aware of it?
5. Seek Him with your whole heart
6. Do you want to see the Glory of God?
REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD IS PRESENT
Isaiah 64:1-12
1 Oh, that You would rend the heavens! That You would come down! That the mountains might shake at Your presence--
2 As fire burns brushwood, As fire causes water to boil-- To make Your name known to Your adversaries, That the nations may tremble at Your presence!
3 When You did awesome things for which we did not look, You came down, The mountains shook at Your presence.
4 For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.
5 You meet him who rejoices and does righteousness, Who remembers You in Your ways. You are indeed angry, for we have sinned-- In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved.
6 But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; We all fade as a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, Have taken us away.
7 And there is no one who calls on Your name, Who stirs himself up to take hold of You; For You have hidden Your face from us, And have consumed us because of our iniquities.
8 But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.
9 Do not be furious, O LORD, Nor remember iniquity forever; Indeed, please look--we all are Your people!
10 Your holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.
REVIVAL IS WHEN GOD IS PRESENT, TEXT:
11 Our holy and beautiful temple, Where our fathers praised You, Is burned up with fire; And all our pleasant things are laid waste.
12 Will You restrain Yourself because of these things, O LORD? Will You hold Your peace, and afflict us very severely?
“My Name is Pride”
poem by Beth Moore
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny…
because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment…
because you “deserve better than this.”
I cheat you of knowledge…
because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing…
because you are too full of you to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness…
because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.
I cheat you of vision…
because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship…
because nobody’s going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love…
because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven…
because you refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.
I cheat you of God’s glory…
because I convinced you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I’m always looking out for you.
Untrue.
I’m looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry…
If you stick with me you’ll never know.
Saints and Sinners
Anonymous
When somebody yields to temptation
And breaks one of man’s or God’s laws,
We look for no good in his make-up,
But oh! how we look for the flaws!
No one cares about how he was tempted,
Nor praises the battles he’s fought;
His name becomes food for the jackals --
For us who have never been caught.
“He has sinned!” we shout from the house-tops,
We forget the good deeds he has done,
We focus on that one lost battle,
And forget all the times he has won.
“Come, gaze at the sinner!” we thunder,
“And by his example be taught
That his footsteps lead to destruction!”
Cry we who have never been caught.
I’m a sinner, O Lord, and I know it,
I’m weak, I blunder, I fail.
I’m tossed on life’s stormy ocean
Like ships embroiled in a gale.
I’m willing to trust in Thy mercy,
To keep the commandments You taught,
But deliver me, Lord, from the judgment
Of saints who have never been caught!
Famous Revival Quotes
Trying to run a church without revivals can be done when you can run a gasoline engine on buttermilk. Billy Sunday
When is revival needed? When carelessness and unconcern keep people asleep. Billy Sunday
They tell me revival is only temporary; so is a bath, but it does you good. Billy Sunday
There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience. Charles Finney
A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Charles Finney
Revival comes from heaven when heroic souls enter the conflict determined to win or die-or if need be, to win and die! The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Charles Finney
The only reason we don't have revival is we are willing to live without it." Leonard Ravenhill
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.
Psalm 51:10 (NKJV)
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Acts 3:19-20 (NKJV)
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
20 and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
Acts 3:19-20 (NIV)
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.
Isaiah 59:1-2 (NKJV)
1 Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.
2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
Psalm 51:10-12
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
