The Church of Jesus Christ is in need of revival. The fastest growing religion in our country is Islam. God’s Word and prayer are no longer desired in schools and government. Christian values such as family, prayer, believing the Word of God is now a rarity. God’s people are no longer bothered with sin in their lives. Over the years we have slowly slipped into attitudes such selfishness, unforgiveness, disobediece, carnality, and lukewarmness in our love to Jesus and others, etc. God’s church, which once turned the world upside down is not being turned upside down by the world…In Such A Time As This...We Need Revival.
Last week, we talked about our promise for revival from Acts 1:1-11. Jesus has a plan, power, and priority for us! A church not far from ours was down to 8 discouraged people – do you know they believed God still had a plan, power, and priority for them? God has turned that little church around and today they are growing…revived and encouraged in Jesus once more!
Today, let’s discover our prayer for revival. How can we pray and prepare for a wonderful revival at our church?
I. Pray for God’s Son to be Lifted Up!
Why we do what we do for the Lord is as important as what we do for the Lord. One of the most compelling motivations to worship and serve the Lord Jesus is that His return is coming soon and we will all give an account of our lives to Him.
Bible preaching reminds us that Jesus alone is the Risen Son of God – Reigning Son of God – Returning Son of God and He is Lord of all. Biblical preaching centers of Jesus crucifixion, “Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death,” (Acts 2.23) Biblical preaching centers of Jesus resurrection, “…whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.” Biblical preaching centers of Jesus exaltation, “32 This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 “For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘ The Lord said to my Lord, “ Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’[a ]36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Gerald Harris of the Christian Index pointed in his article recently that Campus Crusade for Christ surveys suggest that over 50 percent of the hundred million people in church in the USA every Sunday are not sure of their salvation. Today, we have a group labeled as “notional Christians.” These “notional Christians” describe themselves as Christians but do not believe their hope for eternal life is based on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the belief He died and rose again from the dead.”
This is precisely one reason we must have Biblical preaching! The only way anyone can be assured of everlasting life is precisely because Jesus died for our sins and is risen from the dead! (Acts 4.12)
When I was in college, our home church had evangelistic revival meetings. My heart was heavy for an elderly neighbor who was not a believer in Jesus. We were always good friends and she accepted my offer to come to church for the revival. To this day I remember what the evangelist preached – He preached on how to be sure of salvation - a powerful message from 1 John. Through the sermon, I noticed how uncomfortable Ms. Janice was. On the way home, I asked her what she thought of the sermon. She said, “It’s nice if that’s what you believe, David, but it’s not for me.”
Today, in America, we like the success gospel over the old, old story of Jesus and His love. We like the gospel of health, wealth, and happiness over the preaching of Christ crucified.
Of the success gospel, Warren Wiersbe says, “The people who preach this gospel dip here and there into the O.T. to pull out their proof texts, but they will fully reject “the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20.27). The success gospel is a cheap message for people who are looking for a quick fix for their lives but not a permanent change in character.”
How we need a preaching revival that exalts Jesus and exposes sin. In preaching the Word of God we are reminded once more of Who Jesus is and What Jesus has done for us.
II. Pray for God’s Saints to Live in the Spirit!
A. God’s Power In Our Witness
(Acts 1.8, Ephesians 1:19)
Sometimes, as believers we are overwhelmed by a sense of our own weakness and inability to live as God would have us to. We need to understand the same power that raised Jesus Christ our Lord from the grave is alive and well in us today.
When I was a kid, I played football with much older kids in the neighborhood. One day, they were having fun with the young kid and they began to really tackle and hit me hard. I did not know my dad was watching, but he had enough! He came out and said, “I’m playing for David now, bring it on.” My dad began to pound these kids just like they were pounding me. Their power had been overcome by a much greater power!
We must understand God’s power in us is greater than any devil, debt, discouragement, disease, danger or difficulty!
B. God’s Power In Our Walk
(Romans 12:1-2)
In the game of baseball, sometimes the hitter is called on by the coach to make a sacrifice bunt. The batter has to prefer helping his team over himself. Normally, the bunter is easily thrown out at first, but his bunt helps his team mate move up to the next base into scoring position. God is calling us all to become living sacrifices – serving with no thought of our own, but for Jesus and others sake.
C. God’s Power In Our Words
(Ephesians 4.29)
The words we speak have tremendous power to build up or tear down. One of my SS teachers in H.S. thought he looked good when he criticized his wife in front of other men. He didn’t realize how foolish it made him look and how much pain it brought on his wife.
Parents and grandparents sometimes look at their children and say, “ "Can’t you do anything right?" "What’s wrong with you?" "You’ll never learn." How about these words, "You’re really working hard today." "I’m very proud of you." "You are very good at that." "Now that’s a fine job."
Your words can help someone to turn to Jesus or away from Jesus! Your words can build up this church or tear it down. Each of us needs more encouragement over criticism.
Button up your lip securely
’Gainst the words that bring a tear,
But be swift with words of comfort,
Words of praise, and words of cheer. --Loucks
III. Pray for God’s Spirit to Fill Us Up!
A positive revival is needed to have a sweet, sweet spirit in this place. If I were to ask each of you what the greatest need of the church is today – some would say, more money, members, missions, ministries, etc.
Ephesians 5:18, “Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery. Instead be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father, in everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
The greatest need of the church today is men, women, boys and girls to be filled with the Spirit of God.
When we are all filled with the Spirit of God, our actions will become Christ like and helpful. When a person is drunk with wine their actions and behaviors change for the worse. Someone said, “Alcohol is Satan’s Sauce.” Being drunk on wine makes you lose control, say and do stupid things. Being filled with God’s Spirit actually gives you self control and empowers you to live life on a different level.
What are the beneifts of the Spirit filling in our lives, church? We will encourage, edify, exhort, and exalt one another. There will be more praising than pouting, more giving than griping, more compliments than complaints, more salvations than stinginess, more harmony than hurting. How we need a positive revival!
IV. Pray for Lost Souls to See Believers United!
Think of the praying that took place before the revival at Pentecost. A 10 day prayer meeting! These were people just like you and me who knew without the power of God in their lives, they could not make it.
They united in one accord and had worked out their differences, divisions, doubts. The only way real change could come in their lives and community was because of a prayer answering God and people totally surrendered to His glory.
One day all the tools in the shed had a meeting/bro. Hammer stood up to lead, but nobody liked him…he always knocked people!
Bro. Saw was always cutting people down
Bro. Screwdriver went round and round, talking in circles
Bro. Ruler never thought anyone measured up
Bro. Sandpaper rubbed people the wrong way!
They parted company, went to opposite ends of the shed, but then one day the carpenter from Nazareth came in, picked up the ruler and measured, used the saw to cut, hammered and nailed things into place, used bro. sandpaper to create a beautiful finish, and w/ all these tools the carpenter had built a beautiful pulpit from which to preach the gospel!
At the end of the day the tools got together and realized all they could accomplish when they stop focusing on each other, and simply place themselves in the hands of the Master!
John 17:21-26
Call and Commitment - Perhaps this morning you realize for your utmost need in life is a turn around in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Relationship to be restored? Sin to be confessed? God’s will to be accepted?
Come to Jesus this morning and receive His great salvation. Some of God’s people are weary and in desperate need of encouragement, hope – come to this altar – come with a friend – let Jesus give you fresh hope and be Lord of all!
