GETTING READY FOR REVIVAL #2: RECEIVING THE FATHER’S LOVE
STORY: At Superstore with miserable supervisor, and then on to “pay it forward” at Timmie’s.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21, NKJV).
INTRO TO TOPIC: We’ve been talking about getting ready for revival and God coming down.
• What does that look like? “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” (1 John 3:1).
THE BIG IDEA: One of the most important things that will prepare us for a personal revival is a new and fresh encounter with the Father’s Love.
“Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. 14 But Zion said, "The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me." 15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.” (Isaiah 49:13-16).
• There is a joy that comes when you know and believe the love God has for you.
KEY TEXT: “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:37-39).
I. COME TO JESUS:
• Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let Him come to me…”
• “Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters.” (Isaiah 55:1).
• If we don’t realize we’re thirsty / needy, we won’t come to Jesus.
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.” (The Message Bible).
• This is the most important thing that we can do – come to Jesus, the loving Saviour.
• Only Jesus can truly satisfy the deepest longings of our heart.
II. DRINK OF HIS LOVING PRESENCE:
• Jesus said, “Come to me and drink.”
• “A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1).
• Sometimes the Lord will let us go through the wilderness to stir up our hunger and thirst for more of His presence.
• STORY: Getting tired of ‘church as usual’ and seeking and soaking.
• What does it mean to ‘drink’?
o In His Love – “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.” (John 15:9).
• “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Romans 5:5).
• If you don’t have a father, or didn’t have a good one, this is a challenge!
o In prayer – spending time soaking / abiding in Jesus, just being in His presence
o In worship – as we praise and worship Him, we come into His presence
o In His Word – “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1 Peter 2:2-3).
III. LET THE RIVER FLOW:
• Jesus said, “out of your heart will flow rivers of living water.”
• We are filled up to flow out… don’t be a Dead Sea Christian!
“1 Then he (an angel) brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar.
• First the water was up to his ankles (v.3), then to his knees and then his waist (v.4).
5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many.” (Ezekiel 47:1,5,9-10).
• Prophetic picture of what the Lord wants to do with His people:
• He wants the water to flow out of the temple / the church, and into the world.
• Wherever God’s Spirit goes, people will be saved and healed – lots of fish: REVIVAL!
CHALLENGE: LET’S SHARE GOD’S LOVE WITH OTHERS:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).
“18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:18-20).
PRAYER: TO RECEIVE A FRESH ENCOUNTER WITH THE FATHER’S LOVE!
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
