The Secret of REAL Revival
Acts 1 & 2
To find the secret of a great revival we need to turn in our Bibles to the place where it all started, Acts 1 & 2, the Day of Pentecost.
Have you ever wondered why preachers always use this scripture when dealing with revival? That is because we have here a blueprint of what God expects from each of us if we really want to see the Spirit fall on our lives and our community.
In this section is recorded the greatest awakening of people to the truth of God ever seen. It was great because the leaders in the Church of Jerusalem found the secret and applied it.
Let me tell you up front that this business of having a great revival is not easy. The price is very high and very few are willing to pay that price.
There are many reasons why people don’t want a REAL Revival:
1. First, some just don’t want it…
a. I didn’t say they didn’t want a meeting.
i. We want the big meeting; we just don’t want our lives changed by it.
b. We are living in a time when people don’t go to church like they should.
i. People don’t even go like they use too.
ii. And the main reason is because they don’t want too.
1. There are other things they would rather do.
c. We get all bent out of shape over the excuses that people give, but the truth is they just don’t want to come.
i. First of all they may not have been raised to see the importance of church.
1. That’s because their parents never cared if they went to church.
ii. The main reason is, again, they just don’t want to go!
1. It is a lot easier to make excuses:
a. You can change pastors and they still will not be here.
b. You can change deacons and they will not show up.
c. You can change teachers and you’ll never see them.
2. In reality, there are other places they would rather be and other things they would rather do.
a. This is because they are either lost or backslidden.
3. So, instead of trying to please someone who we can never please, let’s focus on what Jesus would have us to do and let Him take care of them.
2. Secondly, they are too busy.
a. There are so many things that lure people away from church and demands their attention.
i. The kids have ball practice or games…
ii. We always go out with the guys (or girls) once a week.
iii. I have an “ox in the ditch” preacher.
b. We never have Real revival because we don’t have time for it.
3. Thirdly, people just don’t care…
a. We are more concerned about other things:
i. Making a living than eternal life.
ii. Hording money than laying up our treasures in Heaven.
iii. Getting rather than giving.
b. Imagine for one second if some of the ones who have gone on to eternity could come back, walk in here and speak to you this morning.
i. I think they would trumpet the words of Jesus:
1. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)
2. "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…” (Matt 6:19-20)
3. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” (Matt 6:33)
c. People are placing a high value upon the wrong things in life.
i. And they are seeking these wrong things with all of their heart, soul, body and strength.
ii. And the things of God are useless to them because they just don’t care.
The secret of a great revival is very simple yet the cost is very high. If you are willing to pay the price you can have a REAL revival any time of the year.
In the two chapters I have asked you to turn to we see three things that I would like to share with you today and next Sunday that will make next week a week of revival unlike anything we have ever seen.
There are three “P’s” of Real Revival today we will look at the first of these and then follow that up next week with the other two points…
I. Prayer
A. Real Revivals are prayed down and not worked up.
1. I believe in organization with all my heart.
2. I believe in preparation for a revival.
a) I hope I haven’t left a stone unturned for next weeks meetings.
3. But none of that matters if we are not praying for a revival to take place.
a) “…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.” (2 Chron 7:14)
B. But look in Acts 1:13-2:4 and see if you can see what kind of praying went on.
1. It was prayer that was not in a hurry.
a) For 10 days they prayed.
(1) They went into the upper room to pray and didn’t leave until they got an answer.
(2) No one was in a hurry to go home
(3) They didn’t say, “we will pray for an hour and then we will go home.”
(a) They persevered.
b) In the 21st century church we have people that get upset if someone prays too long on the closing prayer!
(1) Forget about a prayer meeting lasting longer that an hour…
(2) We just like to pray on the run, so to speak.
2. It was prayer that united them.
a) Their fellowship had been broken.
(1) Jesus had left them.
(2) Judas had betrayed them, as well as Jesus.
(3) Now they are praying themselves back together
(4) You can not have Real revival or a great church and people be divided!
b) What do we do to fix it? PRAY!
(1) When people begin to confess their sins to God and ask for forgiveness…
(a) And when people begin to confess when they have wronged one another and ask for forgiveness…
(b) THEN – a great and REAL spiritual is going to break out.
(2) Hear me! – Prayer and prayer alone will do this!
(3) You can do whatever you think is needed:
(a) Fire the preacher and you are still divided.
(b) Change church leaders and no unity will come.
(c) Change by-laws and in-laws and any other laws you want to change and you will still have a fractured church.
(4) But, prayer, and prayer alone, will unify the church.
3. It was prayer that was stirring their hearts.
a) They spent time in prayer, not wondering when it would end, BUT WHEN IT WOULD START!
(1) Their prayers started working on the heart of each person gathered in that room.
(a) Their prayers stirred their hearts.
(2) Then the Holy Spirit came down and He stirred them to action.
(a) When Christians are on fire, then other believers are warmed and sinners are attracted to the light.
b) We need a church today with a stirred membership.
(1) Prayer can bring the Holy Spirit and He can stir our church.
(2) When people begin to pray, and intercede for people
(a) The Lost,
(b) The Indifferent,
(c) The Cold,
(d) The Rebellious,
(3) THEN things Will become different.
(a) The Holy Spirit will stir them to action on making a decision.
(b) In his book Daily Thoughts for Disciples Oswald Chambers wrote: “We take for granted that prayer is preparation for work, whereas prayer is the work. Intercessory prayer is God’s chosen way of working.”
(4) The prayers of God’s people will literally bring people to church!
(a) Many times when I have invited and invited to no avail, Prayer has brought a man to church.
(i) And eventually to Christ.
As you go through this week I would like you to ask yourself, “how bad do I really want it?”
That will decide if you experience Real Revival or not.
