Revival

Revival

INTRODUCTION A great deal of preaching on this subject today. This is a very good sign. The only way to avoid spiritual decay is by progress. (Evangelize or fossilize.) From Psalms 24:3-4 we learn that a revival affects three things:

These three things, actions, feelings, and speech, represent our true character.

Revival means to come back to life, to return to consciousness, to return to vigor from a state of langour or neglect.

There is a difference between evangelism and revival. A sinner needs evangelism to bring him to the Lord. You cannot revive a dead person. He needs new birth. But the twice-born Christian that backslides or sins needs to be revived. A revival is the return of the Christian from backsliding.

It invariably includes a deep conviction of sin.

Revival is a new beginning of obedience to Almighty God.

It produces a great effect on all that the revived one meets.

It brings a deep sense of the presence, glory and wonder of God.

You will not purchase a hat unless you need it. You will not be revived unless you feel or desire a need for it. When you hunger and thirst for revival, God will give it. The river of God is flowing but you will not drink of it until you are thirsty.

Revival is needed when there is a want of brotherly love. Dissensi.ons, jealousies, evil speaking, etc., are sure signs that a revival is needed. Is my heart filled with bitterness or hatred? If so, then I need to be revived.

Worldliness is a sure sign. Do I love the comics more than my Bible? Would I rather go to a show than to Sunday School? Am I more interested in being popular than in humbly serving the Lord Jesus Christ?

Gross sin is an open sign that revival is needed. Stealing, lying disobedience.

Revived Christians arc concerned for the lost. Backslidden, cold Christians don’t care if sinners go to hell or not.

1 Chronicles 7:14 lays down four simple concise steps to revival: "If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." The text first defines who may be revived: "My people. . . called by My Name," Christians are called after Christ: Christ-ian or Christ-one.

Only God’s true children can be revived. Sinners need to be converted.

Because when we sinned He turned away from us. Confession restores contact.

The results of meeting these four conditions or requirements:

1 Peter 4:17, "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God ’? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?"

We need to be revived because of sin. Coldness and backsliding are results of sin.

"Scarcely be saved," the battle is terrific. Many fall by the wayside.

We need to love God more than parents or anything else. Only the revived man can love God with all the heart, soul, strength, and mind. Luke 10:27.

We need to love and read God’s Word every day. The cold heart reads in a cold mechanical way but the revived one rejoices in the message.

We need to pray. Backsliders’ prayers are cold, long, uninteresting, formal and dead. But the prayer of the revived Christian stirs others as it touches the Throne.

We need to walk circumspectly-being discreet, cautious, watchful and guarded. The cold Christian is half asleep spiritually and an easy target for the devil.

We need to be disciplined. This is emphasized in Luke 14:25-33.

We need to be delivered from sin: big sins, little sins, open sins, secret sins, anger, wrath, filthy communication, lies, impatience, temper, dishonesty, coldness of heart, emptiness, dryness, hardness, fear, worry, liquor, gambling, pride, self-righteousness, unbelief, hate, self-pity, criticism, unkind thoughts, sharp words, jealousy, cheating, hypocrisy, strife, lust of the eye, evil or impure thoughts, selfishness, covetousness, gossip, worldliness, stealing, adultery, murder, Sabbath-breaking, disobedience to parents, fighting, cursing, revenge, testimony failure, failure to set a good example, neglect of the Bible, neglect of prayer, grieving or quenching the Spirit. etc., etc.

Results of the Hebrides revival: People lost in the glory and wonder of God, a deep sense of the presence of God, men moving about with bowed heads, subdued in His presence, a deep sense of sin, conversion of sinners, preaching dealt on the severity of God, family worship to the fore, social evils swept away in a night as by a flood, very few backsliders from campaign.

Results of the revival in Wales. Vested interests aroused to opposition, groups of revived ones went preaching everywhere, debts were paid, confessions were made, theater going dropped, interest in sports dropped, dance halls were deserted, open air Gospel services were held everywhere, miners treated their horses much better, and were filled with hymns and not with cursing, there was a great emphasis on singing.

Results of the revival in East Central Africa: Great emphasis on the daily walk, brokenness of spirit, a new recognition of the terribleness of sin, moment by moment communion with the Spirit, instant confession, much emphasis on the Blood, a constant growth, spread and deepening of the revival.

Results of the revival in China: Confessions, revivals, conversions, demons cast out, divisions in churches healed, co-operation among Mission Societies and churches.

Results of the Moravian revival: A prayer meeting that lasted 100 years (1727 to 1827), in thirty years they took the Gospel to every country in Europe, pagan races in North and South America and Africa, then Greenland, founders of modern missions.

CONCLUSION Do you hunger and thirst for revival? We may have it if we pay the price. Each one of us has an influence. The backslider for evil and the revived Christian has the potential of great blessing to humanity.

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