(Clip) How to Resurrect Dead Faith

Watchful, in the Bible, is to be like a watchman on the wall. Be watchful. Paul says to walk circumspectly, to watch, you're watchful, you're walking, you see, you're being perceptive to the things of God.

You're watching. Be watchful. Wake yourself up and know, call out those things that are ready to die.

So a sermon like this should, when the heart is ready, it pierces the heart. You say, my God, I'm not watchful in this area, I'm dropping the ball. Whether it's modesty, whether it's purity, whether it's backbiting, whether it's gossip, whether it's anger, whether it's all things.

You're watchful, you strengthen that area, you call it out. You know what that is. It's like when Paul says examine yourself.

Don't you know yourself? Is Christ in you? There's a watchfulness, and you're called to watch over the souls of others from time to time, but more importantly, your own soul. Watch over your own soul and strengthen what remains. This is interesting.

See, it's not quite dead yet. Jesus says strengthen, it's this. Start lifting your spiritual muscle.

You gotta get off the couch, throw away Krispy Kreme and eat some broccoli and go on a fast at some point, right? You strengthen what remains. There's a little bit remaining. There's a flickering of light.

Jesus is saying, see that flickering of light? It remains. See, the fire's not out yet. It's about ready to.

Blow on that fire. Turn on the gas. Get the starter.

Get that strength in that thing that remains. Get it going again. Isn't that true? And it's funny, this is for the end, but I'll just bring it in right now.

Isaiah 52, I couldn't get out of it this week. The people, the children of Israel, this whole thing about awakening and strengthening, they were going to God in chapter 51 saying, God, would you awaken us? We've been taken captive by the Babylonians. We're in captivity.

God, would you awaken us? You know what God answered in Isaiah 52? He said, you awake. You awake, O daughter of Israel. Put on the strength that is left.

Put on your beautiful garments. He said, the undefiled, the uncircumcised, the unclean will no longer come against you. If you wipe the dust off of you, strengthen yourself.

Take off the yokes of bondage from your neck. O captive daughter of Jerusalem, come out of her and come back to me. Awake, awake, arise.

And they're busy saying, God, would you do something? He's like, no, would you do something? You arise, you awaken, you strengthen yourself. Yes, you've fallen. Yes, you're captive, but wipe off the dust and get back up and fight.

Strengthen what remains. That is biblical doctrine. Listen, that's preaching.

I can end the sermon right here. That's what this church needs to do. That's what you need to do.

That's what I need to do. Awake.