A CALL TO PRAYER FOR REVIVAL
Luke 11:1; II Chron. 7:14
INTRODUCTION
Wesley’s
- New Years Eve - 1739 - group of men gather to pray for power of God and revival upon England.
- John, Charles Wesley, George Whitefield etc. gathered to pray.
- England in mess - corruption - church dead
- about to follow French Revolution.
- 3 AM power and presence of God fell -
* WHAT FOLLOWED NIGHT OF PRAYER REVIVAL THAT SHOOK THE WORLD. GREAT AWAKENING.
- Turned England from the abyss of immorality and destruction.
- Thousands converted - bar room closed.
- Churches filled - moved to fields
REVIVAL SPREAD BECAUSE GROUP PRAYED.
** UNDER GOD I WANT TO CALL YOU TO PRAY FOR REVIVAL.
II Cron. 7:14
God's Plan For Revival.
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)
I. THE PEOPLE OF REVIVAL
If My people, who are called by My name
1 REVIVAL BEGINS WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD
- Misconception – revival is not evangelizing the lost – Awakening
* Admit - we the people of God - not as in tune as ought to be
* Missed Blessings - Not in tune - miss blessing God has for us
- miss joy - power and fellowship of God
2. REVIVAL IS REVITALIZATION OF GOD'S PEOPLE
* Revival = Revival is a movement of the Holy Spirit where God revitalizes His people towards worship and service, and where spiritual lives overflow, resulting in an evangelistic effort.
* Revivedness The Norm - The State of Revivedness is to be the normal state of the church. If there is not this revivedness, then we are in spiritual decline. If we are not experiencing revivedness, the we are acepting a low standard of spiritual life. (J.I. Packard - OBC)
* Almost Everyone Says They Want Revival
- Want to talk with you about how to get that Revival At Parkway.
II. THE BURDEN OF REVIVAL
... shall humble themselves and pray ...
Burden of Revival = Prayer
* Revival is sovereign moving of God - Prayer is only thing we can do to bring revival.
"The Church is dying on its feet because it is not living on its knees " (Leonard Ravenhill)
* WE PLAY AT PRAYER - ANY WONDER REVIVAL TARRIES AND OUR CHURCHES ARE DYING.
1. Brokenness In Prayer
... humble themselves ..
Ps. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Broken = crushed heart - sorry for sin - humbled before God
- recognize our utter failure. SUBMITTED
- pride broken - DYE TO SELF
– God can’t rule until the self within us is broken.
- hard unyielding self wants its own way, seeks it’s rights etc.
* Brokeness Is Dying To Self
- come to God in prayer – broken, on knees in humilt
illustrate - "be merciful to me a sinner
* No Brokeness – No Blessing
- comes as contemplate the majesty, glory and purity of God
2. Selflessness in Prayer
... if my people ... pray...
Heb. PRAY = "to judge self habitually"
* How selfish our prayers are.
- Why do we pray for lost – "So We can be happy"
- Why pray - so church can be famous - Pastor get credit.
Or - God’s glory.
* PRAY FOR REVIVAL FOR GOD'S NAME AND GLORY
3. Earnestness IN Prayer
... if My people seek my face ...
Earnestness = serious - honest
- average pastor 3 min a day in prayer.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man - James 5:16
Serious Prayer and Fasting
- Revival of deep - heart felt prayer – cry out to God
- pray through - Beat on the doors of heaven
* Who has heard of serious prayer and fasting in our day.
"Seriousness in prayer means we must avoid the things and people that divert us from deliberately seeking the face of God in these desperate days in which we live." (Stephen Olford).
4. Holiness In Prayer
... if my people ... turn from their wicked ways
* Climax of Prayer - holiness
- not just brokeness, earnestness, but HOLINESS.
- CANNOT COME TO GOD WITH DEFILED HANDS.
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man - James 5:16
To come to God in prayer with defilement on our hands, dissension in our spirits, and doubt upon our hearts is to cancel out the effectiveness of prayer.
* Church today far too tolerant of sin.
We play at prayer when we come into God’s presence with an unholy life. (Olford)
- church caught up with the world, instead of being a voice crying in the wilderness.
* We will only see God’s blessing and Revival as we Pray with Holy Hearts.
CONCLUSION
J.I. Packer; "if we are not under revival, we are under wrath."
Stephen Olford " We must remember the clear alternatives; either judgement or revival".
* When we are living holy lives – we are in tune with a Holy God and the windows of heaven will open and blessings will flow in abundance.
* God has been pleased to send Revival to His Church In the Past. I believe He is willing to do so again when we bear the Burden of Revival and cry out to Him.
(Welch revival - 1904)
Young Evan Roberts gave himself to praying 13 yrs.
- One morning - Spirit of the Lord fell and Revival began.
Nothing had ever come over Wales with such far reaching results. Infidels were converted; drunkards, thieves and gamblers saved; and thousands reclaimed to respectability. Confession of awful sins were heard. Old debts were paid, the theater had to leave for want of patronage. Mules in coal mines refused to work, being unused to kindness! IN FIVE WEEKS, 20,000 PEOPLE WERE SAVED AND JOINED CHURCHES."
* DO IT AGAIN LORD!
G. Campbell Morgan "We cannot organize revival, but we can set the sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people again." WE SET THE SAIL WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES AND PRAY.
