Are You Ready for Revival?
2 Chronicles 7:14
Introduction: This is the beginning of your Fall Revival. As we face the possibility of God-sent revival, we must understand that it is not just going to come. We must prepare; we must be truly ready for revival.
Please notice with me our text, "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." There are a number of facts I would like for us to notice in this passage:
1. Revival is for God's people.
"If my people, which are called by my name..."
- Revival is not getting lost people saved. In many instances, evangelists equate salvation decisions with revival when the truth is, that's not revival at all.
- Lost people cannot have revival. The salvation of the lost is a direct result of revival but is not revival itself.
- Revival is for God's people, and God's people sometimes need life brought back to them. It is easy for the child of God to become lethargic and complacent as time passes. When this happens, they need revival.
2. Revival requires humility.
"If my people...shall humble themselves..."
- There's far too much pride in Christianity today.
- When a Christian humbles himself, it means that he has not been humbled, rather, he has chosen to humble himself; that is, to bring himself under the authority and power of God.
- Even Christians do not wish to be ruled by a higher power. This is why so many Christians claim they know the Bible yet refuse to do what the Bible says. This is also one of the reasons they refuse to hear preaching, especially preaching that names their particular pet sin.
- In order for God to send revival, God's people must choose humility.
* James 4:10, "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
* 1 Peter 5:6, "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."
- The Word of God says that, one day, every knee will bow to the Lord.
* Isaiah 45:23, "I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear."
* Romans 14:11, "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God."
* Philippians 2:10, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth."
- It is best to choose to humble yourself than it is to be humbled!
3. Revival requires prayer.
"If my people...shall...pray..."
- Here, "pray" means "judgment, supplication, thought, to intervene, interpose, pray, to mediate, judge, and to intercede." This particular word is used in each of these ways throughout the Old Testament.
- John R. Rice defined prayer as "asking."
- Prayerlessness is a sin that besets most Christians.
- Not enough Christians will pray for revival in their own local church. The word means to intercede and intervene. God knows we need some intervention in our churches and in our lives!
4. Revival requires seeking God's face.
"If my people...shall...seek my face..."
- Praying and seeking God's face are not the same. Prayer is more of an intercession for others. Seeking God's face is more personal.
- God will turn away His face from those who refuse to acknowledge their offense to Him! "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:1-2)
* 2 Chronicles 30:9, "...for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him."
* Ezekiel 7:22, "My face will I turn also from them..."
* Psalm 104:29, "Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled..."
* Hosea 5:15, "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early."
- Hence, we see the absolute necessity for seeking God's face. However, simply asking for it will not do. To "seek God's face" means to "seek out, to earnestly seek for, to be begging for, and to greatly desire." It means that you are willing and obedient to do what God requires to cause Him to not hide His face from you.
5. Revival requires turning from our wicked ways.
"If my people...shall...turn from their wicked ways..."
- This is simply self-explanatory. You must decide to do right.
- D.L. Moody defined some important terms for us. He said:
* Repentance is a change of mind; a new mind about God.
* Conversion is a change of life; a new life for God.
- Many saved, blood-washed, regenerated, born-again, redeemed believers need conversion desperately!
- Some preaching rubs a Christians' fur the wrong way. Billy Sunday said, "Then, turn the cat around!"
- Just as you would turn your head away from something repulsive, you need to turn away from your wickedness.
- How can God bring revival to rebellion? Truthfully, He does not.
- I have come to the place, as a pastor, that I find there are some Christians who want the Lord to change instead of them. It ain't gonna happen, folks!
Conclusion: God gives us some requirements for revival. He states:
- If My people will humble themselves.
- If My people will pray.
- If My people will seek My face.
- If My people will turn from their wicked ways.
* Then God says He will:
- Forgive their sin.
- Heal their land.
- Hear their prayers.
I want us to be ready for revival. If you are one of God's people, called by His name, do you see the need to:
- Humble yourself under the hand of God?
- Pray?
- Seek God's face?
- Turn from your wicked ways?
Let's take care of this today, so that when we return to this place each night, we'll be truly ready for revival!