"How to Experience True Revival"

Psalms 51:1-12 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: According unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: And my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, And done this evil in thy sight: That thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, And be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; And in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: And in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; That the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, And blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; And renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; And take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto m…”

I. Intro

Many of us have heard of revivals that have taken place in the past, where people were brought to repentance, and entire communities were transformed. But the question is, can we experience true revival today? And if so, how can we experience it? Many of us have experienced a time in our lives when we felt distant from God, when our faith felt dry and our passion for the Lord had diminished. But God promises to revive us when we turn to Him with a humble heart and seek His face. In Psalms 85:6, the psalmist cries out to God, saying, “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” This is a prayer that we all can pray when we feel like we are in need of personal revival. So what does personal revival look like? It starts with a recognition of our need for God. We must acknowledge our sinfulness and confess our sins to God. In 1 John 1:9, it says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” This confession opens the door for God to work in our hearts and to bring about a transformation. Revival is not just a word; it is a work of God that can transform your life, and the lives of those around you. It is a time when God pours out His Spirit upon His people, bringing about a renewed sense of purpose, passion, and commitment to Him. So how do we achieve true personal revival?

First and foremost, experiencing true revival begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We cannot expect to experience revival if we are not in a right relationship with God. That means we must be willing to confess our sins, repent, and turn away from our sinful ways. We must surrender our lives to Christ and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives.

Secondly, experiencing true revival involves seeking God wholeheartedly. We must be intentional about spending time in prayer, studying the Bible, and seeking God’s prescence in our lives. We must be willing to lay aside our own desires and seek God’s will for our lives.

Thirdly, experiencing true revival involves being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one who empowers us to live a life that honors God. We must be open to allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, guiding us, and transforming us from the inside out.

Lastly, experiencing true revival involves sharing our testimony with others. When we share how God has transformed our lives, it can inspire and encourage others to seek God for themselves. We must be willing to be bold in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those around us.

II. True Revival begins with a personal relationship with Christ.

To be revived, you must first be born again.

Realize your need for a Saviour.

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

Realize that because of your sins, we deserve eternal separation in hell.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Heed the Good News that because of Christ’s work on the cross, we don’t have to face our judgment.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Repent, and accept God’s free gift of eternal life.

Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

III. For the believer, revival begins with repentance.

Repentance is when you are going south on the highway and then recognize you need to be going north. Repentance isn’t just thinking about changing directions. It isn’t just watching other folks go by wondering if they are going wrong too. Repentance is looking for the next exit, getting off, crossing over, and getting back on the other road on your way home. If you are twenty miles out of your way, and decide to change directions you must take the exit ramp. This is the ramp of confession where you agree that you have been going the wrong way. Then you have to cross over the grace overpass where God gives you the opportunity and the privilege to turn around. Confession gets you to the place where you can make that U-turn. Grace crosses you over. Now, there is another ramp that you have to take to get back on the highway headed in the right direction. This is the restoration on-ramp. The confession off-ramp leads to the grace overpass, which carries you over and puts you right in front of the restoration on-ramp, so that you can begin heading in the right direction. Once the turn has been made, and repentance has been accomplished, you may still be twenty miles out of the way. You might be discouraged because you’ve gone twenty miles wrong or maybe twenty years wrong. In fact, many folks get stuck here, thinking that since they are twenty miles out of the way, they might as well keep on heading in that same wrong direction. The thing to remember is that when taking a trip, the ride coming back home always seems shorter than the ride going. There’s something about coming home that shortens the feeling of distance even when the actual distance to cover is the same.

What is repentance?

Repentance is the act of acknowledging and taking responsibility for one's wrongdoing, expressing genuine remorse or sorrow for those actions, and making a conscious decision to change or amend one's behavior. Repentance often involves a process of self-reflection, seeking forgiveness from those who have been hurt or affected by one's actions, and making efforts to make things right. It is often associated with religious or spiritual contexts, but can also be a personal or moral practice. Repentance can be a powerful tool for personal growth, reconciliation, and restoration of relationships.

The biblical definition of repentance is rooted in the Hebrew and Greek words used in the Bible. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for repentance is "shuv," which means to turn back or return. In the New Testament, the Greek word for repentance is "metanoia," which means a change of mind or a change of heart. In a biblical context, repentance involves acknowledging and confessing one's sins, turning away from those sins, and turning towards God. It is a deep and sincere remorse for one's wrongdoing and a desire to live in accordance with God's will. Repentance also involves seeking forgiveness from God and from those who have been harmed by one's actions. In the Christian faith, repentance is seen as a necessary step towards salvation and a way to experience God's mercy and forgiveness. It is also viewed as a continuous process of growth and transformation in which individuals strive to become more like Christ.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “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.”

Repentance involves humbling yourself before God.

humbling oneself before God is an essential aspect of repentance. In order to truly repent, one must acknowledge their wrongdoing and take responsibility for their actions, which requires humility. Repentance involves recognizing that one has fallen short of God's standards and that they need His forgiveness and grace. It is a recognition of one's own limitations and imperfections and a willingness to submit oneself to God's will. As it says in James 4:10, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

Jesus tells a parable of humility in Luke 18:9-14, often called the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In this parable, Jesus contrasts the attitudes of a Pharisee and a tax collector who both went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about his own righteousness, thanking God that he was not like other people, including the tax collector. He boasted about his good deeds and religious practices. On the other hand, the tax collector stood at a distance, beating his breast and saying, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Jesus concludes the parable by saying that the tax collector, not the Pharisee, went home justified before God because he humbled himself before God and recognized his need for mercy. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector teaches us about the importance of humility in our relationship with God. Just like the tax collector, we need to acknowledge our own sinfulness and our need for God's mercy and forgiveness. We must not rely on our own self-righteousness or good deeds, but rather on God's grace and love.

IV. Conclusion

In closing, experiencing true revival is not just a one-time event; it is an ongoing journey of transformation. It begins with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, seeking God’s face wholeheartedly, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and sharing our testimony with others. Let us be intentional about seeking true revival in our lives, our churches, and our communities, and let us trust in God to bring about transformation and renewal.