In Search of a King Part 6

Spiritual renewal is needed when we find ourselves broken because of the absence of God’s power and presence.

1 sam 7

1 Samuel 7:1–2 ESV

1 And the men of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the Lord and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. And they consecrated his son Eleazar to have charge of the ark of the Lord. 2 From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord.

How long have you been disconnected from the living God?

How long has it been since you experienced His presence and power in your life?

Spiritual

Spiritual renewal begins when we obey the word of God.

1 sam 7

1 Samuel 7:3–4 ESV

3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4 So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.

Now, Baal and Ashtaroth were Canaanite deities, you understand. They were “husband and wife” in the pantheon of Canaanite deities, and they were the gods of fertility. They were the gods of the weather, they were the gods of storm, and therefore the gods of fertile crops. Oh, isn't it interesting that when God teaches the Philistines a lesson, how does He do it but by sending a storm? Baal cannot so much as raise a rumble, and God thunders! Doesn't it remind you of Elijah on Mount Carmel, by the way? The Baal, who cannot so much as light a fire, and God comes down in fire and consumes that offering? So much for the power of these heathen deities! They still have their Baal's and Ashtaroth.

Listen to the Words of A.W. Tozer

Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work.

To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience.

Spiritual renewal means that there are things that must no longer have a place in my life.

Now, Baal and Ashtaroth were Canaanite deities, you understand. They were “husband and wife” in the pantheon of Canaanite deities, and they were the gods of fertility. They were the gods of the weather, they were the gods of storm, and therefore the gods of fertile crops. Oh, isn't it interesting that when God teaches the Philistines a lesson, how does He do it but by sending a storm? Baal cannot so much as raise a rumble, and God thunders! Doesn't it remind you of Elijah on Mount Carmel, by the way? The Baal, who cannot so much as light a fire, and God comes down in fire and consumes that offering? So much for the power of these heathen deities! They still have their Baal's and Ashtaroth.

That means spiritual renewal will be costly.

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession... Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ."

1 Samuel 7:3 ESV

3 And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.”

Listen to what Samuel says again.

1 sam

If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you

Now, Baal and Ashtaroth were Canaanite deities, you understand. They were “husband and wife” in the pantheon of Canaanite deities, and they were the gods of fertility. They were the gods of the weather, they were the gods of storm, and therefore the gods of fertile crops. Oh, isn't it interesting that when God teaches the Philistines a lesson, how does He do it but by sending a storm? Baal cannot so much as raise a rumble, and God thunders! Doesn't it remind you of Elijah on Mount Carmel, by the way? The Baal, who cannot so much as light a fire, and God comes down in fire and consumes that offering? So much for the power of these heathen deities! They still have their Baal's and Ashtaroth.

Spiritual renewal means I must give myself fully to Him.

d

Look again there in verse 3

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only

f ; ; ; Cited ;

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2016), .

"Many Christians 'stall out' in the faith when the call to total commitment is received or viewed as something too high or too hard to acquire...or they have never been taught that total commitment is Christ's demand for all His followers."

- Chip Ingram

English Standard Version Chapter 7

he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

English Standard Version Chapter 7

he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Spiritual renewal means I must be real about my sin.

Real Prayer

1 Samuel 7:5 ESV

5 Then Samuel said, “Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.”

1 sam

Real Fasting

They were hungry for God.

1 Samuel 7:6 ESV

6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

1 sam 7

Real Confession

1 sam 7 6

1 Samuel 7:6 ESV

6 So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

Whenever you see the people of God obey the word of God you will see a display of the presence and power of God.

1 Samuel 7:7–15 ESV

7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car. 12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.” 13 So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel. And the hand of the Lord was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 The cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath, and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites. 15 Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.

1 Samuel 7:7–11 ESV

7 Now when the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 And the people of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.” 9 So Samuel took a nursing lamb and offered it as a whole burnt offering to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord for Israel, and the Lord answered him. 10 As Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel. But the Lord thundered with a mighty sound that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion, and they were defeated before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car.

Few displays of nature evoked such a sense of power and danger among ancient people as a severe thunderstorm.

1 Samuel 7:12 ESV

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen and called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.”

1 Sam

Ebenezer - “stone of the helper.”

Few displays of nature evoked such a sense of power and danger among ancient people as a severe thunderstorm.

“stone of the helper.”

Come Thou Fount -

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing Tune my heart to sing Thy grace Streams of mercy, never ceasing Call for songs of loudest praise Teach me some melodious sonnet Sung by flaming tongues above Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it Mount of Thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer Here there by Thy great help I've come And I hope, by Thy good pleasure Safely to arrive at home Jesus sought me when a stranger Wandering from the fold of God He, to rescue me from danger Interposed His precious blood

Craig S. Keener and John H. Walton, eds., NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 463.

Few displays of nature evoked such a sense of power and danger among ancient people as a severe thunderstorm.

Oh, to grace how great a debtor Daily I'm constrained to be Let that goodness like a fetter Bind my wandering heart to Thee Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above

Here's my heart, oh, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts above

God is our help! Turn to Him!

Application

Few displays of nature evoked such a sense of power and danger among ancient people as a severe thunderstorm.

What intentional steps do you need to take in order to begin personal spiritual renewal?

What is in your life today that God says must go?

Are you willing to get real about your sin today?