Revival_Whos choice is it
Revival is something that we all want, but do we know what it is?
Revival is a state where God is given back his rightful place in our lives, in our cities, in our world! We see in the Old Testament that God’s presence was there in different forms and vehicles. One was the Ark of the Covenant! Exod 25 An offering was received to built the tent of God’s presence, one of the articles was the Ark of the Covenant.
It was to Be built like the Lord commanded
· It had to be pure Gold inside and out! Our hearts have to be pure before God! Because we are to be vessels of God’s presence!
· Before the Ark was built the presence of God and his Glory were in the Pillar of fire and smoke.
o Then he said that it would be with the Ark of the Covenant.
· When Joshua carried the Ark across the Jordan it parted,
· When the presence of God was reverenced they won their wars,
· When the Ark was brought into the temple of Solomon the Glory of God was so strong that no one could stand!
I think we understand this, but we have de-personalized our God and changed him into some power for our good. Have we changed the presence of God into the power of God?
Lev 10:1-3 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized(strange) fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said: "'Among those who approach me I will show myself holy;( I will be sanctified in them that come near me) in the sight of all the people I will be honored.'" Aaron remained silent. (NIV)
· Their goal was not to know God, but his Power! I will be Sanctified, in them that come near me
· Their goal was Position! Who is being glorified? I will be Glorified, before all the people
We are asking God to manifest himself in a mighty way, are we ready for that? Is our hearts full of the heart of the Lord or full of our own gratification and glorification?
Men were to be the carriers of the Ark.
Are you willing to take responsibility for a Revival? Will YOU carry it? Ex. 25:15
What? Me? People were to carry the Ark! Yeah other people not me!
God has attached himself to the Ark and is carried about by men! It is a shocking though, but read in the Old Testament, one day he was with the Israelites and the next with the Philistines. He was carried around as a good luck charm, he was collected as a prize, He was hidden in a temple, etc.. One thing God wanted, he wanted to be in the midst of his people! Not only positionally, but in their hearts.
What about Revival? It will happen when the people of God bring the Ark back to it’s place in the Holy of Holies in your hearts!
· What if it happened? If you will not carry it, it won’t happen where you are at!
o Who would do the work?
o What would revival look like? The life of Jesus is our example!
You see Authority and Power only come to those who are ready to take the responsibility for using it!
Isa 55:3 "Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you, to give you all the unfailing mercies and love that I had for King David. 4 He proved (demonstrated) my power by conquering foreign nations. 5 You also will command the nations, and they will come running to obey, not because of your own power or virtue, but because I, the Lord your God, have glorified you." (TLB)
Josh 3:3 And they commanded the people, saying, When ye see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, and the priests the Levites bearing it, then ye shall remove from your place, and go after it.
· We have decided as the Pastors and leaders to carry the Ark of God’s presence.
o Who will come with us?
o One step further, who will carry the presence of the Lord in him? Take the resposibility for this revival?
§ A: Recognizing him as a Holy God and representing Him as such
§ B: Honoring him
· Giving him a place of honor
· Giving him what he is due, tithes, praises, priority, position, etc..
· When the Veil was torn in the temple at the death of Jesus, What happened to the Presence of God?
Exod 25:10-22
10 "Have them make a chest of acacia wood-- two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. 11 Overlay it with pure gold, both inside and out, and make a gold molding around it. 12 Cast four gold rings for it and fasten them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other. 13 Then make poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold. 14 Insert the poles into the rings on the sides of the chest to carry it. 15 The poles are to remain in the rings of this ark; they are not to be removed. 16 Then put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 17 "Make an atonement cover of pure gold-- two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. 18 And make two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. 19 Make one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; make the cherubim of one piece with the cover, at the two ends. 20 The cherubim are to have their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the cover. 21 Place the cover on top of the ark and put in the ark the Testimony, which I will give you. 22 There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the Testimony, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.