The Sound of Revival

Isaiah 57:14–15 ESV

And it shall be said, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.” For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

The Sound of Revival

Have you ever watched wrestling? I love the Royal Rumble. It is an opportunity for one person to realize their dream of victory but they have to overcome 29 other opponents at the same time. Often times they’ll be at the bottom of the pile getting stopped on then the thematic elements kick in and they gain super strength and power and start eliminating everyone, the audience is amazed and the other wrestlers are surprised at this resurgence of wrestling skill…and in the end the wrestler that you counted out, becomes the winner of the match.

This is a picture of what revival looks like. And as Isaiah was penning down the word of the Lord he came across some important matters of revival that I feel we need to understand and face in order to have our moment of resurgence and revival.

Have you ever had an open wound before?

Revival takes Honesty

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

was prepared for the Lord to come to rescue his people; here it is an uncluttered way by which they travel (35:1–10): a causeway (build up) and therefore unmissable; free of obstacles and therefore those who use it cannot but reach their destination

to be revived takes first an admittance of our current situation. Where are you?

to be revived takes first an admittance of our current situation. Where are you?

Verse 14 Isaiah speaks prophetically when he says, “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”

Build up…not tear down, not feel shameful or guilt. just come to a genuine place of admittance.

You can’t deny the obstacles and obstructions, they are there. I believe that the denial of these very things hinder the belief that revival is real.

You can’t skip the honesty part of revival. It is this honestly before the Lord that gives birth to the power of God.

Revival takes Eternal Power

The Lord speaks of himself (15ab), his home (15c), his household (15d), his purpose of renewal and the characteristics of his family (15ef) {Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 404). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.}

The Lord speaks of himself (15ab), his home (15c), his household (15d), his purpose of renewal and the characteristics of his family (15ef).

Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, p. 404). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Who - God is the ONE. -No one else can. He is the Answer to your problems.

What- High and Lifted up- High and lofty: respectively what the Lord is in himself and what he is in relation to all else.

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

Lives for ever: as ‘father of eternity’ in 9:6 means ‘eternally a father’, so here ‘inhabiter of eternity’ means ‘eternally the inhabitant’

Where - Who INHABITS ETERNITY - Father of eternity, eternally a father, eternally an inhabiter....

Story of encounter retreat and the LISTEN TO MY HEART

Where - “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,”

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

the Lord purposes that his people should be gathered to him without any compromise to his transcendence and holiness

God will not compromise His holiness in order to dwell with the proud and arrogant.

High and lofty: as in 6:1; 52:13, respectively what the Lord is in himself and what he is in relation to all else.

3. Revival is God’s Idea

God desires to revive us. He loves to bring alive what was dead. He loves to lift the weary heart and remove heavy burdens!

Verse 15 “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, TO REVIVE the spirit of the lowly, and to REVIVE the heart of the contrite.”

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

contrite, literally ‘crushed’, i.e. under life’s burdens, oppositions or whatever, or lowly, at the bottom of life’s heap

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

contrite, literally ‘crushed’, i.e. under life’s burdens, oppositions or whatever, or lowly, at the bottom of life’s heap

iii. Life’s burden’s - simple things like working to pay bills and barely making it can weigh us down. This list can be anything from washing the pile of dishes to managing the pains of a divorce. Life comes with many joys and burdens. And sometimes the weight of life’s burdens can crush us.

iv. lowly - the bottom of the pile…the heap of life’s burdens…

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

it is not the Lord’s intention to leave his people thus but rather to revive, to give (new) being to, in spirit and heart.

4. Revival is REAL

Isaiah: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Prostitute’s Brood and the Lord’s Household (57:1–21)

it is not the Lord’s intention to leave his people thus but rather to revive, to give (new) being to, in spirit and heart.

Why? Because the Love of the father is real. Because the work of the cross is complete. Because the breath of God gives new life. Because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Don’t fall into the trap the movements of God aren’t real, That people cant change, that dreams cant happen. Do't be a negative believer. Don’t be a fast food Christian. I’ll take that, and that but I can’t believe for better.

English Standard Version Chapter 27

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Signs of Revival

Repentance - Turning away from sin and towards Jesus

Brokenness - Not guilt and shame, but a genuine acknowledgement of the need for restoration.

Humility - a modest or low view of ones own importance.

Transparency

Restoration - relationships with family, friends, God, dreams and goals

Desperation - The destroyer of mediocrity, average pursuit. A WHATEVER IT TAKES approach to pursuing God.

Closing Story worship team to go up

HALFWAY UP A STONY MOUNTAIN

I was reading sometime ago about a mountain climber who would take groups of people up a real tall mountain incline in the Swiss Alps. He talked about how the guys would start climbing the mountain, and the people were very excited. Then they would come, about lunch time, to a lodge halfway up the mountain.

By that time they were cold and they were tired already and it was only noon. As they walked into the lodge, there was a piano player playing cool music. They had warm rolls that the chef had been cooking and lots of great food. They had a raging, gorgeous fire to get warm next to. It was awesome! But it was always predictable that a bunch of the people, usually about half of the crowd, would decide that they didn’t want to go the rest of the way up the mountain. They decided that they wanted to stop the climb right there, and they’d say to the other climbing buddies, “Listen, you go on, no big deal, we’ll wait here for you and we will rejoin you when you come back down here. We’ve climbed far enough, it was great.”

Then the other climbers would go out and start climbing again, back in the elements, to reach the peak. It was so predictable! The guide knew what would be happening back at the halfway lodge. A couple of hours later, one by one, the people that didn’t go all the rest of the way up would be standing by the window watching. And though they didn’t say it, they were wondering if they had made a mistake because they didn’t let the climb cost them enough. They didn’t go the rest of the way up. All they were going to do is hear stories from the guys who went to the top and paid the price to see what the peak looked like. About three hours later a soberness would settle over the group that had chosen to stay halfway up the mountain; a soberness of regret. Soberness because they knew how easy it was to be mediocre and settle in at the comfort level and do just enough to not let it cost you.

What a great picture of why, in Latin, the word mediocre literally means, “halfway up a stony mountain.”