The Believer's Revival

Intro

Text - Psalm 71.20-21

Psalm 71:20–21 NKJV

20 You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, Shall revive me again, And bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 21 You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side.

Background

Revival Defined

O.T. word - revive means to recover, return to life, to live again, spring into life

WMB - revive means to bring out what is already in the church

My definition - a revival is a mighty surge of the Holy Spirit in the church in which the works of God are restored or renewed and the people experience excitement and rejoicing that spreads to other people, churches, and places.

Types of Revival

Personal revival - when a Christian experiences a powerful move of the Spirit that brings spiritual excitement and rejoicing

Corporate revival - happens in the local church, and spreads to other churches and sometimes to other nations

Whether, personal or corporate, revival is the same. There is -

a surge of Holy Spirit power,

renewing of the works of God,

deep hugner for God’s word, and

great excitement and rejoicing in the Spirit.

Honest Observation

We are not experiencing revival, not for a long time

The churches - our church - needs a revival, a

Sermon Points

The Absence of Revival

How do we know when there is no revival?

[Readings from WMB]

20 … And we’re used to revival time, when we preach all night, pray all night, night after night (See?), all the time, going constantly. When a revival breaks, it’s just day and night, day and night. I don’t mind you missing a day’s work. That’s all right. But I don’t want you to miss Sunday school in the morning. Don’t—don’t miss Sunday school. If you have to miss a day’s work, I won’t feel too bad about that, ’cause all them things are perishable anyhow. But don’t miss Sunday school. I’ll let you out early so you can go to Sunday school. - 62-0721 - Behold, A Greater Than Solomon Is Here

a breakout is a revival that extends for a couple of days

6 The revival is over. We know that. There’s no more revival spirit. Two hours of service, everybody is complaining. In a revival, it’s day and night, all the time, never breaks. The revival is done. And so we are just gleaning. - 62-0706 - Jehovah-Jireh #2

Now that’s when you can do something, when revival is going. But let that revival fire die down, then you can hardly…The people are still Christians, but they’re not revived into that Spirit, that great atmosphere that does something. - 64-0319 - Calling Jesus On The Scene

Indications that we are not having revival:

our experience in the church one Sunday does not extend to the next day, much less to the next Sunday.

our excitement in the Word is over as soon as we arrive at our homes.

Our passionate prayers in the church do not continue in our homes or in our workplaces.

there is no outstanding excitement in our worship, prayers, and other activities

How Revival Breaks Out

We need to experience personal revival

We cannot have revival as a church until some of us have personally experienced revival first.

Oftentimes, it takes only one or a few persons to bring about a corporate revival

We need to recognize our need for revival

A church becomes lukewarm and remains lukewarm when she becomes contented with the status quo.

Revelation 3:15–17 NKJV

15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

Are you contented with what we have and experience now?

We need revival when -

We are afflicted - Psalm 119.107

We have sinned - Psalm 51.10-12

We are feeling weakened - Isaiah 40.28-31

We feel old - Psalm 71.17-21

We need a visitation from God - Psalm 80.14-19

We can experience personal revival!

We can ASK for revival!

David asked for revival and renewal!

Habakkuk asked for renewal - Habakkuk 3.2

God is willing and ready to spark a revival in us!

Isaiah 57:15 NKJV

15 For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

We must provide the required attitude

humble spirit -

contrite heart - expressing sorrow or pain over sin or failure

Conclusion

Since this week is our yearly Fasting Week,

let’s use take this time to pray for revival in our personal lives!

Suggested activities

fast - 1 day or 1 week

pray - alone, together with others; or attend our nightly prayer meeting in our house

recognize your needs and present them to God

wait

don’t stop when the Fasting Week is over; follow through

Song - Great Awakening