Revival

Psalms 119:153-160

Throughout Psalm 119 David calls on God for revival. David uses the Hebrew word châyâh which means to live, to revive: - keep (leave, make) alive, give (promise) life, quicken, recover, repair, restore (to life), and be whole. As we look at this Psalm and the verses that use this term we will discover the promise, the path, the pattern, the provision, and the parameters of revival

I. The Promise of Revival

A. Psalms 119:25 My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to Your word.

B. Revive me - make me to live; give me vigor and strength to break away from this which binds me fast.

C. According to thy word - either in accordance with Your promises made to Your people to come to and aid them when they are in distress.

D. God wants to bring revival to His people. Oswald J. Smith in his book "The Enduement of Power" encourages us that revival is a definite promise of God, just waiting to be laid hold of. Oswald J. Smith writes, "’And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.’ Now, we are still living in the ’last days’. Pentecost was the birthday of the Church. But if Peter could speak of Pentecost as the ’last days’, then we are living in the ’last hours’ of the ’last days’. This is Saturday night in the history of the Church. God has declared that in the ’last days’ He would pour out of His Spirit. That promise was partially fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. But it remains for us to see the final and complete fulfillment. Let me again remind you that this is still the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. Have we, then, Scripture to warrant the hope of another great outpouring of the Spirit of God as we enter the ’last hours’ of this age? I believe we have. It is my deep, deep conviction that God is waiting to pour out His Spirit once again, and that wherever He can find a people who will meet His conditions, He will give flood-tides of revival. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the greatest need of the hour. Any one may have it and expect it. This is the solution of all problems. Not money, but the outpoured Spirit. Not how to get the attention of the people, but how to secure the operation of the Holy Ghost. Not better preaching, but Holy Ghost preaching. ’I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.’ This, my brethren, is the greatest need of the hour." - copied

E. Isaiah 57:15 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.

F. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

G. He therefore promises revival to those who earnestly seek it.

H. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

II. The Path of Revival

A. Psalms 119:37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way.

B. Revive me from the death of spiritual helplessness and the wayward path that I have followed. Make me with living energy to pursue Your ways.

C. The need for revival is because we have either become discouraged along the way, cooled-off (grown lukewarm) along the way, stumbled along the way, stopped along the way, or just plain outright got out of the way.

D. Jerome Engel, the SBC preacher, was strolling along the sea walk at a church convention in Charleston, SC, one day. He spied a fisherman fishing, and set down to watch him. Presently the man made a catch and pulled in a repulsive looking fish; it looked like a cross between a toad and a bullhead. Not knowing about fishing, Engel asked the man, "What kind of fish is that?" "They call that a Baptist fish, suh." the man replied. "A Baptist fish?" questioned the preacher. "Yes, suh," replied the fisherman, throwing his catch back, "They call them that because they spoils so quick after you take ’em out of the water." - copied

E. 2 Chronicles 6:29 – 31 whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by anyone, or by all Your people Israel, when each one knows his own burden and his own grief, and spreads out his hands to this temple: then hear from heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive, and give to everyone according to all his ways, whose heart You know (for You alone know the hearts of the sons of men), that they may fear You, to walk in Your ways as long as they live in the land which You gave to our fathers.

F. Isaiah 55:7 - 8 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.

III. The Guide for Revival

A. Psalms 119:40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness.

B. Quicken me in thy righteousness: in the way of righteousness, according to the word of righteousness, the Gospel, and with the righteousness of Christ revealed in it; and which is unto life, and quickens and comforts the heart, and from whence abundance of peace and joy flows.

C. The Guidebook for revival is the Word of God.

D. Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

E. Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

F. Psalms 119:9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

G. What’s your revival temperature, as far as God’s word is concerned? Take this unscientific test:

1. Do you look forward to hearing God’s word read and explained?

2. Are you willing to make sacrifices to hear God’s word?

3. Do you spend time reading God’s word in private? In a small group?

4. During the last year, have you felt convicted while reading the Bible?

5. During the last year, have you wept while studying to God’s word?

6. Do you, on a regular basis, expressed the emotion of joy in worship because of God’s word?

7. Have you noticed positive changes in your life because of God’s word?

8. Have you recently started to obey one of God’s commands because of your study of God’s word?

9. Have you recently responded quickly to a new truth from God’s word?

Well, how did you come out? Count up the number of "yeses" you have. If you scored 8-9, I would say you’re smoking pretty much already. You are on fire for God. If you scored 6-7, you are glowing, but not on fire. If you scored 4-5, you are smoldering, but the embers are getting cold. And if you scored 3 or less, you might as well admit it, you’re fire is out. You need to be restarted.

IV. The Provider of Revival

A. Psalms 119:88 Revive me according to Your loving-kindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.

B. Quicken me after thy lovingkindness ... It is because of the Lord’s tender mercies that we are not consumed. The love of God shed abroad in the heart quickens the graces of the Spirit, and brings them forth revival.

C. Lamentations 3:22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.

D. Revival is a work of grace. Wherever and whenever it occurs, invariably the prime mover, the initiator and administrator of this distinctively divine activity, is revealed to be God the Holy Spirit.

E. Ezra 9:8 8And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.

F. Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God’s near presence and holiness.

G. Real revival comes only from God. He alone is the fountainhead. A spiritual awakening cannot be scheduled, worked up or humanly engineered.

V. The Parameters of Revival

A. Psalms 119:149 Hear my voice according to Your loving-kindness; O LORD, revive me according to Your justice.

B. O Lord, quicken me - Give me life; cause me truly to live.

C. According to thy judgment - Thy law as a rule of judgment; thy revealed truth, with all its gracious promises.

D. Revive my heart according to those principles of justice, founded on Thine own nature, and revealed in Your law, which specially set forth Your mercy to the humble as well as justice to the wicked

E. If we are to have revival we must be willing to submit to God’s righteous standard and be willing to be governed by them accordingly.

F. Revival is always guaranteed when the people of God submit to His Lordship.

G. A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.You cannot have revival apart from obedience.