1 - God s Requirements For Genuine Revival: Humility" 2 Chronicles 7:11-15

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1 1 1 - God s Requirements For Genuine Revival: Humility" 2 Chronicles 7:11-15 Today I want to begin what will be our emphasis for the first part of God has been working on my heart about this matter and has led me to make this my focal point for the New Year. My heart is breaking for real, heart-felt, life-transforming revival to happen in our church family. We are not horrible sinners in need of salvation, but I honestly wonder if we have not lost our first love fire and devotion to the Lord. So I have been asking the Lord, How do You bring revival into Your church? I really don t think it has anything to do with an evangelist or a special group coming. I think it has to do with us surrendering to Holy Spirit, falling on our face before Him and seeking a renewal in our heart. Let me ask you a personal question, Are you satisfied with your spiritual life right now? Is what you are experiencing with the Lord all there is? Is what you are doing now bringing you fulfillment, joy, and a sense of partnering with Him in His Kingdom enterprises? Do you know intimacy with Holy Spirit? Is Jesus your first love? As I have studied the great spiritual awakenings that God has wrought in this country and others, they all have one thing in common: people like you and me grow tired of business as usual and long for a mighty move of God to happen in their lives. They cry out to the Lord in desperation and seek to do everything in their power to prepare the way for revival. Then God sees their heart and grants His grace. Probably no single verse has been more mightily used by Holy Spirit to open the doors to revival than the verse we will study this morning and tonight. Turn with me to 2 Chronicles chapter seven. Over the next few months we will never be far away from this verse. You might as well go ahead and put it to memory, mark it in your Bible, and get used to coming back to it often. It is important to get the setting for the scripture to get the full message for our hearts. Solomon had just completed the heart s desire of his father David: He had built the Temple in Jerusalem! Finally there would be a permanent home for the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the Presence and Power of God among men! As a result of the phenomenal worship service, the Shekinah Glory descended on the Temple in a visible and mighty way. It was all Solomon could have hoped for and more. That night the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream; the first of two in his lifetime. God did this to instruct Solomon as to what should be done when God brings a drought, or pestilence or even a swarm of locusts to devour the crops. It does not seem to be if these things ever happen but when! It seems apparent to me that God knew He would bring discipline on His people through natural events. When He did, here was His prescription: verses My people who are called by My name (God s people - Israel in the passage the Church in application today) This verse only applies to believers, to God s people. He calls on them to do four things as evidence of their desire for Him: 1. Humble themselves 2. Pray 3. Seek His Face 4. Turn from their wicked ways (This implies judgment would be the reason for these things having happened). These are physical judgments brought upon the people due to their spiritual condition. If God s People did these things, then they would have God s Promise to: Hear from Heaven Forgive Their Sin Heal Their Land Please note that the physical discomforts will not be taken care of until the spiritual needs are first addressed! Now I am not saying that God has necessarily caused some of the difficult things that have come about in your life or the life of our country. We do a pretty good job of bringing calamity on ourselves.

2 But when these things do come to pass, whether we caused them or someone else or God Himself, here is the avenue for change revival God s way! The salvation of lost souls in a meeting is not revival. The very word, revive means to cause to live again. Revival is what Jesus was talking about to the church at Sardis in Revelation chapter three. And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, these things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Folks have the wrong idea of what revival is all about. I read the bulletins from evangelists all the time giving the results of this revival or that meeting. 50 saved or 100 saved. That is wonderful but that is not revival. Revival is for the Believers. It is designed to breathe fresh wind into the lives of believers who have grown stale. It is fresh fire to rekindle the embers of devotion. However, to be honest, the salvation of the lost should be the result of revival, because only then will Christians become the powerful witnesses God desires for us to be! But revival is about us, about Christ followers who long for more. Those who long for more intimacy with Jesus, more power in their witnessing, more joy in their service are those who will benefit from revival. It is transformational life changing worldview altering! I read that some newspapermen from London went to see firsthand the marvelous happenings of the great Welsh revival at the turn-of-the-century. On their arrival in Wales, as they were getting off the train, one of them asked a policeman where the Welsh revival was. Drawing himself to his full height he laid his hand over his heart and proudly proclaimed: Gentlemen, the Welsh revival is inside this uniform! He had caught the holy fire. Years ago the great Charles G. Finney defined Revival as: Nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. Just as in the case of a converted sinner, the first step is a deep repentance, a breaking down of heart, a getting down into the dust before God, with deep humility, and a forsaking of sin. Revival must begin with me it must begin with you! And our passage for today says it begins with HUMILITY. The first step toward genuine revival: shall humble themselves Humility is in short supply in our world. Its opposite, PRIDE, has nearly destroyed humility. And pride is what is keeping most of us from genuine revival! I. Pride Hinders Genuine Revival and it Invites God s Judgment. Harry Moorehouse, while still a young man, was conducting services in a certain city in the U.S., but there was no revival. In this particular city it was as though he were beating against a stone wall. He would preach his heart and God s Word but there was no response. Day and night he was on his knees searching his heart and crying out, O God, why is there no revival? One day he was walking along the street, and the Holy Spirit called his attention to a large billboard on which appeared these words: Harry Moorehouse, the most famous of all British preachers! At once he said to himself, That is why there is no revival! He went to the campaign committee and said, Brethren, now I know why there is no revival. See how you have advertised me as the greatest of this and the greatest of that! No wonder the Holy Spirit will not work! He is grieved and quenched because you haven t magnified the Lord Jesus Christ. You have magnified me! He is the wonderful One. I m just a poor, simple, humble servant, preaching the glorious Gospel, and saying, Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Is it possible that our pride has grieved Holy Spirit? Is His presence and power quenched in our lives? Could our pride be keeping us from having true revival in our personal life and in the life of our church? 1. God Hates Pride (Arrogance) 2

3 3 A. Pride is the opposite of Humility. B. Pride promotes self, rather than God 1) Pride doesn t consider God in one s lifestyle. 2) Does not consult with God in decisions. 3) Does not desire to serve and worship God before self. 4) Is often characterized by selfishness, stubbornness, and worldliness. 5) Does not genuinely seek God, nor seek to please God. 6) Spiritual Pride Think we know everything about the bible or about the Christian life! In our day there are saved Pharisees, often telling others how to live, or passing judgment upon them because of how they live, but never really applying the truths of God s Word in the Power of the Holy Spirit in their own lives!!! 2. Pride Harms The Individual A. Pride brings Destruction Proverbs 16: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. Proverbs 18:12 - Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility. B. Pride brings Shame Proverbs 11:2 - When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom. C. Pride Leaves Little Hope For Improvement Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Have you ever tried to help someone who thought they already knew what to do? It s really hard. It is almost as hard as it is to get a man to ask for directions! Most of us would rather drive in circles for an hour than ask for help! D. Pride Causes A Person To Forget God Psalm 10:4 - The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God; God is in none of his thoughts. James 4: Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit ; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that. But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Are you guilty of planning your life and leaving God out? You d better be careful! Perhaps you should start praying about what God would have you to do! Don t forget God! 3. God Chastens The Proud A. God Brings Them Low Proverbs 29:23 - A man s pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor. God knows how to keep us humble: A visiting evangelist felt pretty good about the message he had just preached as he greeted people after the opening service of a revival. The people seemed very gracious and appreciative of the sermon they had just heard. But then one lady in the line abruptly stated, "Too long!" as she filed past the minister. She then cycled back through the line and shouted, "Too loud!" The two negative comments unnerved him a bit, but he tried to maintain his composure. When she came through a third time her comments were no more flattering. She declared, "And it was also boring!"

4 At this point the chairman of the deacons intervened and assured the evangelist that this woman s remarks should not be taken seriously. He whispered, "Don t pay any attention to her. She s a little senile and doesn t really know what she s saying. She just goes around repeating what she hears other people say." That will humble you!!! B. God Resists The Proud James 4: But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you doubleminded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. It is better that we choose to humble ourselves before the Lord, than for Him to have to humble us through circumstances! 4. Pride Makes Us Blind To Our Own True Spiritual Condition! As excellent illustration of this is the Church at Laodicea Revelation 3:14-17 And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 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 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Because we have so much in this country, we often live as if we don t need God! It may take another economic collapse before this nation turns back to God! Pride hinders Revival because Holy Spirit must work On Us before He can work Through Us. I ve never known a person whom I thought was truly filled with the Holy Spirit who went out and bragged about it or sought to draw attention to himself. Billy Graham Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil s reach as humility. Jonathan Edwards II. Results of Heartfelt Humility A. God s Grace Proverbs 3:33-34 The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the just. Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble. God gives us what we need when we humble ourselves before him, not because we are now somehow deserving, but because we have finally come to the realization that we are not! B. God s Forgiveness Proverbs 28:13-14 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity. C. God s Blessing 1 Peter 5:5-7 Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 4

5 D. God s Ear Psalm 10:17-18 LORD, You have heard the desire of the humble; You will prepare their heart; You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more. III. What will you do about your pride? Humility is perhaps the key to Revival. If you do not first humble yourself before God and recognize your neediness before him, you will not: Pray Seek God s Face Turn From Your Wicked Ways Are you willing to pay the price for Personal and Church-wide Revival? It begins with humility! Reviving the Church is like remodeling your house: it takes longer than you hoped, costs more than you planned, and makes a bigger mess than you ever thought possible But it s worth it in the end! - This is where it begins! Christian: Humble yourself, confess your sin, Receive grace and forgiveness. Unbeliever: Humble yourself before God and accept His Son Jesus Christ for Salvation! Lord, lead me in humbleness. Teach me not to judge, because in judgment in my heart limits your work. Let me find forgiveness through humbleness. As you lead in humility may mercy be my companion, and grace my covering. Through humility, may love be seen in me. May I find God s truth, Jesus Christ in humility. Lord, help me wear the cloak of humility. May it be my mantle. In Jesus Name, amen. Jesus I admit that apart from you I am nothing! Nothing! Only in you do I find my worth and purpose. In you I am strong and mighty to minister in Your power and Name. Lead me to have the right view of You and myself. May I be like John the Baptist and pray that You might increase as I decrease. May You be so present and foremost in my life that others will see You in me and glorify You. May I live each day celebrating the it s all about you and nothing about me. For Your Sake and Kingdom do I pray. God s Requirements For Genuine Revival begins with us humbling ourselves. Then it moves on to Prayer. Humility is a key, because apart from humility, other than for religious practices, we would never even see the need to kneel in prayer before a Holy God! Without humility, prayer degenerates into arrogance and spiritual pride. Just ask the Pharisee in Luke 18: However, humble prayer is what gets things done. Asking and receiving from God! " Yet, you do not have because you do not ask." - James 4:2 Did you know that Prayerlessness is a Sin and a Hindrance to genuine Revival! If you ask most pastors what they sense is the prevailing and most debilitating sin among God s people, most would tell you (as they confess for themselves) that it is the sin of prayerlessness. Oh, we pray! Of course we do. We pray blessings and benedictions. We pray at meals and at bedtime. We may go so far as to pray over Your Word as we read it in the morning. But even those can be rote and empty of intimacy. Prayerlessness is a sin! Read with me from 1 Samuel. "Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you..." - 1 Samuel 12:23. In this passage: Samuel had confirmed Saul as king. Israel had requested a king, and in doing so rejected the LORD as their King. He had always raised up judges to deliver the people and lead them to spiritual revival. He allows them to do this, but warns of judgment should they continue in their rebellious ways. Samuel called upon God to send rain at a time when it normally does not rain to prove He is serious about this matter. The People feared God and Samuel, and request Samuel s prayers on their behalf. 5

6 He acknowledged that it would be sin for him to cease to pray for them! While in Israel a few years ago, I could not help but notice the devotion of the men and women who knelt and prayed daily at the Western Wall of the Temple in the city of Jerusalem. As I pondered this for a few minutes, the question came to my mind: "If Orthodox Jews, who reject the deity, the blood atonement and the bodily Resurrection of Christ are so devoted to prayer, then why do most Christians view prayer as an option rather than as a necessity?" It is always considered sin when we choose to neglect to obey the revealed will of God in our lives. God Commands His People To Pray! "Satan does not care how many people read about prayer, study prayer, or preach about prayer so long as he can keep them from praying. Paul E. Billheimer "Don t pray when you feel like it. Make an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees." Corrie ten Boom "Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still." E.M. Bounds Let me ask you some questions: Are you a person who prays? Is prayer a lifestyle communication with you that goes from moment to moment in an ongoing, never ending conversation with the Lord? Do you know what He teaches us about prayer? Pray Always Luke 18:1 - Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing, Pray Everywhere 1 Timothy 2:8 - I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; Pray about Everything Philippians 4:6-7 - Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Prayer should be as natural as talking with your best Friend! God sometimes stimulates us to pray by using circumstances in our lives God Uses Times Of Need To Stimulate Prayer Hebrews 4:16 - Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. He has made the way available and welcomes us with open arms! God Uses Troubles And Problems To Stimulate Prayer Psalm 102:1-2 - Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come to You. Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble; incline Your ear to me; in the day that I call, answer me speedily. It may be relationships, money, your job, etc. God may use your problems to get your attention. God Uses Physical Sickness and Problems To Stimulate Prayer James 5: Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 6

7 2 Corinthians 12: And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. God Uses Persecution To Stimulate Prayer Exodus 2: Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God acknowledged them. Luke 6: But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. God Uses Physical and Spiritual Weakness to Stimulate Prayer Matthew 26:40-41 (Disciples in the garden) - Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. God Uses Our Relationships With Others To Stimulate Prayer Job 42:10 - And the LORD restored Job s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. Prayerlessness Is A Sin and A Hindrance To Genuine Revival! God Commands Us To Pray! He Will Sometimes Stimulate Us To Pray By Using Our Circumstances! Invitation: What will it take to get you to view prayer as a necessity, and not just an option that is available to the believer? Why do loved ones remain unsaved? Why do problems (Physical, spiritual, financial, etc.) continue to plague our lives? Why do our efforts to live the Christian life seem to end in futility and continued defeat! Someone else has said, "All of our failures are prayer failures!" Why? We have not because we ask not. "God does nothing except in response to believing prayer." John Wesley Christian: Will you commit yourself to being faithful in your prayer life? Seven days without prayer makes one weak! Will you join me in seven days of prayer? Will you join me this week praying for revival, for personal renewal, and for spiritual awakening? Will you ask the LORD to create in you a hunger and thirsting for intimacy with Him in prayer? Alfred Tennyson was the first to say, More things are wrought through prayer than this world dreams of. "The full power of prayer has never been tried to its full capacity. If we want to see mighty wonders of divine power and grace wrought in the place of weakness, failure and disappointment, let us answer God's standing challenge, Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not!'" (J. Hudson Taylor) 7

8 I want to ask you to demonstrate that you know and accept these first two teachings by doing something that will require humility and prayerfulness. I am asking you first to join me at the altar. To do so for many of you is indeed an act of humility and obedience. You fear this place of consecration, and to obey Him and humble yourself is a major act of faith. I understand! But this is the first and vital step in true revival coming into our hearts. We must humble ourselves. Then I want to ask you to pray. To pray for yourselves that God will begin a mighty work of grace in your heart. To pray that God will convict you of sin and lead you to repentance. To pray that God will give you a heart to seek after Him, to be intimate with Him, and never satisfied without Him being the center of your life and world. Will you come humbly and prayerfully and ask for revival to begin in your heart today? 8 *** Quotes: R.A. Torrey gave a prescription for revival: I can give a prescription that will bring a revival to any church or community or any city on earth. First, let a few Christians (they need not be many) get thoroughly right with God themselves. This is the prime essential. If this is not done, the rest that I am to say will come to nothing. Second, let them bind themselves together in a prayer group to pray for a revival until God opens the heavens and comes down. Third, let them put themselves at the disposal of God for Him to use as He sees fit in winning others to Christ. That is all! This is sure to bring a revival to any church or community. I have given this prescription around the world. It has been taken by many churches and many communities, and in no instance has it ever failed; and it cannot fail! Humility is recognizing that God and others are responsible for the achievements in my life. Bill Gothard Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or irritated or sore or disappointed. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me and when I am blamed or despised. It is to go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret, and be at peace as in the deep sea of calmness when all around and above is trouble. Andrew Murray ( ) I used to think that God s gifts were on shelves one above the other and that the taller we grew in Christian character the more easily we could reach them. I now find that God s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other and that it is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower. F. B. Meyer ( )