Before Revival Begins
What Revival Is Not 1. Revival is NOT: scheduled meetings! 2. Revival is NOT: mass evangelism! 3. Revival is NOT: an emotional circus! 4. Revival is NOT: church growth! 5. Revival is NOT: anything we produce!
What Revival Is Revival is: A reanimating of those who already possess life. Revival in the strict sense of the word has to do with God s people. It revives spiritual life that is in a state of decline. C.E. Autrey
When Is Revival Needed? Turn to Revelation 2:1-7 FOCUS on 2-4 2 I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance. I know you don t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars. 3 You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don t love me or each other as you did at first!
When Is Revival Needed? When we leave our first love! Most of the Ephesian Christians were now second-generation believers, and though they had retained purity of doctrine and life and had maintained a high level of service, they were lacking in deep devotion to Christ.
When Is Revival Needed? In times of trial and uncertainty. Before every revival in history, deteriorating conditions have been evident in secular society and among God s people. In society, the secular man establishes himself as the ultimate authority for living. In the Church spiritual lethargy permeates, Christians lose their vision and spiritual inertia weaves its way into every aspect of church life.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 3 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!
When Is Revival Needed? When we leave our first love! In times of trial and uncertainty. When the very thought of living one more day without God s burning passion inside our souls is enough to bring us to our knees!
Psalm 143:6 I lift my hands to you in prayer. I thirst for you as parched land thirsts for rain. Selah
3 Things That Precede Revival 1. PRAYER: Revival always starts with believers on their knees. Prayer is the primary forerunner of any season of revival. It is in humble intercession that the church acknowledges it is totally dependent upon the grace of God. This may involve an extraordinary season of intercessory prayer. Or it may involve a group of people asking for God to invade their lives, ministries, and church. But prayer is the forerunner of all revival.
3 Things That Precede Revival 2. PREACHING: Any movement of God's Spirit in history has been ushered in by a time of renewed emphasis on the preaching and teaching of God's Word. There has never been a Word-less revival. Any awakening has always been accompanied by a return to strong, biblical preaching that exalts Christ and exposes sin. When a fire is built in the pulpit, it will soon spread to the pews.
3 Things That Precede Revival 2. PURITY: The Holy Spirit will never work through unholy people. It can be argued that a concentrated time of repentance is produced by the revival itself. Or it may be that the repentance precedes the revival. Either way, repentance is an indispensable part of any awakening. A season of self-humiliation on the part of God's people must come. Only in lowering themselves before God can there be an exaltation of the saints