Sermon Tone Analysis

*Heart-Cry for Revival*

* *

*Intro:  The ‘95 student revival:  *The National and International Religion Report says that the work of God which began in Brownwood, Texas has spread across numerous campuses across America.

“Students are waiting in chapel lines late into the night to publicly uncover long-hidden sins. . .

Students disclosed problems with bitterness, laziness, sexual immorality, pornography, alcohol, drugs, hypocrisy, materialism, past sexual abuse, and broken families.

They then committed themselves to the Lord for forgiveness and deliverance,”  NIRR 4~/17

 

*I.

The Nature of Revival*

Dictionary definition:  A renewal of special interest in and attention to religious services and duties and the subject of personal salvation:  a religious awakening.

Arthur Wallis in his book */In/* */The Day of Thy Power /*says that revival “is divine intervention in the normal course of spiritual things.

It is God revealing Himself to a man in awful holiness and irresistible power.

It is such a manifest working of God that human personalities are overshadowed and human programs abandoned.

It is man retiring into the background because God has taken the field.”

Charles Finney defines revival as “...nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God.”

 

Stephen Olford in his book */Heart-Cry for Revival /*defines revival this way:

“Revival is that strange and sovereign work of God in which He visits His own people, restoring, reanimating and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing.

Such a divine intervention will issue in evangelism though, in the first instance, it is a work of God in the church and amongst individual believers.”

The best definition of revival comes from the Scriptures in the phrase:  */“Times of refreshing...from the Lord.”

/*Acts 3:19  This comes from Peter’s second sermon after the crippled beggar was healed at the temple.

(Acts 3:19-20 NIV)  Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,/ {20} /and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus.

It is the cry of the prophet Habakkuk: (Hab 3:2 NIV)  LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD.

Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.

*Note:  Two Hebrew words for revival:*

*1.  “shuwb” = *to turn back, turn away, return again (Hosea 6:1)

*2.  “chayah” = *to live, make live, having life (Hosea 6:2; Hab 3:2; Isa 57:15).

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*II.

The Need for Revival*

*A.

The condition of the world*

George Barna, in a recent poll, says that evangelicals represent only 6% of the adult population in America -- a decline of 50% in just three years.

*B.

The condition of the church*

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*III.

The Reasons for Revival*

*A.

To put away God’s displeasure -- Psalm 85:4-5*

(Psa 85:4-5 NIV)  Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your displeasure toward us./

{5} /Will you be angry with us forever?

Will you prolong your anger through all generations?

*B.

To renew God’s people -- Psalm 85:6-9*

(Psa 85:6-9 NIV)  Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?/ {7} /Show us your unfailing love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation./

{8} /I will listen to what God the LORD will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints-- but let them not return to folly./

{9} /Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that his glory may dwell in our land.

*IV.

The Conditions for Revival*

Revival is the sole prerogative of God.

Then why does God withhold revival?

God cannot fill those who are not open to His revival fullness.

We have to be receptive vessels.

Revival comes to those who have:

 

*1.

A passion for the holiness of God -- *

 

The basic concept of holiness in Scripture is separation.

God is holy because He is separate from all of His creation.

But these is also a moral aspect to the holiness of God which points to His majestic purity.

God cannot condone or look upon sin.

(Job 34:10 NIV)  "So listen to me, you men of understanding.

Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong.

(Hab 1:13 NIV)  Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.

Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?

Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?

(Exo 15:11 NIV)  "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you-- majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?

(Lev 11:44-45 NIV)  I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground./

{45} /I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

(1 Chr 16:29 NIV)  ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.

Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

(2 Chr 20:21 NIV)  After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

(Psa 29:2 NIV)  Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.

(Psa 30:4 NIV)  Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.

KJV = “Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.”

(Psa 89:35 NIV)  Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness-- and I will not lie to David--

(Psa 93:5 NIV)  Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD.

(Psa 96:9 NIV)  Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

(Psa 97:12 NIV)  Rejoice in the LORD, you who are righteous, and praise his holy name.

(Isa 6:2-3 NIV)  Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying./

{3} /And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

(Isa 57:15 NIV)  For this is what the high and lofty One says-- he who lives forever, whose name is holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

(Amos 4:2 NIV)  The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.

(Zec 14:20 NIV)  On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the Lord's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.

Zechariah’s songs was:  The people of God will serve the Lord (Luke 1:75 NIV)  in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

(John 17:11 NIV)  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you.

Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one.

(Eph 4:30 NIV)  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

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*2.

A passion for purity -- Ex 19:6; 22:31; **Lev 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:26; 21:7;*

*Deut 7:6; 14:2; 26:19; Isa 35:8; Rom 6:19; 22; 2 Cor 7:1; Eph 4:24; 1 Th 3:13; 4:7; 1 Tim 2:15; Titus 2:3; Heb 12:10, 14**.

*

(Exo 19:6 NIV)  you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.'

These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites."

(Exo 22:31 NIV)  "You are to be my holy people.

So do not eat the meat of an animal torn by wild beasts; throw it to the dogs.

The priests are to be holy:

 (Lev 11:44 NIV)  I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.

Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves about on the ground.

(Lev 11:45 NIV)  I am the LORD who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy.

(Lev 19:2 NIV)  "Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

(Lev 21:7 NIV)  "'They must not marry women defiled by prostitution or divorced from their husbands, because priests are holy to their God.

(Lev 20:26 NIV)  You are to be holy to me because I, the LORD, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

(Deu 7:6 NIV)  For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

(Deu 14:2 NIV)  for you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession.