Redigging The Wells of Revival
Notes
Transcript
Expectation
Expectation
Revival is nothing new. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament are full of stories of revival.
Throughout the history of this world there have been many revival. One of the most known Revivals happened in our neighboring state of California in Los Ángels known as the Azuza Street Revival which was the birthplace of many evangelical churches including ours.
perhaps the most famous revival is the revival that took place on the day of Pentecost that we read of in the book of Acts.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
18 And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father; for the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham: and he called their names after the names by which his father had called them. 19 And Isaac’s servants digged in the valley, and found there a well of springing water. 20 And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. 21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. 22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land. 23 And he went up from thence to Beer-sheba. 24 And the Lord appeared unto him the same night, and said, I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham’s sake. 25 And he builded an altar there, and called upon the name of the Lord, and pitched his tent there: and there Isaac’s servants digged a well.
Acts 2:1-4 KJV
2 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
A Few things stick out here, follow me.
One Accord
They were all in one accord meaning they were in complete agreement. They were in harmony, there hearts were together, with one mind and purpose. They were a united body.
Church, I remind you that in order to have revival, we need to be in one mind and one accord. We need to be in unity, united for the cause of the Kingdom of God.
It is the will of God that we be in a revival. We must do our part.
They believed that they would receive the Power promised to them by the Lord
They believed that He would pour out His Spirit upon them and they would receive the power to become witnesses.
I believe the Holy Ghost is to bring us into perfect harmony, to let us see and focus on God’s will, and not our own will.
On the day that God poured out His Spirit on the 120 people who lingered for it, there was a difference in them.
Understand that they didn't go home complaining about how long they had to stay there.
They weren't focused on how hot it was, on how uncomfortable it was, on how peoples actions annoyed them, they weren’t focused on what others where doing that was right or wrong, no my friend there were intentional about being in one mind in one accord, and the hunger for the promised outweighed all circumstances.
They left the upper room and they preached the Gospel to different nationalities of people in their own language, and they believed the Gospel.
They left with an experience, and a resolution to change the hearts of others.
They didn’t just live an experience, no but they acted on it. They preached, they healed the sick, they cast out devils, they acted on the Word of God.
Church, Revival is here. What are you going to do about it?
Are you going to go home as normal? It is time for the Apostolic Church to rise up in the Power and Authority that we have received by the infilling of the Holy Ghost. It is time that we use that power to be the church of the book of Acts. A church on the move, a church with actions, a church that is harvesting the revival that God has prepared!
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
We must look at the results of the Day of Pentecost and what happed as a result of their complete obedience to Christ.
Unity
Unity
Listen to what happened in Acts 2:41-44
Acts 2:41–44 (KJV 1900)
41. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
There is Something about Unity that brings REVIVAL!
43. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44. And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
The upper room experience brought UNITY and unity brought about a move of God!
We need to create an atmosphere for Revival!
But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Inhabit means to occupy as a place of settled residence, it means to live in.
When we praise, God inhabits!
You cant praise God when you are thinking about that offense.
You cant praise God when your mind is occupied with your stresses.
You just have to surrender to God and GIVE HIM the praise, so that HE can step in and OCCUPY!
We have failed to be in one mind and one accord. We have to create an atmosphere of REVIVAL
No one wants revival more than the Lord Himself-- no one wants to see miracles happen more than the Lord.
But we are not in one mind and one accord and it takes that to create an atmosphere for Revival.
Anywhere there has ever been a great out pouring of God’s spirit there has been many days of preparing for the visitation.
Many days of fasting and complete surrender to God
Men and women forgetting about themselves and focusing on the souls of others.
Acts 2:45-47 And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they continuing daily with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.
They weren’t complaining but giving thanks!!
47 Praising God and having favor with all the people and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
We should have a daily addition to the church, not every six months and then lose them.
The early church knew what it was like to have “singleness of heart”, thus the power came down and the Lord added daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:41-47).
The meaning for the word “singleness” is “simplicity”. Simplicity of heart. A simple heart. Not cluttered. Not all stuffed up.
One that is single hearted in devotion to the Lord. An emptying out of our heart needs to take place routinely. Why?
1. Because stuff creeps in. This could not only be sins but any useless clutter.
2. Thus, emptying the heart of any clutter so we can be free and single to our Lord.
3. Becoming simple and free to serve our Lord in single-hearted devotion.
So, we need to take inventory and clean the house where necessary, spiritually speaking.
📷 Get rid if any clutter and things that is of no use spiritually to us. This will free us up in our thought life too.
📷 Our minds are cluttered, because our hearts are cluttered.
📷 Slow down and do some house cleaning.
God bless and help us as we do some cleaning!
Here are the signs of complete surrender to God; there were 4 things that took place
1. And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need. [they were givers]
2. And sold their possessions and goods and parted them to all men, as every man had need.[not greedy or about self only]
3. did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,[ they were thankful]
4. The continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship.
Singleness of heart produces singleness of mind (focus). The biggest spiritual battle we have is the battle of the mind.
Christ himself taught about the heart. He said that out of the heart proceeds, evil (or bad) thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornication, thefts, false witness and blasphemies. (Matt.15:18-19)
We have to stop trying to serve God with our mind only; God wants our heart.
Christ taught, we can commit murder in our heart by hating our fellow man. We can commit adultery and fornication in our hearts through lust. (Matt.5:21-22, 27-28)
We must learn to get our hearts and our minds right before God and that will create an atmosphere for Revival!
So it all comes down to the heart. We need to get alone with God and shut the door.
Come to God and take inventory of our heart. He already knows what’s in there
But we need to ask Him to reveal to us our hearts. Because it is deceitful, if we don’t take inventory we will be deceived by it plain and simple.
If we are not careful, we will be led down a road that might be long and winding.
God tries to lead us one way and the flesh tries to lead us in the opposite direction because the flesh wants to be pampered.
1 Peter 4:1-2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
· Have you been persecuted for living for God differently than others?
· Have you given up things your flesh desired?
· Have you given up old friends and old lifestyles?
If you have you have ceased from sin.
Verse 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
No one that I know of likes to suffer or to see others suffer: but we have to lay aside the things of the flesh to fulfill the things of the spirit or we can’t even worship God.
Matt 26:41; Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Rom 8:1-- There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit.
Acts 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed and the number of the men was about five thousand.
The apostles paid the ultimate price for these souls, they were beaten and imprisoned and even killed, separated from Jobs, friends and family-- but they were sold out to God!
A. I’m not asking you to sell your houses and cars and empty your back accounts.
B. I am asking you to sell out to God--- so that we can create an atmosphere for Revival!!
I’m asking you for the to lay aside your wants so that we can fulfill the commission of Christ.
The last commission that Christ gave to the Apostles before he went away is this;
Mark 16:15-18 And he said unto them, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”
16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Verse 17 will give us the results of our obedience to the Lord command:
There are five signs that shall follow them that believe—
1. In my name shall they cast out devils {Are we ready for that?}
2. They shall speak with new tongues;
3. They shall take up serpents.
4. And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
5. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
“We are the ones he is talking about”
We are not commissioned to be churchgoers but we are commanded to “Go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature” which means everyone we come into contact with.
We cannot just go out and select who we want to come into the church.
That has been the problem for years we have tried to select who we think will fit and not cause a disturbance and be different than us.
The only way to create an atmosphere for revival is to be willing to be in one mind and one accord.
But Are you willing to make the sacrifice?