Sermon Tone Analysis

Prepare the Way!

We Need Revival

America needs revival.

Our cities and communities need revival.

Our churches need revival.

Our families need revival.

Our hearts need revival.

Almost everyone agrees that we need revival

Are we preparing for the revival that we need?

Christian history reveals that preceding any revival or move of God, someone was preparing the way of the LORD.

How do we “PREPARE” for the Lord to come in glory?

P-R-E-P-A-R-E (Acrostic)

P: PRAYER

God begins to move toward us in power when we move toward Him in prayer.

Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman: “Revivals are born in prayer.

When Wesley prayed, England was revived; when Knox prayed, Scotland was refreshed; when the Sunday school teachers of Tannybrook prayed, eleven thousand young people were added to the church in a year.

Whole nights of prayer have always been succeeded by whole days of soulwinning.”

[Dr.

J. Wilbur Chapman [Quoted in E.M. Bounds on Prayer (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1997), p. 95]

“All true revivals have been born in prayer.

When God’s people become so concerned about the state of religion that they lie on their faces day and night in earnest supplication, the blessings will be sure to fall.” [E.M. Bounds [E.M. Bounds, E.M. Bounds on Prayer (New Kensington: Whitaker House, 1997), p. 98]

R: REPENTANCE

We must turn from our wicked ways.

Unfortunately, many do not understand the wickedness of their ways because the culture has embraced sin as normal and acceptable.

We have lost our ability to blush at sin.

We must have an encounter with the living God and return to the standard of His holy Word.

E: ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE

"Time is short.

Eternity is long.

It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity."

--Charles H. Spurgeon

P: PREACHING

“The Bible does not ask to be vindicated.

Its only demand is that it be proclaimed.

It requires no bodyguard of critics or scholars for its protection.

It does not come into court with advocates to try its case.

The Bible pleads its own case.

It will vindicate its divine claims, if it can get preachers to proclaim it.”

[Bounds, E. M. Powerful and Prayerful Pulpits, p. 60]

A: ANOINTING

The anointing is the power of God’s Spirit working through us to break the devil’s power and to accomplish His supernatural work.

R: REVIVAL

“Revival is the miracle that keeps the ship from going down.” —Michael L. Brown

“Don’t get upset when revival comes to get us out of our rut.

That’s its purpose.”

—Michael L. Brown

“Revival is simply New Testament Christianity, the saints going back to normal.”

–Vance Havner

E: EVANGELISM

We must become more intentional and engaged in reaching people with the gospel before it is eternally too late.

When the church gets revived and the lost get saved, we will see a sweeping spiritual awakening that can change our churches, communities, region, and nation.