EXPERIENCING REVIVAL
Text: 2 Chronicles 7:1-3, 11-14
1 Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house.
2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.
3 And when all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the Lord upon the house, they bowed themselves with their faces to the ground upon the pavement, and worshipped, and praised the Lord, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord, and the king’s house: and all that came into Solomon’s heart to make in the house of the Lord, and in his own house, he prosperously effected.
12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
1. The Basis For Experiencing Revival (v. 14)
The basis for experiencing revival is a connection with God
1)
- Under the New Covenant, we are God’s people by choice and redemption.
- God chooses every person to be His who chooses Jesus to be Savior. (Eph. 1:4)
- God, through the sacrificial work of Christ on the cross has redeemed us, purchased us, from our sin.
2)
- God attaches His name to His people.
- God is the God of the cosmic universe, yet He condescends to us personally and says, “I am your God and you will bear my name.”
2. The Burden Of Experiencing Revival
Stephen Olford said that the burden of revival can be summed up in one word:
1)
2) Earnestness in prayer (v. 14)
- The burden is prayer first for ourselves and then for others.
3) Holiness in prayer (v. 14)
- When we talk about turning from sin it requires two things: confession and repentance.
- To confess means to agree with God. We have to see our situation, our sin, our wrong, our attitude, our level of faithfulness, our
3. The Blessings Of Experiencing Revival
1)
- v. 1 – fire – God’s power
- vv. 1-2 – glory – God’s presence
- v. 3 –Worship / Sacrifice / Praise
- This is the outflow of the blessing – we experience God showing up in power and person, and God experiences our worship in sacrifice and praise. This is revival.
2) God hears and responds (v. 14; cf. Ps. 17:6; Ps. 4:3; Micah 7:7)
- When we bear the burden of revival by praying, we’re trusting that God will hear and respond.
3) God forgives (v. 14)
- The sins we commit affect our fellowship with God. We need forgiveness. (cf. 1 John 1:9)
- When we come before God confessing and repenting of our sin, God forgives. He drops our sins into the sea of forgetfulness.
4) God
- Physical situations (drought, famine, sickness) picture the spiritual reality of revival needed.
All these healings point to spiritual restoration: fellowship and service and worship restored.
I will heal the land, i.e. revival is bigger than me. Revival is bigger than you individually. But, revival has to start somewhere. Why can’t it be with us? With me?