October 14, 2012

Revival: October 8, 2012


TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY OCTOBER 8, 2012.

REVIVAL

DEFINITION:

Restoration to life, consciousness, vigor or strength; reawakening of interest in and care for religion; a meeting to promote religious awakening.

 SCRIPTURE:

"Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?" Psalm 85:6

"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Many professing Christians today have never experienced a revival and probably never even heard of one let alone really know what a revival is. The Psalmist, in Psalm 85:6 recognized that Israel needed revival. Unfortunately, many Christians need revival and do not know it. They have become complacent and no longer know what it is to rejoice in the Lord. 

A "revival" as we refer to it here is a time when a single person or a group of people (believers in Jesus) decide that they need to restore their faith in the Lord and get back to living by the fundamentals that God expects from us.

There are at least 12 revivals referred to in the Old Testament and there are four factors preceding each revival that is in common and vital to these Old Testament revivals and are also relevant for us today.

• A moral and Spiritual decline among the people of God.

• Always proceeded by some kind of a righteous judgment from God.

• The raising up of an immensely burdened leader or leaders.

• A common location for a beginning with a common burden.

The Old Testament tells us of revivals under Moses, Samuel, David, Asa, Jehoshaphat, Jehoida, Hezekiah, Joash, Zerubbabel, Ezra and Joel. All of these prophets led these revivals by calling the people together and having them pray, fast and confess their sins. In each case God used a leader who was faithful to Him.

God used Moses to bring revival to the Israelites when they rebelled against God. It would seem that after all the miracles the Israelites had witnessed God do to bring them out of Egypt that they would be forever faithful to God. Yet just within months, while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai, the Israelites turned away from God and made a golden calf to worship. Moses had to call his people to a revival of their relationship with God.

God used Moses to point out to the Israelites that they had rebelled against God and that God's judgment had come upon them for one reason -- they had sinned against God. Then Moses reminded the Israelites of God's mercy and the many promises God had fulfilled in the past. Their restoration depended on their willingness to repent, follow the Lord and obey His commandments.

In II Chronicles 7:14, four conditions are given that are necessary for revival. First, humble yourself and admit your sin. Secondly, pray and ask for forgiveness. Thirdly, seek God. And fourthly, turn from your wicked ways.

America was founded as a nation under God but today as a people we have rebelled and sinned against God. We have witnessed a moral and spiritual decline not only among the general population but also among the believers in Jesus. We need a revival to begin with individuals and then to our families and finally to our churches. God desires that believers be leaders in their families and to call family members to repentance and bring revival in our home.

YES, REVIVAL is needed today. It begins with individuals. God is just waiting for us to HUMBLE ourselves; PRAY; SEEK HIM; turn from our WICKED WAYS, and then we will hear from heaven and, God will forgive our sins and heal our homes and our land.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 5:7.

Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

PRAYER:

Help me to put into perspective my need for a personal revival to begin in my heart. Give me the leadership to help my family see their need for revival.  It is my prayer that You will work Your miracles in my life so that Your name will be honored and glorified.



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