A Christmas Revival will bring Spiritual Victory.

Devotional

Day 1: The Call to Self-Examination and Growth

As we journey together in faith, it is vital to pause and look within ourselves. True spiritual growth begins with honest self-examination, recognizing both our strengths and areas needing change. God desires to use us, but He calls us first to be transformed from the inside out. Before we can effectively serve or lead, we must allow God to mold our character and deepen our relationship with Him. This ongoing process of self-reflection is not about guilt, but about opening ourselves to God’s refining work. As we grow, we become more useful for His purposes and more able to experience His blessings. [04:32]

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth. (Psalm 26:2-3, KJV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you sense God inviting you to deeper self-examination, and how might you respond to His gentle prompting this week?

Day 2: Humility Before God Unlocks His Power

Humility is the foundation upon which God builds His work in us. It is not something others can force upon us; it is a choice we make to lay aside pride and acknowledge our need for God. When we humble ourselves, we open the door for God’s power to flow through us, far beyond what we could accomplish on our own. Pride, on the other hand, blocks God’s movement and leads us away from His purposes. Only by humbling ourselves can we truly pray, serve, and live in a way that honors Him. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. [13:53]

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (James 4:10, KJV)

Reflection: Where do you notice pride creeping into your thoughts or actions, and what would it look like to intentionally humble yourself before God in that area?

Day 3: Seeking God’s Face and Surrendering Our Plans

To seek God’s face is to desire His presence above all else and to surrender our own agendas. This means placing our lives, plans, and desires on the altar, allowing God to set His priorities in our hearts. When we truly seek Him, our ambitions and goals are transformed to align with His will. This pursuit is not a one-time event but a continual turning toward God, even when it requires letting go of our own way. As we seek Him, we find the strength and direction needed to fulfill our calling. [18:49]

Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11, KJV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you sense God asking you to surrender your plans and seek His direction more fully?

Day 4: Turning from Our Wicked Ways and Embracing Change

God calls us not only to seek Him but also to turn from anything that hinders our relationship with Him. This involves honest confession, repentance, and a willingness to let go of habits, attitudes, or actions that are not pleasing to Him. Change can be difficult, but God promises forgiveness and renewal to those who come to Him with a sincere heart. As we turn from our old ways, we make room for God’s healing and transformation in our lives. This is a continual process, requiring both honesty and dependence on God’s grace. [23:49]

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens. (Lamentations 3:40-41, KJV)

Reflection: Is there a specific habit or attitude God is prompting you to turn away from? What step could you take today to begin that process?

Day 5: God’s Promise to Heal and Restore

When we humble ourselves, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from our wicked ways, God promises to hear, forgive, and heal. His healing is not limited to physical needs but extends to relationships, finances, and every area of our lives. Even when situations seem beyond repair, God is able to restore what has been broken. He invites us to dream of what our “healed land” could look like and to trust Him for restoration. No matter our past or present struggles, God’s power to heal and bless is greater than we can imagine. [32:50]

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. (Joel 2:25-26, KJV)

Reflection: If God were to heal and restore a specific area of your life, what would that look like? How can you invite Him into that process today?

Sermon Summary

We’re in a season where God is blessing us with growth and fresh opportunities, but I reminded us that fruit only lasts when roots go deep. We looked at 2 Chronicles 7:14 and walked through the order God gives: humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. Technology, programs, and events can help, but they can’t produce the move of God. Revival flows from a consecrated people, not a polished production. I pressed us to keep working on ourselves—because when we stop tending our soul, the enemy gladly steps in.

Humility was our first stop. Prayer without humility turns into performance. God resists the proud, and the proud person can be very busy for God while being very far from God. We talked about letting go of making a name for ourselves so we can be free to bear His name—His people, called by His name, wholly given over to His purposes.

Seeking His face means direction changes. When we truly gaze at the Holy One, our priorities shift. “My plans” get placed on the altar. That’s where turning from wicked ways becomes real and practical—laying down anger, the quick tongue, the hidden compromise, the quiet jealousy. We’re not excused because we can “perform” on Sundays. The Spirit-filled life shows up in how we handle interruptions, misunderstandings, and pain.

Then we came to the promise: “Then will I hear…forgive…heal.” Many want the outcome without the process. But God hears humble, repentant people. He forgives confessed sin—no excuses, no mutual blame—just honest repentance. And He heals land. For some, that land is a broken budget; for others, a fractured relationship, a foggy purpose, or a weary body. He can restore what was torn up. I shared a few stories—of God using a shy sister in class who surrendered to Him and preached with power; of lean years when my wife and I stretched meals and prayed for provision—so we could testify today that He can heal a land you once thought was barren.

So we keep it simple and costly: humble ourselves, pray, seek, turn—so He can hear, forgive, and heal. That’s the path forward for our lives, our church, and our city.

Key Takeaways

1. Revival begins with humility before God Prayer without humility becomes spiritual theater. God is not impressed by volume or vocabulary; He weighs the heart that bows low. Pride blinds us to our need and blocks the help we’re asking for. The door to renewal always has “low clearance” written over it. [13:10]
2. Seek God’s face; change your path Seeking is not browsing; it is pursuit that reorders calendars and ambitions. When God’s presence becomes the treasure, some old goals lose their shine. The altar is where our preferences die and His priorities come alive. Desire drives direction. [17:16]
3. Turn from wicked ways, practically Repentance has a shape: bridled words, longer patience, reconciled relationships, hidden sins brought into light. Holiness does not make us harsh; it makes us honest, gentle, and steady. The Spirit trains our reactions at home before He trusts us with influence in public. [22:41]
4. God hears, forgives, and heals Obedience isn’t payment; it’s alignment. When we align with His ways, we step under the waterfall of His promises—He hears, He pardons, He restores. Healing may come to finances, families, or the soul’s interior landscape; nothing is beyond His reach. [32:15]
5. Lose your name; bear His We are not called to brand ourselves but to bear the Name. When identity shifts from performance to belonging, ministry becomes worship rather than self-promotion. God entrusts power to those who won’t steal His glory. [11:49]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:32] - Be something before you do something
[05:21] - Celebrating growth and visitors
[06:49] - Prayer and 2 Chronicles 7:14 focus
[07:26] - Not by tech but by the Spirit
[08:31] - Consecration story: D. L. Moody
[10:16] - What you do for God matters
[11:49] - Called by His name, not ours
[13:10] - Humility before prayer
[17:16] - Seek His face; change paths
[22:41] - Turning from wicked ways, practically
[32:15] - He hears, forgives, and heals
[34:27] - From poverty to provision testimony
[42:43] - Q&A and next steps

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (KJV)
- 2 Chronicles 7:14
"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."

Observation questions

What four actions are listed in 2 Chronicles 7:14, and in the message where was this verse introduced as the starting point for revival? [06:49]
The speaker emphasized that God gives these actions in an order. What order was named, and why was order said to matter? [13:10]
What specific examples of "wicked ways" or everyday sins were named as things people need to turn from? [22:41]
How was the promise "I will heal their land" described—what kinds of restoration did the message mention as possible results of repentance? [32:15]

Interpretation questions (third-person, objective)

How should "humble themselves" be understood in daily life, given the warning that prayer without humility becomes spiritual performance? [13:10]
What does "seek my face" imply about priorities and plans? How does seeking God's face produce a practical change in a person's schedule or decisions? [17:16]
How does the promise "then will I hear... forgive... heal" relate to the preceding conditions? Is the promise presented as conditional obedience or as restoration of relationship, and what difference does that make for understanding God's response? [32:15]
What does "called by my name" and the instruction to "lose your name; bear His" imply about leadership, recognition, and motive in public ministry or service? [11:49]

Application questions (personal, concrete)

Humility before prayer: When was the last time you prayed more to be seen or approved than to be changed? What one small practice (e.g., private confession, shorter public prayers, asking a friend to keep you accountable) will you try this week to cultivate humility in your prayer life? [13:10]
Seek His face, change your path: What personal plan, goal, or regular activity might need to be placed on the altar so God’s priorities can lead? What is one specific step you will take this week to test that change (move a meeting, say no to an event, set aside time for listening prayer)? [17:16]
Turn from wicked ways practically: Which repeated reaction (quick tongue, anger, bitterness, jealousy, gossip) do you recognize in yourself? Who will you tell and what accountability or spiritual discipline will you start to change that pattern? [22:41]
Begin to expect healing: Which area of your "land" needs healing right now—finances, health, marriage, work, or sense of purpose? What concrete spiritual actions will you take in the next 7 days (confession, specific prayers, fasting, seeking counsel, generosity) to align with the promise of healing? [32:15]
Lose your name; bear His: Where do you notice the desire for recognition in your service or ministry? What is one practical change you will make to point glory to God rather than yourself (e.g., share leadership credit, step back from the spotlight, invite others to testify)? [11:49]
Consecration over production: What program, technology, or activity are you tempted to rely on for growth instead of spiritual renewal? What is one thing you will adjust so soul-tending (confession, humility, seeking God) is given priority this month? [07:26]

Notes for the group leader
- Begin with reading 2 Chronicles 7:14 aloud. Let a moment of silence follow so people can reflect.
- Encourage honesty and specificity—these questions are meant to move toward real change, not just good ideas.
- Keep the time practical: choose one application each person will try this week and ask for a follow-up at the next meeting.

Sermon Clips

So, to start us off here, God looks in the heart. God will use any man or woman whose heart is wholly consecrated unto God. I don't mean to embarrass anybody or lambsblast anybody today or talk bad about anybody, but he will not use you if you're wishy-washy, double-minded, fence-sitting, or worldly-minded believer. God can't use you. We have to get to the place that we want God in our life. [00:09:49] (32 seconds) #AllInForGod

Now, I will throw in a little caveat there before we get ready to go to the next point here, that if you keep saying no to God, He'll listen. He will listen. So He says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray. The four conditions required by God, by His people, can be grouped into two pairs, which we see here. And that is, most people have put prayer as a first condition, but prayer without humility is wasted activity. [00:12:50] (33 seconds) #PrayerWithHumility

She got to reading her text and her introduction. And then that woman got to preaching and blew us all away. Every one of us sat there with our mouth hanging open because this woman normally was so shy, she couldn't talk straight. But when she got up and it was her turn to preach God's word, and she just let God use her, I just sat there. My mouth fell open. I know I was looking rude. I know how I was looking. But I found out that day, if you let the Lord use you, God can do wonderful things beyond what you even think he can. [00:16:45] (30 seconds) #LetGodUseYou

To go throughout life and have pursued your own endeavors and never his is a failed life. But to go through life, as Paul said, he said, I fought a good fight, and I kept the faith. And the one thing that really just always impressed by me, just really, he said, I am now ready. Because what? He had done everything God had called him to do. [00:17:52] (24 seconds) #FinishWell

In our church, we need people that want to see God. I want you to have a made-up mind to serve God. Now, I've always said, come as you are, and I do mean that. Come as you are. Come on in. We want everybody to come to church. But as you come to church, you're going to have to learn and accept that it's not your life. You've been bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus. And so when we truly gaze into the one who's holy, our desires change. [00:19:05] (25 seconds) #GazeAndChange

Have you ever heard somebody say, you know, one of these days I'm going to get it together. One of these days I'm going to really put it together. I'm going to be in church. I've had so many people tell me, one of these days I'm going to be your best member. By the time you get around to thinking about being my best member, it may be too late. It may be too late. So we have to begin to seek God. [00:20:26] (19 seconds) #NoMoreSomeday

We all have the opportunity, the wonderful opportunity to come to church, to hear the gospel. There's no thing stopping us from coming to hear from God. But now to say that you can stay that way, that you can stay that way, there's nowhere in the Word of God that it says. In fact, he said that at a time you should be eating meat, you're still drinking milk. So God expects us to grow. [00:25:28] (23 seconds) #GrowInFaith

You expect your kids to start crawling. You expect them at some point they're going to start pulling on things and trying to stand up, and you expect them at some point to start walking. These are the expectations as a parent that we have. Should God have the same expectation from us? That at some point we're going to stop crawling and we're going to start walking and we're going to do what God wants us to do. [00:26:47] (21 seconds) #StopCrawlingStartWalking

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

What are God’s conditions for genuine revival?

What distinguishes consecration from religious performance?

How does God heal our land today?