Longing for Divine Presence: Isaiah's Prayer for Revival

 

Summary

In this sermon, we delve into the profound prayer of the prophet Isaiah, as recorded in Isaiah 64:1, during a time when his people felt forsaken and desolate. Isaiah's prayer is a passionate plea for God to rend the heavens and come down, a cry for divine intervention in a time of great need. This prayer is not just a request for God's blessings but a longing for His extraordinary presence and power to be manifest among His people. Isaiah's prayer serves as a model for us, illustrating the depth and fervor with which we should approach God, especially in times of spiritual drought.

Isaiah's prayer is characterized by a deep longing, expressed through the word "Oh," which signifies a heartfelt desire for God to intervene. This longing is not just for personal comfort but for a revival, a visitation of God's Spirit that transforms hearts and communities. The prophet's prayer is rooted in a recognition of past divine interventions, where God did "terrible things" that were unexpected, demonstrating His power and glory. This historical perspective fuels the prophet's faith and encourages us to remember God's past faithfulness as we seek His presence today.

The sermon emphasizes the importance of praying with a zeal for God's name and glory, recognizing that the adversaries of God are ultimately His concern. Our prayers should reflect a desire for God's name to be known and revered among the nations, leading them to tremble at His presence. This is not just about the survival of the church but about the manifestation of God's glory in the world.

Furthermore, the sermon encourages us to pray with the understanding that God's power is limitless. The God who can rend the heavens and cause mountains to flow is the same God we approach in prayer. We are reminded that our prayers should not be limited by our human understanding but should reflect the boundless possibilities of what God can do.

Finally, the sermon highlights the gracious character of God, whose mercy and compassion endure forever. Even in times of divine displeasure due to sin, God's love and compassion remain steadfast. This assurance of God's character should embolden us to seek Him earnestly, confident that He will meet with those who truly seek Him.

Key Takeaways:

- The Depth of True Prayer: True prayer is characterized by a deep longing for God, expressed through heartfelt cries like "Oh." This longing is not just for personal comfort but for a divine intervention that transforms lives and communities. It is a recognition of our limitations and a plea for God's extraordinary presence. [04:53]

- Historical Faithfulness as a Foundation for Prayer: Remembering God's past interventions, where He did unexpected and mighty acts, fuels our faith and encourages us to pray with confidence. God's historical faithfulness serves as a powerful reminder of His ability to act in our present circumstances. [30:04]

- Zeal for God's Glory: Our prayers should reflect a zeal for God's name and glory, desiring that His adversaries recognize His power and majesty. This is not just about the church's survival but about the manifestation of God's glory in the world, leading nations to tremble at His presence. [20:30]

- The Limitless Power of God: We are encouraged to pray with the understanding that God's power is limitless. The God who can rend the heavens and cause mountains to flow is the same God we approach in prayer. Our prayers should reflect the boundless possibilities of what God can do. [18:05]

- The Gracious Character of God: Despite times of divine displeasure due to sin, God's mercy and compassion endure forever. This assurance of God's character should embolden us to seek Him earnestly, confident that He will meet with those who truly seek Him. [42:55]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:12] - Introduction and Context
- [00:48] - The Second Petition of Isaiah
- [01:23] - The Importance of Prayer
- [02:16] - Historical Reflection and Repentance
- [03:02] - Plea for God's Presence
- [04:01] - The Nature of True Prayer
- [05:14] - Taking Hold of God
- [07:01] - The Ultimate Prayer for Revival
- [08:30] - Understanding Revival
- [10:08] - The Presence and Power of God
- [12:14] - The Power of God Manifested
- [15:33] - The Greatness of God's Power
- [19:23] - Reasons for Praying for Revival
- [29:13] - Encouragements to Pray
- [39:58] - The Promises of God
- [41:54] - The Gracious Character of God

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Isaiah 64:1
- Exodus 19:16-20
- 2 Corinthians 10:4-5

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#### Observation Questions
1. What is the significance of the word "Oh" in Isaiah's prayer, and how does it reflect the depth of his longing for God? [04:36]
2. How does the sermon describe the historical context of Isaiah's prayer, and what was the condition of his people at that time? [01:04]
3. What examples from the past does the sermon mention to illustrate God's power and faithfulness? [30:32]
4. How does the sermon describe the manifestation of God's power during a revival? [10:08]

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#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does Isaiah's prayer model a deep longing for God's presence, and how can this be applied to personal prayer life? [04:53]
2. How does the sermon suggest that remembering God's past interventions can fuel our faith and confidence in prayer? [30:04]
3. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between God's glory and the recognition of His adversaries? [20:30]
4. How does the sermon encourage believers to understand the limitless power of God in their prayers? [18:05]

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#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt a deep longing for God's presence. How did you express this longing in your prayers, and what was the outcome? [04:53]
2. How can you incorporate the remembrance of God's past faithfulness into your daily prayer routine to strengthen your faith? [30:04]
3. In what ways can you pray with a zeal for God's glory in your community, and how might this change your perspective on prayer? [20:30]
4. Consider a situation in your life where you need to trust in God's limitless power. How can you adjust your prayers to reflect this belief? [18:05]
5. How does understanding God's gracious character, even in times of divine displeasure, influence your approach to seeking Him earnestly? [42:55]
6. Identify one area in your life where you feel spiritually desolate. How can Isaiah's prayer inspire you to seek a revival in that area? [01:04]
7. What practical steps can you take this week to ensure that your prayers are not limited by human understanding but are open to the boundless possibilities of what God can do? [18:05]

Devotional

Day 1: The Heartfelt Cry for Divine Intervention
True prayer is characterized by a deep longing for God, expressed through heartfelt cries like "Oh." This longing is not just for personal comfort but for a divine intervention that transforms lives and communities. It is a recognition of our limitations and a plea for God's extraordinary presence. Isaiah's prayer in Isaiah 64:1 is a passionate plea for God to rend the heavens and come down, a cry for divine intervention in a time of great need. This prayer is not just a request for God's blessings but a longing for His extraordinary presence and power to be manifest among His people. Isaiah's prayer serves as a model for us, illustrating the depth and fervor with which we should approach God, especially in times of spiritual drought. [04:53]

Isaiah 64:1 (ESV): "Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence—"

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel a deep longing for God's intervention? How can you express this longing to God in prayer today?


Day 2: Remembering God's Past Faithfulness
Remembering God's past interventions, where He did unexpected and mighty acts, fuels our faith and encourages us to pray with confidence. God's historical faithfulness serves as a powerful reminder of His ability to act in our present circumstances. Isaiah's prayer is rooted in a recognition of past divine interventions, where God did "terrible things" that were unexpected, demonstrating His power and glory. This historical perspective fuels the prophet's faith and encourages us to remember God's past faithfulness as we seek His presence today. [30:04]

Psalm 77:11-12 (ESV): "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your wonders of old. I will ponder all your work, and meditate on your mighty deeds."

Reflection: Reflect on a specific time when you experienced God's faithfulness in your life. How can this memory encourage you to trust Him in your current situation?


Day 3: Praying with Zeal for God's Glory
Our prayers should reflect a zeal for God's name and glory, desiring that His adversaries recognize His power and majesty. This is not just about the church's survival but about the manifestation of God's glory in the world, leading nations to tremble at His presence. The sermon emphasizes the importance of praying with a zeal for God's name and glory, recognizing that the adversaries of God are ultimately His concern. Our prayers should reflect a desire for God's name to be known and revered among the nations. [20:30]

Habakkuk 2:14 (ESV): "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."

Reflection: How can you incorporate a desire for God's glory into your daily prayers? What specific situation in the world can you pray for today, asking for God's glory to be revealed?


Day 4: Embracing the Limitless Power of God
We are encouraged to pray with the understanding that God's power is limitless. The God who can rend the heavens and cause mountains to flow is the same God we approach in prayer. Our prayers should reflect the boundless possibilities of what God can do. The sermon encourages us to pray with the understanding that God's power is limitless, reminding us that our prayers should not be limited by our human understanding but should reflect the boundless possibilities of what God can do. [18:05]

Jeremiah 32:17 (ESV): "Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have limited God's power in your mind? How can you begin to pray with a renewed understanding of His limitless power?


Day 5: Trusting in the Gracious Character of God
Despite times of divine displeasure due to sin, God's mercy and compassion endure forever. This assurance of God's character should embolden us to seek Him earnestly, confident that He will meet with those who truly seek Him. The sermon highlights the gracious character of God, whose mercy and compassion endure forever. Even in times of divine displeasure due to sin, God's love and compassion remain steadfast. This assurance of God's character should embolden us to seek Him earnestly. [42:55]

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV): "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of God's steadfast love and mercy today? How can this assurance encourage you to seek Him more earnestly in your daily life?

Quotes

"True praying is always characterized by the use of that word oh that thou wouldest RN the hidden there's no word that's more expressive of longing than that word oh it expresses a a deep desire it's a confession of men at the end of his resources and waiting and looking for and longing for God." [00:04:36]

"Real prayer means taking hold of God and not letting go you've got it all in the famous instance of Jacob you remember struggling with that men who appear to him on that critical night before he had to meet his brother Esau he struggled with him he wrestled with him and when the day broke and the men said that he must go Jacob said I will not let thee go taking hold of God laying hold upon Him pleading with him reasoning arguing beseeching." [00:06:04]

"This goes beyond it this goes further and it is here I say we see the difference between what the church should always be praying for and the special peculiar urgent prayer for a visitation of God's spirit for Revival and there is no term that better expresses this ultimate petition than just this you noticed it Encompass him oh when the hens come quickly down and make a thousand Hearts thine know we don't often see a thousand Hearts turning to God in Christ do we but that's what happens in Revival." [00:07:25]

"It is indeed God coming down God is it where no longer merely granting us the blessings I have to use such terms and yet in a sense the very foolish God merely I say everything that God does is marvelous and wonderful transcends our highest imagination and yet you have these contrasts in the Scripture it isn't God doing what he normally does it's God doing the unusual God coming down." [00:08:44]

"Suddenly those present in the meeting become aware but someone has come amongst them they're aware of a glory they're aware of a presence they can't Define it they can't describe it they can't put it into words they just know that they've never known anything like this before sometimes they put it like this they say Days of Heaven on Earth they rarely feel that they're in heaven they've forgotten time they're beyond time time has no longer any meaning to nor any real existence there in a spiritual realm God has come down amongst and has filled the place and the people with a sense of his glorious presence." [00:10:55]

"Notice the terms which he useth oh he says that I would have Reen the heaven there's a tearing process God erupts into the midst Ren the heavens that th would has come down then listen that the mountains might flow down at thy presence these great mountains that seem Everlasting and Eternal that are always there whether the wind blows or doesn't whether the rain comes or goes whether the sun shines or is clouded these Everlasting hills and mountains when God comes down even the mountains begin to flow." [00:11:56]

"Why is he praying that God may come down as when the melting fire burneth and the fire causeth the waters to boil well for this reason to make thy name known to thine adversaries that's the reason that's the first reason you notice that it is always the first reason in the Bible these men pray to God as they did because they had a Zeal for the name and the glory of God." [00:20:06]

"The first reason for praying that God should come down is that his name may be known and recognized amongst his adversaries that's the trouble with the world you know he doesn't know God and the world will never be in interested in the Christian message until it has some knowledge of God oh the church has been blind to this she's been trying to attract people to herself for 50 years and more putting on popular programs dramas music this that and the other trying to entice the people especially the young people but they don't come of course not they never will until they know the name of the Lord and then they'll come." [00:21:41]

"Let me say it again the greatest tonic to a drooping spirit is to read the history of the church read the history of the church my friends it didn't start you know when Moody first came to this country it goes back through the running centuries go back read the story of the church consider what God has done in ages past there's nothing so stimulating to prayer as that." [00:29:59]

"Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the year neither at the eyes see no God beside thee what he has prepared for him that waiteth for him oh what an encouragement this is what should I pray for so somebody my dear friend there's no limit to what you should pray for no limit at all since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the or neither have the eyes seen oh God beside thee what he ha prepared for him that waiteth for him." [00:36:00]

"Thou meest him that rejoices and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy way oh thank God for this how do I know that God's going to listen to me and to give me my petition here's the answer he's ready to meet certain people th meest he's promised to do this who does he meet he meets with those who work righteousness and who rejoice in doing so he meets with all as the end of verse four has told us who wait for him." [00:39:58]

"Thank God says this man I know that your mercy and your love and your compassion are deeper than your rock and therefore I hold on to it in those his continu listen to the psalmist saying the same same thing his anger endureth but for a moment in his favor is life weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning thank God it isn't Perpetual night weeping may endure for the night but joy cometh in the morning the god of the morning the god of love the god of compassion he will not always chide says the psalmist in 103 he will not always chide neither will he keep his anger forever but in these is continuance Mercy love compassion and pity hold on to it in those is Continuum and we shall be say that thy compassions Lord to endless years endure and children's children find the promise ever sure." [00:42:55]

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Transcript
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