Revival: A Divine Response to Earnest Seeking
Summary
In my sermon today, I emphasized the critical nature of revival and the role it plays in the life of our church, Journey Church. I began by dispelling the common misconception that revival is an accidental occurrence or merely a series of scheduled services. Instead, I clarified that revival is God's response to His people earnestly crying out to Him. It is a divine strategy, not an accident, and it requires our obedience and earnest seeking of God's presence.
I shared my desire to witness God's miraculous works in Fremont and within our church community, including healings and even the raising of the dead. I stressed the urgency of the times we live in and the need to move beyond complacency and superficial engagement with our faith. I challenged the congregation to graduate from a shallow engagement with Scripture, symbolized by the "verse of the day" mentality, and to delve deeper into God's Word, allowing it to transform us.
I recounted my experience in Tucumán, Argentina, where the Holy Spirit moved powerfully in a Catholic convent, reminding us that revival is not confined to a denomination or building. I emphasized that when revival comes, we must be ready to embrace the move of the Holy Spirit, as seen in Acts chapter 2, where the early believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered to witness.
I quoted Leonard Ravenhill, who said that the only reason we don't have revival is that we are willing to live without it. This statement challenges us to examine our own hearts and our willingness to earnestly seek and welcome revival. I also spoke about reaping a harvest we did not plant, acknowledging the prayers and efforts of those who came before us and the importance of continuing that legacy.
I concluded by calling for a response from the congregation, inviting those who wanted to get right with God to make a decision today. I led a prayer of repentance and surrender, inviting individuals to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. I encouraged the church to stand in unity, seeking the Holy Spirit's fire and power to transform our community and bring revival to Journey Church.
Key Takeaways:
- Revival is not a spontaneous event but a divine response to the earnest prayers of God's people. It requires a heartfelt yearning for God's presence and a willingness to obey His commands. As we seek Him fervently, we align our hearts with His, and He responds with revival. [54:06]
- The power of the Holy Spirit is not limited to a particular denomination or location. My experience in Argentina illustrates that God's Spirit can move anywhere, transcending human boundaries and expectations. This should encourage us to expect and welcome the Holy Spirit's work in diverse settings. [01:06:06]
- Embracing the move of the Holy Spirit means being open to the unexpected and allowing God to work in ways that may be unfamiliar to us. The early church's experience at Pentecost serves as a model for how we should anticipate and receive the Holy Spirit's empowerment. [01:06:38]
- The urgency of revival is underscored by the reality that time is running out. As believers, we must not be content with mere religious routines but should seek a genuine transformation that impacts our world. The need for revival is pressing, and our response should be one of active pursuit. [54:36]
- Revival leads to empowerment and harvest. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, we are not only transformed personally but also equipped to impact others. The harvest we reap may include souls we did not personally sow into, but we benefit from the faithful prayers and labor of those who preceded us. [01:15:20]
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Acts 1:3-5, 8, 12-14: "After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: 'Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' ... 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' ... Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."
2. Acts 2:1-4: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."
3. Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
### Observation Questions
1. What command did Jesus give to his disciples in Acts 1:4, and what were they waiting for? ([48:00])
2. Describe the events that took place on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2:1-4.
3. According to Matthew 6:33, what should believers seek first, and what is promised as a result?
4. How did the early believers respond to Jesus' command to wait in Jerusalem? ([52:02])
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus emphasized the importance of waiting for the Holy Spirit before beginning their mission? ([48:00])
2. How does the experience of the early church at Pentecost serve as a model for embracing the move of the Holy Spirit today? ([01:06:38])
3. What does it mean to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness in the context of revival? ([01:02:00])
4. How can the statement by Leonard Ravenhill, "The only reason we don't have revival is because we are willing to live without it," challenge our current spiritual state? ([01:14:14])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your personal prayer life. How can you move from a "verse of the day" mentality to a deeper engagement with God's Word? ([58:20])
2. In what ways can you actively seek the presence of the Holy Spirit in your daily life and in the life of Journey Church? ([01:00:28])
3. How can you prepare yourself and your community to embrace the unexpected ways the Holy Spirit might move, as seen in Acts 2? ([01:06:38])
4. What steps can you take to ensure that your pursuit of revival is not just about religious routines but about genuine transformation? ([54:36])
5. Identify one area of your life where you have been complacent. What specific actions can you take this week to seek God's presence more earnestly? ([55:00])
6. How can you honor the legacy of those who have prayed and labored before you, and continue their efforts in seeking revival? ([01:15:20])
7. Think of a person or group in your community who might be considered "undesirable" or "outcast." How can you extend God's love and the message of revival to them? ([01:19:52])
Devotional
Day 1: Heartfelt Yearning Ignites Revival
Revival is not a spontaneous event but a divine response to the earnest prayers of God's people. It requires a heartfelt yearning for God's presence and a willingness to obey His commands. As we seek Him fervently, we align our hearts with His, and He responds with revival. [54:06]
"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water." - Psalm 63:1
Reflection: What specific actions can you take this week to demonstrate a deeper yearning for God's presence in your life?
Day 2: Expect the Spirit Beyond Boundaries
The power of the Holy Spirit is not limited to a particular denomination or location. My experience in Argentina illustrates that God's Spirit can move anywhere, transcending human boundaries and expectations. This should encourage us to expect and welcome the Holy Spirit's work in diverse settings. [01:06:06]
"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4
Reflection: How can you cultivate a more inclusive and expectant attitude towards the movement of the Holy Spirit in unfamiliar places or communities?
Day 3: Openness to the Holy Spirit's Empowerment
Embracing the move of the Holy Spirit means being open to the unexpected and allowing God to work in ways that may be unfamiliar to us. The early church's experience at Pentecost serves as a model for how we should anticipate and receive the Holy Spirit's empowerment. [01:06:38]
"And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit." - Ephesians 5:18
Reflection: In what ways might you be resisting the Holy Spirit's work in your life, and how can you surrender to His empowerment today?
Day 4: Revival's Urgency in a Fading World
The urgency of revival is underscored by the reality that time is running out. As believers, we must not be content with mere religious routines but should seek a genuine transformation that impacts our world. The need for revival is pressing, and our response should be one of active pursuit. [54:36]
"Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." - Romans 13:11
Reflection: What are some practical steps you can take to move beyond religious routine and actively pursue a transformative relationship with God?
Day 5: Harvest Empowered by the Spirit
Revival leads to empowerment and harvest. When we allow the Holy Spirit to fill us, we are not only transformed personally but also equipped to impact others. The harvest we reap may include souls we did not personally sow into, but we benefit from the faithful prayers and labor of those who preceded us. [01:15:20]
"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." - 1 Corinthians 3:6
Reflection: Can you identify someone who has sown into your spiritual life? How can you continue their legacy by investing in someone else's spiritual growth this week?
Quotes
1) "It's time that the church of the living God graduates from the verse of the day... It's time to go and to start consuming God's word and growing in the things of God... when God calls you out of darkness, he calls you out of darkness so that you will grow in the light." [59:26]
2) "Revival is never an accident... Revival is simply this: God's response to people crying out to him... I want to see and hear of reports of the sick being healed, even the dead being raised. I want to see it with my own eyes." [54:06]
3) "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results... Effective prayer must be fervent, not because we must emotionally persuade a reluctant God, but because we must gain God's heart by being fervent for the things that he is fervent for." [01:03:34]
4) "When revival drops in this place, the people of God... will have to embrace the move of the Holy Spirit... Suddenly the sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting." [01:06:38]
5) "The only reason why we don't have revival is because we're willing to live without it. There is more to your walk in the Lord than how you're living right now... The only reason we don't have revival is because we're willing to live without it." [01:14:14]
6) "Revival at Journey Church... is going to depend on your obedience... Jesus told his disciples, 'Hey, I want you to go and wait for me.' Isn't it funny that many times the best thing that we can do is just to get in his presence and wait for his leadership?" [57:46]
7) "When the Holy Spirit comes upon this place and you get empowered... there are situations and circumstances in this life that when you pray words just aren't enough and there's a place right there where the Holy Spirit can pray through you." [01:13:14]
8) "Jesus to be Lord of your life... you recognize the need that you're in need. Maybe that's you. Your story is different. Maybe at one time in your life, you used to serve Jesus... you want to completely surrender to Jesus, you want to repent and turn." [01:22:46]
9) "We have to understand that Jesus told them I want you to go to Jerusalem and wait... once you receive the gift, you're going to receive power, you're going to receive authority, you're going to receive anointing." [49:22]
10) "God is wanting to take us and to upset our heart of apathy and turn us inside out and upside down so that we will be once again passionate for him... God I long to be in your presence, I long to be in the house of the Lord." [55:06]
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