Seeking Extraordinary Revival: A Call to the Church

 

Summary

In the passage from Exodus 33:12-17, we find Moses in a profound dialogue with God, seeking assurance and guidance for the Israelites. This narrative serves as a powerful illustration of the church's need for revival, especially when it finds itself in a state of spiritual decline due to faithlessness and rebellion. Moses, as a leader, intercedes for the people, demonstrating the necessity of prayer and repentance. He pitches a tent outside the camp, symbolizing a separation from sin and a return to God, which is met with God's presence returning to the Tabernacle.

Moses' prayer goes beyond mere restoration; he seeks something extraordinary—a revival. Revival, as emphasized, is not just the church being blessed or aware of God's presence. It is an extraordinary outpouring of God's Spirit, something unusual and exceptional. Moses' longing for more than the ordinary is a call for the church today to seek a deeper, more profound experience of God's presence and power. This desire for revival is characterized by a yearning for personal assurance, a deeper knowledge of God, and a clear manifestation of His power.

The sermon challenges the church to recognize its current state of complacency and to awaken to the need for revival. It is a call to move beyond the ordinary blessings and to seek a supernatural manifestation of God's presence that will set the church apart as unique and distinct. This involves a prayer for power, an awareness of the magnitude of the task ahead, and a realization of our own weakness without God's intervention. The church must seek a special authentication of its mission, a demonstration of God's power that will compel the world to recognize His presence among His people.

Key Takeaways:

- The Necessity of Revival: Revival is not merely the church being blessed or aware of God's presence; it is an extraordinary outpouring of God's Spirit, something unusual and exceptional. It requires a deep longing for more than the ordinary blessings and a desire for a profound experience of God's presence and power. [06:41]

- Personal Assurance and Knowledge of God: Moses' prayer for personal assurance and a deeper knowledge of God highlights the need for believers to seek a more intimate relationship with God. This involves moving beyond mere intellectual knowledge to a heartfelt experience of God's love and presence. [12:57]

- The Prayer for Power: Recognizing the magnitude of the task ahead and our own weakness, the church must pray for God's power to be manifested in extraordinary ways. This involves a reliance on God's strength rather than our own abilities and a desire for His presence to lead and guide us. [24:03]

- The Church's Unique Mission: The church is called to be separate and unique, a distinct people of God. This requires a special authentication of its mission through a supernatural manifestation of God's power that will compel the world to recognize His presence among His people. [32:30]

- The Urgency of Revival: The current state of the church and the world demands an urgent cry for revival. This involves a recognition of the spiritual decline and a longing for a supernatural move of God that will transform lives and communities. [41:42]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:13] - Introduction to Exodus 33
- [01:59] - The Church's Critical Condition
- [03:10] - Moses' Intercessory Prayer
- [04:48] - The Beginning of Revival Prayer
- [06:41] - The Nature of Revival
- [09:36] - Beyond Ordinary Blessings
- [12:21] - Personal Assurance and Knowledge
- [14:26] - Hunger for Deeper Knowledge
- [19:20] - God's Plans and Purposes
- [23:44] - The Prayer for Power
- [28:54] - Realizing Our Weakness
- [32:30] - The Church's Unique Mission
- [36:52] - The Need for Supernatural Manifestation
- [41:42] - The Urgency of Revival

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Exodus 33:12-17

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Observation Questions:

1. What specific request does Moses make to God in Exodus 33:12-17, and how does God respond to him? [00:57]

2. How does Moses' action of pitching a tent outside the camp symbolize a separation from sin and a return to God? [03:10]

3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the Cloudy pillar returning to the Tabernacle? [04:01]

4. What does the sermon suggest is the difference between ordinary blessings and the extraordinary outpouring of God's Spirit? [06:41]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Moses' desire for a deeper knowledge of God reflect the need for personal assurance in one's faith journey? [12:57]

2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the church today might be in a state of complacency, and how does this relate to the need for revival? [10:31]

3. How does the sermon describe the church's unique mission, and why is a supernatural manifestation of God's power necessary for this mission? [32:30]

4. What does the sermon imply about the urgency of revival in the current state of the church and the world? [41:42]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually complacent. What steps can you take to seek a deeper experience of God's presence and power in your life? [10:31]

2. Moses sought personal assurance and a deeper knowledge of God. How can you cultivate a more intimate relationship with God beyond intellectual knowledge? [12:57]

3. The sermon emphasizes the need for prayer and reliance on God's strength. How can you incorporate more intentional prayer for God's power in your daily life? [24:03]

4. Consider the church's unique mission. How can you contribute to making your church a distinct and compelling witness of God's presence in your community? [32:30]

5. The sermon calls for an urgent cry for revival. What specific actions can you take to address spiritual decline in your own life and community? [41:42]

6. How can you be more aware of the magnitude of the spiritual challenges around you, and what role can you play in seeking God's intervention? [25:07]

7. Reflect on the idea of a supernatural manifestation of God's power. How can you prepare your heart and mind to be open to such an experience? [33:33]

Devotional

Day 1: The Extraordinary Outpouring of God's Spirit
Revival is not just about the church being blessed or aware of God's presence; it is an extraordinary outpouring of God's Spirit, something unusual and exceptional. This requires a deep longing for more than the ordinary blessings and a desire for a profound experience of God's presence and power. The narrative of Moses in Exodus 33:12-17 illustrates this need for revival, as Moses seeks assurance and guidance for the Israelites. He intercedes for the people, demonstrating the necessity of prayer and repentance. This longing for revival is a call for the church today to seek a deeper, more profound experience of God's presence and power. [06:41]

Isaiah 44:3-4 (ESV): "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams."

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel spiritually dry? How can you invite God's extraordinary presence into that area today?


Day 2: Seeking Intimacy with God
Moses' prayer for personal assurance and a deeper knowledge of God highlights the need for believers to seek a more intimate relationship with God. This involves moving beyond mere intellectual knowledge to a heartfelt experience of God's love and presence. In Exodus 33, Moses desires to know God more deeply, which is a call for us to pursue a personal and intimate relationship with Him. This deeper knowledge of God is not just about understanding His ways but experiencing His love and presence in our daily lives. [12:57]

Jeremiah 9:23-24 (ESV): "Thus says the Lord: 'Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.'"

Reflection: In what ways can you deepen your relationship with God this week? Consider setting aside specific time for prayer and reflection to know Him more intimately.


Day 3: Praying for God's Power
Recognizing the magnitude of the task ahead and our own weakness, the church must pray for God's power to be manifested in extraordinary ways. This involves a reliance on God's strength rather than our own abilities and a desire for His presence to lead and guide us. Moses' intercessory prayer in Exodus 33 is a powerful example of seeking God's power and presence to accomplish what seems impossible. As believers, we are called to pray for God's power to be evident in our lives and communities, trusting in His strength to overcome our weaknesses. [24:03]

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel weak and in need of God's power? How can you specifically pray for His strength to be made perfect in your weakness today?


Day 4: The Church's Distinctive Mission
The church is called to be separate and unique, a distinct people of God. This requires a special authentication of its mission through a supernatural manifestation of God's power that will compel the world to recognize His presence among His people. Moses' leadership and intercession for the Israelites in Exodus 33 demonstrate the importance of the church's unique mission. As believers, we are called to live in a way that sets us apart, reflecting God's presence and power to the world around us. [32:30]

1 Peter 2:9 (ESV): "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

Reflection: How can you live out your unique mission as part of God's people today? Consider one specific action you can take to reflect His presence to those around you.


Day 5: The Urgency of Revival
The current state of the church and the world demands an urgent cry for revival. This involves a recognition of the spiritual decline and a longing for a supernatural move of God that will transform lives and communities. Moses' intercession in Exodus 33 is a reminder of the urgency of seeking God's presence and power in times of spiritual decline. As believers, we are called to recognize the need for revival and to earnestly seek God's intervention in our lives and communities. [41:42]

Habakkuk 3:2 (ESV): "O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can participate in seeking revival in your community? Consider how you can join with others in prayer and action to invite God's transformative presence.

Quotes



Moses, as a leader, intercedes for the people, demonstrating the necessity of prayer and repentance. He pitches a tent outside the camp, symbolizing a separation from sin and a return to God, which is met with God's presence returning to the Tabernacle. [00:02:45]

Moses now felt the necessity for prayer, for intercessory prayer, so he pitches this Tabernacle, this tent of meeting, outside the camp, and there he goes to pray to God, and other people, feeling the burden, would go out and join him in this prayer to God that he would return and have mercy upon them. [00:03:13]

Revival is something extra; it is something additional; it is something which is quite unusual. Now, I'm emphasizing this because it seems very clear to me that there are large numbers of good Christian people today who have never grasped that point at all, that Revival by definition is something quite out of the ordinary. [00:06:49]

Moses is not content with a mere knowledge of the fact that he is accepted by God and that he is in God's favor. He knows that, but he's not content with it. He wants more. That I may Know Thee, says Moses. Oh, he knew about God, he had manifestations of God's loving interest in him. [00:13:22]

The first thing that happens to them is that they themselves feel this desire for a deeper knowledge of God. Of course, they're good men, they're Orthodox men, they believe in God, they know they're saved, they've got Assurance of Salvation, they may have had it for years, but now they begin to feel a hunger. [00:14:38]

He wants a personal knowledge of God, he wants a direct knowledge of God, he wants to know beyond a doubt and a peradventure that God really loves him. Well, he knows it, of course, but he wants a manifestation of it, he wants an absolute certainty with respect to it. [00:14:03]

The prayer for power, this is absolutely invariable in the history of the church prior to Revival. This is the thing of which the intercessors always become most conscious, the need for power. Why? Well, here are the reasons: one, of course, their awareness of the magnitude of the problem confronting them. [00:23:41]

Moses, we are told, was the meekest of men. He was, and that was his glory. He realized his weakness, his own inability. I won't go another step, said Moses to God, unless you promise to be with me. Who am I to meet this situation, even with the wisdom that thou hast given me? [00:29:06]

The church is meant to be separate; the church is meant to be unique. Now, said Moses to God, I'm asking for this something extra because I'm concerned. Here are we, thy people. How are all the other nations to know that we really are your people? They're looking on at us, they're laughing at us. [00:32:42]

What is needed is something that cannot be explained in human terms. What is needed is something that is so striking and so signal that it will arrest the tension of the whole world. That's Revival. Revival always does that. Now then, this is the point: we can never do anything like that. [00:33:23]

What is needed is some Supernatural manifestation which will make it perfectly plain and clear that it's not of men but that it is of God. The demonstration of the spirit and of power, says the Apostle Paul. Do you know what's needed? I'll tell you what is needed is what happened on the day of Pentecost. [00:36:49]

The prayer for Revival is the prayer not for the regular blessing on the work. We must always go on doing that. It is the prayer for the unusual on top of it, in addition to it, something special, something that authenticates God and his work amongst his people. [00:43:15]

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Transcript
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