Wholehearted Sacrifice: A Call to Revival

Devotional

Day 1: Wholehearted Commitment to God

God desires our full commitment, not half-hearted offerings. In the book of Malachi, God expresses His displeasure with offerings that are not given wholeheartedly. He calls His people to return to Him with their entire hearts, emphasizing the importance of evaluating our daily sacrifices to ensure they reflect our genuine desire for His presence. This call to wholehearted sacrifice is not just about avoiding God's withdrawal but about experiencing His transformative presence in our lives. By offering our best to God, we open ourselves to His guidance and the fullness of His presence. [10:24]

Malachi 1:8-9 (ESV): "When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself giving God less than your best? How can you begin to offer Him your wholehearted commitment today?

Day 2: Bridging Generational Gaps for Revival

Revival requires the unity of generations, where the wisdom of the older generation and the passion of the younger come together. This unity is crucial for preparing a people for the Lord, as demonstrated in the story of Samuel and Eli. Eli's guidance helped Samuel recognize God's voice, illustrating the importance of generational collaboration. By bridging the gap between generations, we allow the Spirit of Elijah to turn hearts and prepare the way for the Lord, fostering an environment ripe for revival. [27:03]

Joel 2:28-29 (ESV): "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit."

Reflection: How can you actively seek wisdom from the older generation or share your passion with the younger generation to foster unity and revival in your community?

Day 3: Intentionality in Our Spiritual Journey

Our spiritual growth requires intentionality and honesty. We must measure our sacrifices and be willing to adjust our lives to prioritize God. This involves practical steps like fervent prayer, accountability, and planning to ensure we are giving God our best. By being intentional in our spiritual walk, we create space for the Holy Spirit to consume, guide, and ignite every aspect of our lives, leading us closer to God and His purposes. [32:51]

Ephesians 5:15-17 (ESV): "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is."

Reflection: What specific steps can you take this week to be more intentional in your spiritual walk and ensure you are prioritizing God in your daily life?

Day 4: The Transformative Power of Prayer

Prayer is not just a ritual but a powerful tool to bring heaven's reality to earth. It requires reverence and intentionality, recognizing that we are communicating with the Creator of the universe. Our prayers should reflect our desire for God's presence and power in our lives. By approaching prayer with this mindset, we open ourselves to experiencing God's transformative power and His manifested presence in our lives. [43:45]

James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."

Reflection: How can you deepen your prayer life to reflect a genuine desire for God's presence and power? What specific changes can you make to your prayer routine today?

Day 5: Sacrificing Convenience for Revival

Experiencing revival requires us to forfeit convenience and be willing to do what it takes to encounter God's presence. This involves making sacrifices, being intentional in our spiritual walk, and being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and correction. The story of the Hebrides Revival, where two elderly women prayed fervently, serves as a reminder that revival is possible when we pursue God with all our hearts, even at the cost of our comfort. [49:52]

2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name 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."

Reflection: What convenience or comfort are you willing to sacrifice to pursue a deeper relationship with God and experience revival in your life and community?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound call to revival and the necessity of offering our lives as wholehearted sacrifices to God. We began by acknowledging the times we live in, which many believe to be the last days, and the urgency to be prepared for the Lord's return. The book of Malachi served as a foundation, highlighting God's displeasure with half-hearted sacrifices and the call to return to Him wholeheartedly. This call is not just about avoiding God's withdrawal but about experiencing His manifested presence, which transforms and ignites our lives.

We delved into the concept of generational unity, drawing from the story of Samuel and Eli, where the older generation's wisdom and the younger generation's passion must come together to prepare a people for the Lord. This unity is crucial for revival, as it bridges the gap between generations, allowing the Spirit of Elijah to turn hearts and prepare the way for the Lord.

The message also emphasized the importance of intentionality in our spiritual walk. We must measure our sacrifices and be honest about our commitment to God. Are we giving Him our best, or just our leftovers? Revival requires a house on fire, where the Holy Spirit's presence consumes, guides, and ignites every aspect of our lives. This involves practical steps like fervent prayer, accountability, and a commitment to unity and sacrifice.

We concluded with a powerful testimony of the Hebrides Revival, where two elderly women prayed fervently, leading to a massive outpouring of God's presence. This story serves as a reminder that revival is possible when we are willing to forfeit convenience and pursue God with all our hearts. The call is clear: to be a people prepared, we must be willing to do what it takes to experience the fullness of God's presence and power in our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Wholehearted Sacrifice: God desires our full commitment, not half-hearted offerings. In Malachi, God warns against giving Him leftovers and calls us to return to Him with our whole hearts. This means evaluating our daily sacrifices and ensuring they reflect our desire for His presence. [10:24]
2. Generational Unity: Revival requires the unity of generations, where the wisdom of the older generation and the passion of the younger come together. This unity prepares a people for the Lord, as seen in the story of Samuel and Eli, where Eli's guidance helped Samuel recognize God's voice. [27:03]
3. Intentionality in Spiritual Walk: Our spiritual growth requires intentionality and honesty. We must measure our sacrifices and be willing to adjust our lives to prioritize God. This involves practical steps like prayer, accountability, and planning to ensure we are giving God our best. [32:51]
4. The Power of Prayer: Prayer is not just a ritual but a powerful tool to bring heaven's reality to earth. It requires reverence and intentionality, recognizing that we are communicating with the Creator of the universe. Our prayers should reflect our desire for God's presence and power in our lives. [43:45]
5. Forfeiting Convenience for Revival: Experiencing revival requires us to forfeit convenience and be willing to do what it takes to encounter God's presence. This involves making sacrifices, being intentional in our spiritual walk, and being open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and correction. [49:52]
** [49:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:24] - Call to Wholehearted Sacrifice
[27:03] - Generational Unity and Revival
[29:16] - Revival Among the Youth
[32:51] - Intentionality in Spiritual Walk
[35:45] - The Role of Fire in Revival
[41:02] - Fire Ignites and Unites
[43:45] - The Power of Prayer
[46:10] - Accountability and Unity
[49:52] - Forfeiting Convenience for Revival
[54:58] - Measuring Our Spiritual Commitment
[63:08] - Closing and Call to Action

Sermon Clips

"And God's saying, my name's going to be great whether you participated in it or not. And if I have to go over to the people that know nothing about me and shine my glory and presence on them, so be it. I'm not going to receive half-hearted sacrifices." [00:11:14] (18 seconds)

"There's a generational unity that has to happen for a people to be prepared when the Lord comes. Man, there's so much happening all around the nation right now. It's actually insane, the amount of people getting saved, the amount of revival that's taking place, the amount of, there's thousands of college campuses right now that are experiencing revival, thousands. We have a couple, amen, amen. We have a couple good friends that have committed themselves to like facilitating these moments." [00:29:16] (34 seconds)

"We want the manifested presence without the inconvenience of what it takes to encounter it. We want the divine intervention without the disruption that it's surely going to produce. We can't have I once heard somebody say, if you want to see and encounter an experienced revival, you should draw a circle around yourself and not leave it until revival happens." [00:31:40] (35 seconds)

"If the creator of the universe was in the flesh and you had an opportunity to talk to him on a daily basis, what would you tell him? What would you say to him? How would you enter into that space? There'd be a different level of reverence. In Malachi, it says they don't have a fear of the Lord anymore. Not a fear of like, oh man, I'm afraid of you. A fear that's so intense in reverence that I can't stay the same when I enter into your presence." [00:44:34] (28 seconds)

"Are you willing to grade yourself consistently to determine if you have a house on fire imagine the the humility that it would take to come to church on a sunday morning and i'm leading worship and i say it all the time and i'm like man raise your hand if you're believing for something this morning you know what i'm gonna start adding to that keep your hands up if you're willing to do what it takes to receive it." [00:55:37] (34 seconds)

"Revival is happening are you seeing it not are you celebrating it are you experiencing it are you experiencing it in ways that you can't imagine because it's available to you last thing quick story quick testimony there was and so in this time thinking about revival talking about revival i've been like looking up revivals like god if you did it before you'll do it again same god right now it's the same guy back then right so like build my faith up what what were massive moves of god like in the past." [00:56:40] (41 seconds)

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