Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals When the term revival is spoken there is often one of two reactions (and I put these across with the greatest respect, these two responses are genuine response to talking about revival), either a We should not discuss it, it has nothing to do with us or I cant wait for it, the sooner the better. Regardless of which side you take, or if you have a different one altogether, it is a topic which must be discussed and as a church its an issue that in the past has featured as a major part of our history. By looking at this text we can try and take a deeper look at revival, what it is, and what are the effects. Our text is found in Second Chronicles chapter seven and verse 14 : 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.

Before this verse we see Solomon dedicating the newly built temple to God. God then comes to Solomon in a dream and tells him that hard times are coming and these times of drought were going to be from God himself : When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people-2 Chronicles 7 verse 13 More than often in biblical accounts , when God caused plagues to fall on certain peoples , more than often it was a punishment on the people for a rebellion , for turning away from him and his statutes. But God does not leave his people without a way out of the tribulation. The very next verse offers the cure to this disease of plague and chaos.

Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

1. My people called and humble. In this first part we will be taking a look at the first phrase in this verse if my people who are called by my name humble themselves We will look at what it means to be the Called the people of God and then looking at humbling ourselves. We see here that the pressure to want a change to happen is on the people of God themselves. God is not calling on the sinners and those that do not trust in him simply because they see no need of renewal, and they have no real perception of the spiritual desert in which they are in. Although this observation is not always strictly true , when God does remove a large part of his presence from a specific area or place there is often evidence of it- manifest and showing itself in ways like , increased violence and increased tension and wrongdoing in the area. So the non Christian can feel the physical effects of this dryness but is totally unawares of the extreme spiritual dryness that occurs. And the huge significance of it. So what does it mean to be Called by the name of God ,to be called by the name of the most high God himself? Throughout the Bible God ascribes himself and also is given many different names , each one showing a specific part of his infinite person. We see here that God calls us by his name , he ascribes to us the holiness that is to be found in him. We see this more clearly if we look at a different translation of this part of the verse , in the KJV translators notes we find it quoted : upon whom my name is called In Gods calling and in our trusting and believing in him God has made us part of himself, this is no small thing and it is something which I cannot simply explain away , it is simply incomprehensible that the God and maker of the universe wants to be associated with small and inherently evil sinners who simply didnt want to know him. In God giving us his name he also passes on to us his inheritance , he passes down the undeserved but amazing gifts and benefits of being a child of God.We have been given the gift of communication with God ,the ability to talk to him through prayer and the incredible privilege to hear back from him whether through his word or by means of
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Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

other Christians or other means like dreams and visions. T he gift of joy, joy that we no matter what we get faced with our God will not leave us or let us go. There is no way we can name all the gifts that God gives us,but there is no doubt that the ultimate gift we are given ,and it is a continual gift, is the gift salvation and redemption that we have received in Jesus dying and offering up his life for us. But as well as receive from God we are also called to service , as the sons and daughters of God we must also carry out the work he has called us to. As it says in 2 Titus v 12 11For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, although we cannot live altogether spotless and holy lives, we must strive with the help and hand of God to attempt to do so. And we will look later on at the effects of doing this. As well as being called by his name, the people of God are also called to be humble before him. It seems obvious that we should be humble before our God and creator, our God who was willing to come and die for pitiless loveless hateful sinners, but it is all too easy in our security of salvation to become proud and to count and see ourselves as more than what we really are. Not atall to advocate the mindset that we under rule of a tyrannical and wrathful God. We have been made co-heirs , we have been made sons and daughters, brothers ands sisters to the most high God. But these high positions only exist as they are sustained by God they are not maintained by our holiness our by our actions.Our salvation is complete but our perfection certainly is not. As long as we have existence we are still influenced by sin (but not controlled) our sanctification is on going and is in no way complete for as long as we still have life. For this reason we are to be humble before our God, in constant remembrance and full commitment to his love and grace, by which we have been saved. If we lift ourselves to elevations of our own making then we are on a very unstable base and will in time fall. But if we humble ourselves them God himself will raise us up on an immovable baseone that he himself holds.
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Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

2-) Seeking God- pray then listen

In part one of the study we looked at what it means to be humble before God , and how this should effect the way and manner that we approach him. In this blog we will look at the next step in this chronologically ordered verse. We have humbled ourselves before God , realising that we are raised up to the level of sons and daughters of God , raised up to the name co heirs of heaven. But we also have realized that we are only on this high level because God has lifted us up here, it was through no effort or endeavour of our own. It is from this God built base that we can move on to look at the next instruction that the verse provides us with : and pray and seek my face

Firstly looking at Prayer Before I continue, by no mean is this a guide on how to pray , that is given to us by Christ in his praying of he Lords prayer. Rather this is a short look at what kind of prayer might be included in praying for revival. And in response to our verse. The prayer that is called for here is not one of just rejoicing , or indeed one of just thanksgiving ( although that must be incorporated in it , it should not be the overall content of the prayer ) but rather the prayer that follows on from a humbling of the heart should be a prayer of personal repentance ,an then an intercessory prayer for communal and national repentance. Why a prayer of personal repentance? The personal repentant prayer of the individual Christian is paramount in the situation of coming before God. Before we call on our Church, community or nation to repent and turn from their evil ways we must do so ourselves. We can see from the verse that before the blessing of God affects the land it first effects his people. And it will effect his
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Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

people as individuals , as we know God deals ,saves and walks with each of us on an individual basis. There is no good in praying for revival (and therefore renewal ) for others if you have not yet addressed the problems that are to be found within your own hear t, and within your own daily walk with God. An example of this idea of God differentiating between communal (and congregational) and personal repentance can be seen in Exodus Chapter 18 verse 20 : The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, nor the father suffer for the iniquity of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. This text shows us that our sins lie on our own head, although we might be in a community or a country that has long forgotten the word of God , we are still accountable for the sins that we commit , even if God has condemned the country to destruction then the individuals of that country can still turn to God and repent and find personal salvation. National dryness does not mean personal dryness. Why is our prayer to be intercessory? Once we have acknowledged and confessed our own sins and weaknesses m once we have humbled ourselves before God, we can then go on to intercessory prayer for our community and nation. In a way almost all prayer is intercessory, petitioning to God for things that we ( in and of ourselves ) can no way accomplish. When we come to look at intercessory prayer it is always essential to remember that it is Christ who is our ultimate intercessor , going top God with our prayer , we have this in Romans 8 and verse 34 : Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who diedmore than that, who was raisedwho is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us when we bring our pleadings and pleas before the High throne of Heaven, we can only do this because of the great intercessor that has gone before us to prepare the way , it is through this great king and saviour that we can come before God.

Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

In all these things let us not loose sight of Christ , without his willing sacrifice there would be no concept or need of revival, as we would still be in sin and in death. In praying for our country to repent and for God to once again move in our country we should be mindful to pray for the rulers and the government, we do this because it is biblical that we should: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.1 Timothy 2 verse 1-2 This prayer for government and for national repentance should be on that we pray regularly, as it is one that is of utmost importance. Not to repeat the prayer as a mantra but as a heartfelt plea to God in order that he might intervene in the country and in with its people. And we know ourselves that we can confidence in praying to our Father, we have the confidence that he will hear and will respond to our prayers. Not necessarily respond positively, or the way we want him to , but he have the promise that he will hear them. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.- Matthew 18:19-20 Secondly looking at listening to God It is in looking at this segment of the verse that there may be most disagreement with what I say, although I am attempting to keep it biblically based I do still have my own bias and prejudices so please remember that this is not a one way discussion ,comments are always welcome. Although I would not say that it is impossible that God would speak to us with an audible voice, I would say that it highly unlikely (in the situation that we have in this country ) that he would , especially when there are other ways of speaking to us. In the same vein I would not deny that God still may use visions and dreams to talk to his
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Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

people , but at the same time I would say that the main two ways in which God talks to us are : 1. Through his living word. 2. Through his guiding and providence in our life.

Through his living word The most common and with respect most obvious way of hearing Gods voice in our life is through the reading of Gods word. We have this shown to us in proverbs chapter 2 and verses 1- 5 : My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. These verses point us in the direction that Gods word and his commandments are one of the same. The commandments/promises/warnings/blessings etc. that are all found in the Bible , these are all the words of God. But even when we have the words of God in front of us the question still arises : what is God trying to say to me ? The solution to that question is answered in these verses: yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding When we come to read the word of God , in order to seek out his instruction for us it should be common practice for us first to pray to him. In this prayer we should be asking that he will reveal to us what he wishes for us to hear from him . It is through this calling out for insight and for understanding fro God that we them receive : the knowledge of God It is important to recognise what gives us this understanding of Gods voice in his Word. The Holy Spirit of God is the one who gives us understanding in the word of God :
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Repent, Renewal, Revival : A look at Revival and what its implications for us as individuals

The Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.- John 14 verse 26

Through his guiding and providence in our life In our look at the first phrase of the verse in 2 Chronicles we saw that before we seek Gods face and his will we must be humble before him. This humble heart is also essential in hearing Gods voice by the way of providence in our life. As we have it in psalm 25 and verse 9: He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. In order for us to hear the voice of God through his guiding , we first must be humble before him. If we pray for God to lead us in the way that he wishes our life to go , through this we will see how and where God wants us to serve him. Something which we are unable to do without this humble prayer: O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps- Jeremiah 10:23

So in order to seeks God face we must be humble before him , we then must be repentant and also intercessory in prayer to God and we must listen to him through his providence and through his word (whilst being careful not to totally dismiss any other means in which he will communicate with us )