REVIVAL GOD’S WAY
MBYO Revival Service
MBYO Revival Service
July 25, 2008 Wesleyan Church Rimando
Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr.
You gave me one of
the most challenging themes I have ever encountered, REVIVE ME IN
YOUR WAY. The reason I say that is because there are so many human ways and
patterns people are trying in order to reach God. They are trying to get
revive in their own ways.
What is Revival God’s way? It has been define that the word revival applies to believers only, and the word evangelism applies to unbeliever. The word revival literally mean, “to quicken” meaning, to give life again. In the Greek word, revival has two root words: Anatallo, to flourish again. Anadza-o, to give life again.
What is Revival God’s way? It has been define that the word revival applies to believers only, and the word evangelism applies to unbeliever. The word revival literally mean, “to quicken” meaning, to give life again. In the Greek word, revival has two root words: Anatallo, to flourish again. Anadza-o, to give life again.
Is it possible for a
genuine Christian to fall from God’s grace and eventually lost his salvation?
Is it possible for a Christian to backslide and turn away from God? Is it
possible for a Christian to experience spiritual dryness and barrenness? Is it
possible for a Christian to loss the joy of serving God? If your answer to all these
questions is 'yes', then you need personal revival!
Young people, I am
37 years old; older than most of you. I have two daughters, so I am like
a father to the some of you. For most of you, I am an older brother. So listen
to me as a manong talking to his
younger brothers and sisters. To some of you, I am a friend. So I come to you
as friend so listen to my advice. Perhaps, you do not have a father. Perhaps,
you do not have a brother. Perhaps, you do not have a friend. Nonetheless,
listen to what I am about to tell you.
If we look at the
Scripture, there are several patterns of revival occurring in the life of
God's people. For our BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR REVIVAL, we will cover the life of a king, few years before the fall of Jerusalem in
586 BC. Please turn your Bible with me to the book of 2 chronicles chapter
33:1-34:1-8.
When Josiah was born,
his father was 16 years old. It means that Amon, Josiah’s father, got married at
age 15 or at least 16. Don’t tell me, "Pastor getting married at an early age is in the in the Bible, so can I get married at age 16?" Well, Moses also got married when
he was more than 40 years old. So don’t tell me you can only get married at age 16
because Amon did.
Amon was crowned King of Judah when he was 22 years old. Following his crowning as king, Amon did evil in the sight of God. Idolatry is everywhere. People had forgotten God. There was idol worship everywhere and the people sacrificed to Idol. Amon was unfortunate king for he reigned only two years, he was killed in his own house.
Let us look at Josiah's life according to age.
Amon was crowned King of Judah when he was 22 years old. Following his crowning as king, Amon did evil in the sight of God. Idolatry is everywhere. People had forgotten God. There was idol worship everywhere and the people sacrificed to Idol. Amon was unfortunate king for he reigned only two years, he was killed in his own house.
Let us look at Josiah's life according to age.
JOSIAH AT EIGHT
Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he
reigned in Jerusalem thirty-one years. 2 He did what was right in the eyes of
the LORD and walked in the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the
right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still
young, he began to seek the God of his father David. (I Chronicles 34:1-3a)
Two Things happen
when Josiah was 8 years old:
At the age of 8, his
father was killed in his own house. Perhaps in his own palace. We can imagine,
that Josiah perhaps witnessed the murder of his father. Perhaps he heard the
scream. Perhaps he saw the blood flowing. He was 8 years old. Is there anyone
of you here, saw the murder of your father at 8 years old? Perhaps none. I
don’t know what you had been in the past. I don’t know what experiences you had
been. Like Josiah, perhaps there is pain deep down inside of you.
·
At
the age of 8, he began to reign as king. His father might have been 24 years
old when he was murdered. We can imagine that Josiah was traumatized with his
experience. We can imagine the fear, perhaps anger, and bitterness in Josiah’s
heart as began to role. As a child, at 8 years old, I don’t know what experience
you had been through. I know of several girls who had been sexually molested at
early age. The pain, the hurt, and bitterness is so difficult.
At age 8, Josiah’s
father was killed. But at the age of 8, he became a king. Is there anyone here
who got save at the age of 8? Most of the time, our experience are positive and
negative, good and bad, success and failure. If you have evil and dirty past
God can turn it into something good and beautiful if you’ll let him.
JOSIAH AT SIXTEEN
How many here are 16
years old? 16-year-olds are usually fourth year high school and first year college
students. So most of you are older than 16. Do you know that approximately one
million teenagers commit suicide every year! In every 1,000 teenagers, 84 of
them are pregnant. Sexual abuse and rape are high among teenagers. Statistics
are staggering. Here are some positive sides to it. Among the age groups,
more younger ones are turn to the Lord than older ones.
Look at what
happened to Josiah at age 16. When he was 16 years old, Josiah began to seek
God. Don’t tell me a 16 year old girl or boy living a life committed to Jesus
is a fool. Others might tell you, oh, you have to experience this and that,
don’t waste your life. Enjoy your youthful days, you have experience all the good things the has to offer and then serve God
when you are old. That is a lie
straight from hell. I am going to tell you dear young people, don’t waste your
life on something that is worthless.
Turn your eyes, from worthless things. What are those
things that are worthless?
"Revive me in your ways".
I.
REVIVAL GOD’S WAY IS
A REVIVAL OF OUR PASSION FOR GOD
This is the reason
at age 16 Josiah began to seek the God of his father David. Who is the God of
his father David? Who is this GOD? Why should he seek HIM? Who is God and why should
we seek him? Do you know who God is? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SEEK GOD? Look at 2
Chronicles 7:14.
First, seeking God requires
Faith in who God really is. You will not even begin to seek God without faith.
Second, seeking God
implies deep humility. You won’t seek God without it. Do you know why people
will not seek God, its because they are too proud to seek him.They are too intelligent to seek God.
Third, seeking God
means TURNING AWAY FROM SIN THROUGH REPENTANCE. There never was and never
will be a genuine revival without brokenness of heart and spirit. Genuine
spiritual move of God begin in spiritual brokenness. Deep conviction of sin.
Psalms 119:37 says, keep my eyes from vanities…Turning away from a life of sin
is difficult when you are enjoying the pleasure of sin.
Fourth, seeking God means TURNING TO GOD
THROUGH PRAYER. That is why revival God’s way is REVIVAL OF A PRAYER LIFE. If you
didn’t realize, the phrase “revive me in your way” is prayer in itself. Only
God can revive you in His ways in response to your prayer of brokenness and repentance.
Finally, seeking
God mean, TURNING TO GOD THROUGH HIS WORD. Revival God’s way is a
REVIVAL OF OUR HUNGER AND THIRST FOR GOD’S WORD. In a scale of 1-10, where do
you rate your hunger for God’s Word?
CONCLUSION
Tonight, do you want
to seek God? Do want to know Him more than what you have already known about Him? Do
you want to tell God that you love Him more than the things in this world?
Tonight the altar is
open for prayer. I am not inviting you here to receive Jesus. I am not inviting
you here because you are a sinner. I am inviting you here because you need to
humble yourself and seek God. I am inviting you here to come and talk to your
heavenly Father and tell Him that you love Him. I am inviting you here because
you need a place to pray. And the best place for to pray right now is here at
the altar. But I am also inviting some of you up front because there is a pain
and hurt in your heart and you need to bring it to Him.