God Will Revive Us Again

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. Turn us, O God of our salvation, and cause thine anger toward us to cease. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps. (Psalms 85:1-13)

ILL. When the fire in the fireplace is just about out, sometimes it is difficult to get it going again. If you can get one log to burning, it is easier to get more to burn. And then there are times when the wood is wet and you are trying to start a fire. That is even harder. I wonder, what kind of wood are we?

When it comes to Revival, if we can get just one person to catch on fire for God, maybe more of the church will catch on fire and we will have a better chance of having a God sent, Holy Spirit inspired REVIVAL. Wouldn’t that be great!

We have seen that genuine Revival comes from God. We have also seen what will keep Revival from coming – SIN. We have seen the need to ask God for Revival. Now let us consider that God can and will Revive us again.

I. JUDGMENT REVEALS THE NEED FOR REVIVAL. vs. 4-5

1. Judgment calls for prayer.
   

   O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. (Habakkuk 3:2)

2. Judgment is limited.
   

   After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.(Hosea 6:2)

   To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah. Thou hast taken away all thy wrath: thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger. (Psalms 85:1-3)

   1. There seems to be a conflict between verses 1-3 and verses 4-6.
   2. But there is not, the judgment of captivity was over, they are back in the land, however, God was still dealing with them because they had not turned whole heartedly unto Him.
   3. God was withholding His blessings because they had not rebuilt the Temple, the city of Jerusalem was in shambles and they were not keeping God’s commandments.
      

      Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (II Corinthians 6:14-7:1)

II. WE NEED TO RESPOND CORRECTLY TO GOD’S JUDGMENT. vs. 6-7

1. I will hear. v. 8
2. I will fear. v. 9
3. God will send Revival when we respond correctly to Him.
   

   Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. (Hosea 6:1-3)

   If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (II Chronicles 7:14)

III. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF REVIVAL? vs. 10-13

1. Mercy.
   

   Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:5-7)

   But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. (Psalms 13:5)

2. Truth.
   

   But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

   Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:17)

3. Righteousness.
   

   Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. (Romans 6:13)

4. Peace.
   

   Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)

5. Let us commit ourselves unto God.
   

   I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)