What it Takes for Revival

Psalms 51

In spring we see revival in nature.  For us it is more than having special services and singers and an evangelist.  It calls for a personal examination.  It should start before the week of services begins.

It is exciting to see someone come to the Lord or get revived.  We feel the connection.  An honest revival begins in the heart, mine and yours.  No one needs to hear what anyone else repents of.  We don’t need to know A-Z about others.  We’re still human and can misunderstand things that we don’t really know about.  I can’t set terms for you and you can’t set them for me.  The terms for revival are God’s.  When we meet them—and we can—we’ll have revival.  David did.

In our personal life we might look over our own sins and say they are not that bad.  We live in a toleration age and forget what God says in his Word.  If we’ll be honest enough to come clean with God, he’ll show mercy.  As believers we need to fix things up.  We have a responsibility to the Lord for our relationship with him.  If something breaks at your house, you fix it.  It has to be fixed if something is broken spiritually.

What makes a heart right?  We can’t do it by ourselves.  Ask the Lord to show you what you need to do and get his help to do it.

¹Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

When David did what he should not have done he transgressed.  He admitted it.  We cannot undo the past but the mistakes and failures can be blotted out of our record.  David asked for mercy and loving kindness.

² Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

We cannot wash ourselves but if we jump in the tub God will wash us.  Kids don’t really wash all that well.  Mommy always had to check us to make sure we did a good job.  The Lord is good at washing.  We’re his children and we should let the Father wash us.

³ For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

It takes a real man or woman to admit their sin, but it is ever before us.  Acknowledge it to God so you won’t have to face the guilt and judgment of it.

⁴ Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

Whatever we do to others we do to God.  Sin is against God first and foremost.  He speaks the truth to us loud and clear.  We need to listen.

⁵ Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. ⁶ Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

Remember your Adam nature.  Come clean with God.  Don’t be afraid to uncover it all and let God do what he needs to do.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.⁸ Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.⁹ Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

David knew that if God purged him—rid him of the contaminants—it would be okay.  It if took a good switching David was ready.  Let the Lord show you your ways and if they are not pleasing to him ask him to correct them.

¹¹ Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.¹² Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

As we draw night to God, he draws night to us.  That’s the result when God restores.  Then, and only then, can the next verse become reality.

¹³ Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

¹⁶ For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.¹⁷ The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

That’s the sacrifice.  We’ll have to sacrifice some next week.  What we usually do might not get done.  We can still end up with nothing at the end if we don’t return to God what belongs to him.  That’s when revival really happens.