BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR REVIVAL (Part I)

REVIVAL GOD’S WAY
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.

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! 

Genuine revival is not an event; and definitely, not a program. This is the reason genuine revival in the past century that shook America and Great Britain  were  not scheduled. I have not seen with my naked eyes those revival that swept Great Britain and the US in the past. While, I would love to see it myself, I don’t want to go back. We are living in a different world, different time and generation. God is the God of the past as well as the present; we serve the same God. God can do different things to us in order that He will revive us in HIS WAY! 

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. 

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.

Biblical Pattern for Revival (Part II) 

BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR REVIVAL (Part II)

Collection of English Sermon  by Greg Fernandez Jr.

R E V I V A L  G O D’S  W A Y

Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr.

Youth Revival, Wesleyan Church Rimando July 26, 2008

     We have been studying the life of King Josiah who at the age of 8, his father was murdered in his own house. At 16, he began to really seek God.

II. REVIVAL GOD’S WAY IS A REVIVAL OF OUR PASSION FOR GOD’S KINGDOM

     When you are on fire and ablaze for God, you are on fire for the revival of others, your church, your community, and the world. This is what happened to Josiah. When he was passionate about God he was passionate about revival and reform. But you can also reverse the order, if you want to have passion for God be passionate in your work for him. Recently, I had been praying that God will give passion for the lost. Passion for souls. When we say passion, it means a 'strong desire'. 

But during our overnight prayer meeting at JCF Buyagan, while I was kneeling down praying, God impressed in my heart: “Son, it is not about passion, it is about obedience. I didn’t command you to have passion, I commanded you to obey the Great Commission.” Many times, pray for a passion and wait for power to fall out of nowhere before we do something. But I believe what God is waiting is our obedience. Therefore, if you want to keep the revival going in your life, you must keep doing what God really cares about-the salvation of others.

Do you know that a genuine revival flows to others like a mighty river? Do you know that a genuine awakening spread like flood? Do you know that genuine revival moves like waves? 

When all is said and done, genuine revival lives. Young people don’t hide what you know about Jesus.

JOSIAH AT AGE 20 (1 Chronicles 34: 3-7)

At age 20 Josiah began to purge Israel—THIS IS A SYMBOL OF SPIRITUAL MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH & COMMUNITY 

When your passion for God has been restored, your passion for national reform and revival will take its course. Revival start where you are and it will spread like a fire. When you are truly revived, you will notice that you will no longer keep quiet and keep silent. You will not keep silent when you are truly revived. You will no longer hide your Christianity. You will initiate a ministry of reform. That is the message I learned from Josiah’s revival. He sought God at the age of 16. When he was 20 years old, he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem.  He literally cleanse the evil images in the Judah, Jerusalem, and Israel—the northern part. Altars of Baal torn down. He cut the altars into pieces. He smashed the poles, idols and images. He broke to pieces and scattered the ashes over the graves of those who sacrificed. He even burned the bones of the priest on their altars. He purged Judah and Jerusalem. 

If you are still keeping something in your home or in your apartment burn them. Josiah literally destroy everything belong to idol worship. What message can we get from this? If you have been keeping some x-rated DVDs,VCDs of tapes that are demonic in nature, burn them. Rock music with demonic lyrics is not good for you. Maybe clothes with satanic pictures or images, maybe dirty magazine and pocket books. What are you keeping in your closet? Would you like to bring it here tomorrow night so that we will burn it outside? Cleansing the heart is God work cleansing your acts and dirty paraphernalia is your work. Clean your acts and life.  

JOSIAH AT TWENTY-SIX

In the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign, to purify the land and the temple, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah and Maaseiah the ruler of the city, with Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the temple of the LORD his God.

At age 26 Josiah began to build the temple—THIS INFER A PRACTICAL MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH & COMMUNITY

He literally commanded the people to repair the house of God. How did they repair the house of God, they get offerings. Young people there are ministry you can do in the church, not only singing but even the most practical work-the manual work.

They found the Word of God that has been lost. Discovering God’s Word is a lot more valuable than finding gold. We don’t value God’s word so much this days. In those days, people respect the Bible. They almost worship. These days, we don’t value our Bible anymore. We are ashamed to carry our Bible. When they found the book of the Law, the word of God, the reformed was even more intensified. 

Let’s go back and see Josiah’s great, great grandfather Hezekiah. The revival under Hezekiah is due to the power of God’s word which was truly rooted in the heart.

CONCLUSIONS

We can summarize Josiah’s life at the age of 20 to 26 with two conclusions:

1.  ONE PERSON CAN LIVE A GODLY LIFE IN A WICKED SOCIETY

At the age of 16, he began to seek God. At a very young age, he become radical believer of the God of David. Do you think it is easy for a king at the age of 16, to really seek God? In those day, Josiah grew up under a wicked father. But despite his family background, he came out godly in a wicked society. Young people, let me tell you this, it is possible to live a godly life in a wicked society.

·        2. ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN HIS GENERATION

    One person can make a difference in the life of the church, in the community, and in the world. But HOW?

* One person can make a difference by being passionate about God himself

* One person can make a difference by being passionate about God’s kingdom

Ask these questions personally:

(1)  What shall I contribute to my church? What ministry in the church I would like to be involve with?

(2)  What contribution to society I would like to make?

v  I want to commit my life to live a godly life in the midst of wicked society.

v  I want to commit my life to make a difference in my church and in my community.

 Biblical Patterns for Revival (Part I)

Biblical Pattern for Revival (Part III) 

    

BIBLICAL PATTERN FOR REVIVAL (Part III)

Collection of English Sermon by Greg Fernandez Jr.

REVIVAL GOD’S WAY

Rev. Greg B. Fernandez Jr. Youth Revival

(July 27, 2008)

      

Last Friday, we learned from Josiah that revival is a revival of our passion for God. We learned that it is possible to become a Christian at an early age, even as early as 8. Last night we learned that when we are truly revived we will not keep the fire in our heart because it will flow to the others around us. We also learned from Josiah's life  that it is possible to live a godly life in a wicked world and that that one person can make a difference. 

I didn’t tell you how you can become a godly person in a wicked world. I didn’t tell you how one person can make a difference. That will be the job of your pastor. 

Let me summarize what Josiah did:
(1) Josiah sought God—This is the secret of his successful life. He was passionate for God’s glory. Don’t ever lose your passion for God.

(2) Josiah upheld and obeyed the word of God—We need to renew our commitment to uphold and obey the Word of God. 2 Chronicles 34: 31. Covenant to obey the Bible. Let me tell you this book will carry across the stormy life. This book will provide an anchor for  your soul.


(3) Josiah was busy doing what pleases God—We must be involved in ministry. There are many ways you can be involved in order to make a difference.

Let us look at the third point how to have a revival God’s way!

III. REVIVAL GOD’S WAY IS A REVIVAL OF OUR PASSION TO LIVE AND DIE FOR GOD

(Jeremiah 22:10, 15-16)

I want you to note the words, LIVE & DIE. There is a common trend I notice in the life of young people. When they are still single, they are very active at church and ministry, after they got married; you seldom see them at church. Do you know anybody like that? Are you going to be like them? Does it have to be this way? Does life have to end that way? Is there any other way, to live your life to the full till you die? I want you to be the young people of this generation to break that common trend among other young people.

JOSIAH AT THIRTY-NINE

We have already noted Josiah at 8 years old. We have seen his life at 16, we have examined his life briefly when he was 20, and 26 years old. The following 13 years of his life were silent. But we find him at age 39 died in a wrong battle for his concerned towards his people.  This seems to be the only flaw in the life of Josiah. Perhaps, Josiah needs more time to extend his reform in the country. He knows that if Egypt will conquer Assyria his independence would be gone. There could be other reasons unknown to us. So much for that historical detail.

Did you know that despite Josiah’s reform and revival in the nation of Judah, God did not withdraw his anger towards His people? It seems to me that God had a plan in Josiah’s death. In fact, he was the last godliest king of Judah. It seems to me that because God will not withdraw his judgment, it is necessary to take away the godly leader. Prophet Jeremiah and the people mourned for Josiah’s death (Jeremiah 22: 10, 15-16). When you die, will somebody mourn because you were a great lose or somebody will weep because you were a backslider? Think about this!

Josiah died at age 39 but he lived his life dedicated to obeying the Law of God. Are you willing to live in die for God? I am not telling you to die now! Can you tell the world, that you are a Christian? Do you want to live a radical Christian life? I told earlier, there many young people who are so active when they were singles but when they got married, everything shrunk! How would you like to live your life? 

There was a famous missionary by the name David Brainerd. He died of Tuberculosis at the age of 29 but his life was fully lived. We think what an early age to die! He was a man of prayer and became an instrument of a revival that spread among the American Indian.

Even though Josiah died at age 39, verse 2 summarizes his entire spiritual life. Let’s read verse 1 and 2 again. This is like the one written in his epitaph. He decline neither to left nor to the right. What a statement: “He decline neither to left nor to the right.” I want to have something like this written in my tomb.  I pray you will have such commitment to decline neither to the left nor to the right but go straight.

CONCLUSION

REVIVAL GOD’S WAY IS A REVIVAL OF PASSION TO LIVE AND DIE FOR GOD

Did Josiah miss one-third of his life by being committed at the age of 16? Tell me, did he miss half of his life by living it for God? Great future lies before your eyes! Including the bad and the ugly. Josiah’s death seems tragic but it wasn’t. The death of Josiah was not a tragedy. The tragedy is to live your life for yourself. It’s a tragedy when you are living your life for yourself and then you die without repentance. Young people, you have a long ways to go, but how would you like to live your life? What kind of life you would like to be remembered for? How would you like to end your life? What are you living for? DON’T WASTE YOUR LIFE! LIFE IS TOO BRIEF TO WASTE!  I have few minutes here to plead with you, don’t waste your life!

One last thing and please listen to me, deep desire to live for God in holiness is the only way to maintain spiritual revival. Is it possible to experience daily revival? YES! Can a revival last for 50 years? YES! Live your life driven by eternity. At the age of 24, Amon, Josiah’s father died.  At age 39, Josiah died in a battle trying to defend his country men. His untimely death seems a tragedy. Dying early does not mean your life was wasted. What does this tell us? Death has no respecter of person. 

Kathrine (Kat) Sivila was a very talented child. Some of you know her. I've known her since 2000. She is talented and gifted with intelligence. She's a committed Christian and was taking up law at the University of the Philippines. She died last week of cancer at age 21 and was just buried few days ago. Death is real experience. Death is no closer to the senior than it is with the youth. When death comes are you ready? When God calls you home, what have you done for Him? Live your life driven by eternity! Today I want to invite you at the altar for prayer. 

Biblical Pattern for Revival (Part II)