OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL - SATURDAY - 30/08/2014 - WHEN REVIVAL COMES II BY PASTOR E.A. ADEBOYE

WHEN REVIVAL COMES II

MEMORISE

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

READ

Psalm 51:1-3

1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

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

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

MESSAGE

In what areas of your life do you think you need revival? What do you think you have done that has taken you into a backslidden state or what deadly error have you fallen into that has put you in danger of hell and perdition? Today is the day of revival, repentance, forgiveness and restoration of your joy of salvation. Revival is not miracle-working; it is increased spiritual interest or renewal in the life of holiness and complete obedience of a people towards God.

The first thing a man who wants to experience revival must do is to realise that he or she has sinned, according to Psalm 51:3. In Psalm 51, we see David praying fervently for revival and restoration after he sinned against God via adultery and murder. He asked God to have mercy on him; he craved the loving kindness and tender mercies of God. He pleaded for spiritual cleansing after acknowledging his sins. This is where many so-called born-again Christians, particularly those who have been pretty old in the faith often miss it. They feel that they don’t need to say the “sinner’s prayer” again because of their long-term Christian walk. They are like the Pharisee of old who went to the temple to display his superiority over the publican (Luke 18:10-14). Whenever a wise man discovers that he has fallen short of God’s approval and favour due to sin, he throws away his ego and humbles himself before the One who can forgive and forget. God is easily found when we seek His face in earnest penitent prayer according to the experience of Manasseh in 2 Chronicles 33:12-13. The Bible in 1 John 2:1-2 says:

“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

What the Lord is telling us in this scripture is that, it is expected that a child of God should live sin-free, according to 1 John 3:8-9. However, peradventure anyone finds himself in sin, he must quickly cry to God in penitential prayers so that he may be restored and spiritually revived again. The next thing is that you must have faith in the word of God and the blood of Jesus Christ for cleansing. Appropriate the blood of everlasting covenant and make up your mind not to go back again.

ACTION POINT

Check your life and see if there is anywhere you have gone amiss. Do not hide it or pretend as if nothing has happened. Confess it to God and let him revive and restore you.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR

John 6:60-8:30

Job 31:5-15