Repentance & Revival

Repentance and revival are directly connected. Repentance leads to revival and revival causes repentance.

Acts 3:19 says, “Repent therefore and be converted, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…”

“Times of refreshing from the Presence of the Lord” sounds like something we all would want. Times of refreshing means revival.

Repentance is to turn from our wicked ways. It means to stop willingly doing the things that God has asked us to stop, and to earnestly turn to Him with all our heart. This happens both corporately and individually.

When Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal, and the fire fell on the altar of the Lord, all the people fell on their faces and said, “The Lord He is God!” At that moment, they turned from following other Gods, and began to follow the Lord. Then, the rain came to the land after a three-year drought.

This “rain after repentance” was connected to Solomon’s prayer in II Chronicles 6 and I Kings 8, and God’s answer in II Chronicles 7 & I Kings 9. God said if the people repented and turned back to Him. He would release the rain.

Rain and refreshing will come in a time when the people of God turn back to Him in repentance.

Changing of National Boundary Lines - “That they might grope for Him”

Solomon prayed in II Chronicles 6 and I Kings 8 that if God released war on the people because of their sin, that when they repented, He would hear and answer. Throughout the Bible, wars and judgments were released on a people who were walking in disobedience against God and not turning to Him.

Acts 15:26-27 says that God “has determined the pre-appointed times and boundaries of their dwellings, that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.”

What does it mean when the boundary lines of a nation are changed? The changing of boundary lines of nations typically means war. And changing boundary lines means that God is giving an opportunity for men to grope for Him and find Him.

God answered Solomon’s prayer in II Chronicles and said, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, turn from the wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, and heal their land…”

The answer to war and the changing of boundary lines is not a political solution or a solution derived from man. The answer is for men to grope for God and find Him. The answer is for men to call on His name and He will answer them, and heal their land.

Solomon's Prayer - Lord, Hear from Heaven

As Solomon dedicated the temple of the Lord that he had built in I Kings 8, he prayed that God would hear His people when they were caught in various circumstances because of sin (see parallel account of the prayer in II Chron. 6). These circumstances would be hardships that had come about because of the sin of the people. However, Solomon petitioned the Lord to hear the prayers of the people when they cried out in repentance and turned their hearts back to Him.

There were several types of circumstances that would come upon the people because of their sin—wrongs done against a neighbor, war/slavery/bondage, drought, plague, captivity (I Kgs. 8:30-46). Solomon’s request for every one of these types of judgments, was that God would “hear in heaven” the prayers of the people who repent (I Kgs. 8:32, 34, 36, 39, 43, 45, 49).

God answers Solomon’s prayer in I Kings chapter 9 with a personal promise to Solomon concerning the kingdom. Also, there is further insight into God’s answer to the prayer in II Chron. 7:12-14, where God says, “If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will HEAR from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Solomon petitioned God to hear the prayers of repentant people, and God answered that He would hear the prayers of the people of God who cry out to Him in the midst of war, famine, pestilence, plague, drought, captivity, etc. He will HEAR and He will HEAL.

David & Ministry to the Lord: Songs of Revelation

David began his ministry to the Lord on the back-hills of Bethlehem with a harp and some sheep. No one saw his ministry at that point, except the Lord, and the lambs. He sang little songs and became a skillful player on the harp--so skillful, in fact, that he was called into the service of the king for his music. Not only was his music good, but it was anointed to drive away evil spirits (I Sam. 16:18-23).

But God saw the heart of David, and raised him up to be king. However, David never lost his heart to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, and dwell in His temple (Ps. 27:4).

David wrote hundreds of songs, as recorded in the book of Psalms. Many of these songs express David’s own emotions and struggles, and many express the emotions and heart of God. Reading the Psalms, one feels as though God was David’s best friend. David left us an example of how to pour out our emotions to God in worship, and receive God’s emotions in their place.

Furthermore, it is amazing the revelations of God David received in the place of worship to our Lord. He saw the beauty of the Lord (Ps. 24, 27); the Crucifixion of Christ (Ps 22), the revelation of the Shepherd (Ps. 23), the Second Coming (Ps. 2, 24, 110), and the restoration of Israel (Ps. 45-48).

Even as in David’s day, it is amazing what can happen when you place an instrument into the hands of a young worshipper and have them sing about truths of God. Revelation will come. The emotions of God will come. The young person will be transformed, and others will be brought into the presence of the Lord.

God, give us young worshippers with a heart like David in this generation!

Samuel & Ministry to the Lord: Revelation in the Land

Desperate for a son, a woman named Hannah made a vow to God that she would give her first-born to the Lord. When he was born, she called his name, “Samuel,” which means, “heard by God," because God answered her prayer. She said that Samuel would be “lent to the Lord” all the days of his life (I Sam. 2:11). All the days of his life, Samuel “ministered to the Lord” (I Sam. 2:11, 18; 3:1).

In those days, ministry to the Lord meant service in the temple, and Samuel served before the Lord even before he actually knew the Lord (I Sam. 3:7). But there was one night, when God called Samuel (I Sam. 3:1), and from that time on Samuel knew the voice of the Lord.

During that time period, there had been no revelation in the land of Israel (I Sam. 3:1). However, God raised up Samuel to hear the voice of the Lord, and release the Word of the Lord in the land (I Sam. 3:19-21; I Sam. 4:1). God let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground (I Sam. 3:19).

In a time where there was no revelation in the land, God raised up a prophetic voice from one who ministered before Him. Does God need someone to minister to Him? No. Does God want someone to minister to Him? Yes. Why? Because God desires partnership with His people.

Does God need someone to speak for Him? No. Does God want someone to speak for Him? Yes. Why? Because God desires partnership with His people.

God raised up Samuel who name was “heard by God” to become someone who “heard God” and spoke His Word. And God will do the same thing even now—with us.

From Mike Rich: This is a comment on something the church forgets WAY too often...

We all lose if any of us lose.

The "little-c" catholic church, which includes everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Christ/Messiah, is a body. If my foot hurts, I hurt. If I get a dust speck in my eye, I hurt. If I break my foot it doesn't matter much at that moment if my arm is healthy. If you don't believe me just drop a brick on your foot and then try to think about your arm. If a congregation in California has an abundance of great worship leaders while a congregation in Kentucky has none, the entire body suffers. If a Texas congregation has plenty of money while a missionary in Somalia is hungry, the whole body suffers. If a Christian man is in prison and the body doesn't consider him, the church loses.

What can be done about? You don't necessarily have to move or travel or know everything going on in the church. Just look around you. The people you encounter daily are your "neighbors" as described by the scriptures. The Christians attending your church are members of "the body." Do you see needs? What can you do to help? What do you have in abundance lacked by those around you? What can you do to encourage others?

Why aren't you doing it? See Romans 12:4-8.