Prerequisites for Personal Revival — Gary Ellison

The Call to Humility and Repentance

And I want us to see that tonight in a fresh way. I pray look with me at 2nd Chronicles chapter 7. 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 and I want you to read out loud with me verse 14 very familiar text. Something we've seen several times if you've been in the church for some time I want us to look at verse 14 together if you would be so gracious.

Please stand to your feet in reverence to the Word of God. Let's read it together out loud Verse 14 and then afterwards I'll pray and then we'll endeavor to see what God has for us from the text 2nd Chronicles 7 14.

Everybody we're together. Amen. All right, read it with me. Please the Bible says 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. Let's pray father. Thank you for the Word of God. I pray I ask humbly that you would come and just Manifest yourself in a very beautiful way and minister to every heart here every young person.

Every adult. Lord change us forever that we might walk with you Lord bless these families. Strengthen them Lord. May we live here loving you more more devoted to your ways. And more humble in your presence we love we love you we pray this in Jesus name.

Amen. You may be seated. What is the setting of this verse? It's at the dedication of David's temple, which Solomon had built in other words to read the verse. We see specifically it is God's Word to Solomon concerning the land in that day.

And just so that we can better appreciate the context look back with me. 2nd Chronicles chapter 6. We see here first Solomon's sermon. This man was meeting with the congregation of Israel and was exhorting them and telling them of his plan to build a house Habitation for God and that's what he did and we slipped down.

That's verses 1 through 11. We come down there in chapter 6 verse 12. And then he stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the congregation of Israel spread forth his hands for Solomon had made a brazen scowl full of five cubits long and five cubits broad three cubits high and It said it in the midst of the court and upon it.

He stood and I want you to notice this brethren. He kneeled down upon his knees before all the congregation of Israel and Spread spread forth his hands toward heaven and said Oh God. Did that sweet? We saw Solomon's sermon we see in chapter 6 as well.

Solomon's prayer of dedication. Solomon was earnest. Solomon knew the importance of the presence of God among his people. Solomon knew if God didn't come and do something it wouldn't be done and so he saw the need to humble himself before God's presence and to seek him with a humble and honest heart.

And brethren he Didn't just praying casually. He got on his knees before God and before the people he wasn't concerned. For what others thought of him? I'm gonna tell you we got to get over this guys in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

We got to get over this how people think of us how people perceive us or we accept her to not what's important. Is that we meet God and we do what God wants us doing? We become what God wants us to be?

Well, here is Solomon Honestly earnestly seeking God. I mean he's on his knees his face is toward heaven his hands spread out. I want you to look at chapter 7. Here's the context and when Solomon had made an end of praying the Bible says the fire the fire came down from heaven and Consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the house.

What happened. Solomon was serious and sober-minded humble and broken got on his face before God. God heard from heaven and came down and Manifested his presence that I'm going to tell you something moms and dads that are here want to encourage you.

One of the greatest things you can do for your children is live in such a way that your children see God in your life. There's nothing going to build the faith of your children more than to see you from time to time on your face seeking God.

Humbly and earnestly and them to see God in heaven heard my dad and God came down God manifested his power and God answered. That's going to build the faith of your children more than a thousand sermons from a pulpit.

I'll tell you I'm convinced brethren in our day. We're playing games. And at times we're playing games even in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and I'm going to tell you God is green. It's time. We stop playing games to get humble and get serious and ask God to come on down now.

Listen to me. I know he lives in me and the person of the Holy Spirit. I don't have my theology all messed up. But I'm going to tell you what you need and what I need is what we need to see the manifestation of the presence of God a fresh and a new in these days that the Confidence and the faith of our children would go growing and growing and growing so that when the wall Gets close to me says why do you dress the way you do?

Why do you listen to the music you do? Why do you do this? Why you do this? They're going to say brethren. I love God. And God loves me. They're not going to say my dad's a preacher, you know, no. But they're going to answer and I'm gonna tell you say listen God is real.

He is where he speaks to me through the book. He has manifested his power. I'm gonna tell you that's what I want to see him in. Well, God came down and God manifested his power. So we see here in chapter 7 the setting is that the dedication of David's temple which Solomon had built.

It's God's Word to Solomon concerning that land and in that day and in verse 12 Look at their chapter 7 and the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said unto him. Here God has come down and now he is speaking to Solomon and God is a word for him.

And it was a word for him in that day. It records God's second appearance to Solomon at the dedication of this temple Solomon had and here at this dedication Solomon had just finished this great prayer.

We saw the context. We didn't read it all you can read it later and the context is God talking to him about who about Israel. And we see in the context that he lays out Definite conditions that God put down for Israel and I'm going to tell you as you study the history of Israel.

You see their history. Demonstrates the accuracy of these specifications that he laid out. And brother he told them you they cannot have peace in the land until they've met these conditions. Now I know what you're thinking.

Well, brother Gary, we're not Jews here and I'm the first to agree. We're the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But brethren, listen, all scripture is not written to us, but all scripture is written for us.

In the first place, we've already seen the interpretation. But now I want to speak to you tonight about an application in your own heart and in mine. Brethren God drew near. And God began to speak to Solomon by night and he said to him I've heard thy prayer.

I'm in verse 12 and I have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice and that and then God Begin to speak to him and here's what God said. Listen to me. He said if I shut up heaven. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain.

If I command the locusts to devour the land or if I send pestilence among my people. Then God said here. Here's the verse if my people who are called by my name Shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways.

Then I'll hear from heaven. I'll forgive their sin and will heal their land brethren. What are we seeing here? Here's the application. I'm fully convinced in our day that there are problems abounding brethren.

The hour is needy problems abound. Sins influence is growing people's hearts are waxing cold and I'm going to tell you the problem. The Problem are not the sodomites out there. The problem are not the bar rooms over there.

The problem brethren are not the politics the problem Aren't the laws. They're not passing. The problem is not found out there. The problem is found within the walls of this church. God didn't say listen.

God didn't say when problems come. What you better do Is start correcting the laws and start changing that over there and stop doing that over there. God said you know what when there's a manifestation of problems and crises come and pressures come.

He said if my people. You know sometimes better, you know, we think God just spanking This old sinful world and in one sense I I'm sure that he is but I'm going to taste. I remember what an old preacher said one time.

He said God don't discipline don't spank the devil's children. What's happening sometimes brethren? What we are to do is is what first Peter 4 17 says for the time is come. That judgment must begin at the house of the Lord.

There are times when God is trying to get our attention By the absence of his blessing and protection and provision in our land. There are times when God's trying to speak to us his church and the solution is not that they get right.

But the solution is that we get right. I'm in I'm in Brother in the church the great need of the hours at the church be the church in this world. God is not weak and God is not sleeping. God is on this throne governing in the affairs of men and I'm convinced in our day We are to anticipate a better day for our children and our children's children.

Why. Because God still longs to save the to save the lost? To strengthen families. God still longs for God the generations to be built. I'm gonna tell you God still longs to do a work a work in this day.

It is wrong for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to walk around as though brethren we can't do anything about it. I'm going to tell you there are times when things aren't being done about it. Why? It's our problem.

God said if my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves. Are you listening? The church God's people. We're not being what God Jesus died on the cross to make us and we're not doing what Jesus died on the cross to help us to do.

The problem is not them out there the problem is us in here. Amen. That's the truth. You said well, I'm trying to do my part. Maybe I'll do a little more. Well, I pray a little bit. Maybe I pray a little more.

Well, I'm not burdened for the loss like I should you're to get on your knees until God gives you the burden. I Still believe with all of my heart that heaven is a beautiful place and hell is hot and what's happening.

We're sitting around all content just like we are. Need of the hours for the church to rise to the occasion with the greatness of the power of God in her and Meet the challenge that that God's work might go forward in this generation.

It's for such a time as this. That God is want to do something great. I'm convinced of it. Brethren, we must repent we must acknowledge our wrong. We must accept our responsibility. We must return to God and to his ways.

We must stop blaming others and all the problems that around us to other people and we brother. We must humble ourself and seek God afresh. And now what God is saying that the text he said to his people, you know, what if I shut up heaven.

No rain drought. Locusts come devour your land. Pestilence come he said if these things happen, he said let it be a reminder to you that I'm talking to you. I'm wanting you to draw nigh. I'm wanting you to humble yourself.

I'm wanting you to turn from your wicked ways. I'm wanting you to do something about it. The Solution there's the solution for the problems of the day are not found in the in the lives of those outside the church outside Of God's people.

The solutions are found when God's people get right. Then God is free to come and manifest himself in a way that otherwise he would never be able to manifest himself. How many of you are hungry for a manifestation of God?

Brother I am. I Want God to come and do something unusual in my family the unplanned the unexpected. I'm not talking about emotionalism and silliness and craziness. But I'm talking about God moving in.

So that there'd be no mistake and his work and presence would be something measurable and Evident that the faith of my children my own faith would grow and we just all be convinced. I'm gonna tell you God showed up and did something.

This morning by the mercy of God we baptized seven in our Spanish Church. That's by the grace of God. I'm a big zero. And if God is so pleased to take this big zero and use me once in a while I'm just humbly grateful for that, but I'm gonna tell you I want to believe God for a better day.

I told the church this morning. I said, why should we not anticipate God saving sinners every month? Baptizing every month for the glory of God. What's wrong with that? There's not God still want to save sinners.

I mean I'm honest. I mean Listen, if I slip and start preaching in Spanish you'd bear with me I haven't preached in English for a little while. If we get into Spanish we're lost. All right, folks, what are the problems we see problems in the lives of God's people and I'm convinced of that.

Often the problem is not out there somewhere. It's in here, right? It is not right. It is not right to to to say to our children to continue to kind of shift the blame out there. I'll tell you why this is not happening.

Why that's not happening. Why this isn't going on like we want it. It's because those people aren't doing listen. God is saying when are you going to accept responsibility for your lack of faith? When are you going to accept responsibility for your proud heart?

When are you going to accept responsibility for your lack of passion for the unsaved? When are you going to accept responsibility for sitting on your hands and not doing something for the glory of God?

When are you the church? I'm gonna change your own heart and mind. I'm convinced that God's hands are not short that he cannot say. I Believe we serve the same God yesterday day and prayer brother. Listen, he is wanting to manifest his power and do something beautiful.

You say what are the problems? What is holding God back one thing? We see in the text look with me at verse 14. We're going to share it with you quickly. He said if my people which are called by the name shall humble themselves.

There's the first problem unbroken wills. Unbroken wills. This is the problem humble themselves. At times brethren we in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We're so full of pride so full of self-sufficiency.

Brother and we've made our plans and we've got it planned today. And we don't want to get done tomorrow and even planning down the road a little further. And we're making plans and we're brethren. We're not humble before God.

God said if my people read that which are called by my name shall humble them selves. Here's a problem unbroken wheels. Well brethren the Bible says in Proverbs in chapter 6 Says there are six things that the Lord does hate.

Yes, seven on abomination to him. And I'm going to tell you something on this hate list. You won't find smoking and drinking. You won't find fornication and adultery. What's the first thing on God's list?

I mean brethren when I read the word something that God hates something that God Abhors something that God were to in terms that are very strong. They're very strong in the Hebrew. They're very strong in the English and God is saying I'm gonna tell you something.

This is something that grieves my heart. And what's the first thing on his hate list. It's a proud look. It's a proud look. It's that attitude that says I don't need to depend on God so much. I Have a job.

I have my health. I have my family and When it's convenient, I have my church family and when I need this I do that. Listen God is saying what is. James chapter 4 says God Resists the proud but giveth grace unto the humble three times.

The Word of God says that God resists the proud the word resists. There is a military term and God says for those that have this attitude. I'm okay. I don't need to depend so much on God. God says what I do.

I stiff arm the proud. You ever been stiff armed. It's not a good thing. You're trying to get close. That's like back up. My son told me one day and he was out running in the military. And you know how they do.

Sometimes a little rough with these guys and he was running and and somehow he got ahead of the group. He was the top runner there for a little while. Maybe still is but he got so far ahead That he Lost track of the guy that was supposed to tell him to turn around and go back the other way.

Thank you dear brother. I think my allergies are bothering me anyway. So but he saw another Sarge a little further up and he said well, I'm ahead of the crowd. I'll just run it up there. So he kept running kept running and as he was about to pass the Sarge he goes he stiff-armed him.

Before you think my son happened him way fell in the back of his head. He hit the ground was out of breath and everything else got up. He said what you doing over here private. You're the crowds going that way.

You're going the wrong way. I'm gonna tell you something. When you and I choose not to humble ourself and acknowledge our utter dependence upon God for what we need and for what God wants. To accomplish in and through our lives.

God's going to stiff-arm us. You say I don't like that. I don't either but I'm gonna tell you God hates your pride, too. And what we need to do in the church. I'm gonna tell you we've come to a place in our day where we are not earnestly and humbly.

Seeking God. When's the last time you found your face in an altar prayer after preaching service. When's the last time when you with your own family have gotten on your knees and cried out to God for something for your family.

When's the last time you as a family or you as an individual have found yourself seeking God with all of your heart? When's the last time? Humble yourself. Here is the problem. Unbroken wheels. Unbroken wheels.

Brethren I believe God wants to come and manifest himself in my family and in yours in this church and in ours but I'm going to tell you God is not going to come down and visit with us and Manifest his power when we are full of pride and arrogancy and we think we don't need to quite depend so much upon God.

I'm going to tell you God is grieved Isaiah. Isaiah in chapter 57 I see a great verse Isaiah 57 15. I love this contrast. This is thus Sayeth the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity. Whose name is holy.

Wow. It's like we get a picture of God high and lifted up. This holy one is above everything and above everyone and there he is high and lifted up and holy in the sense that He has separated from all and from everyone but notice what he says.

I dwell in the high and holy place. With him also that is of a what does it say? Contrite and humble spirit. To revive the spirit of the humble and to receive the heart. To revive the heart of the contrite ones.

You know we choose to humble ourselves. God is pleased to draw nigh. When we choose to humble ourselves and acknowledge our dependence upon God God is pleased to draw nigh. And do more than just draw nigh.

Feelingly near near but also God chooses to revive. Brethren that's what I need. That's what I want. And if you desire that that first step is to humble yourself and acknowledge your need. And instead of making excuses for your lazy life or your sorry spiritual life or your unfruitfulness.

Are you're in effectiveness in the gospel of Christ? And why don't you get honest and just humble yourself and say God I can't and he says I already knew that that's good Lord, I I just I just can't anymore.

I know that I know that Lord, I I don't know what to do next. I'm not sure about the next step. I knew you didn't know the next step. Why don't you come over here Lord, would you please help me and cleanse me and and give me power?

I want to do your will. Oh, that's wonderful. And God's going to draw feelingly near to you. And God's going to do something in your life and heart that you could never do and he never said you could do it.

Anyway, but when we stand there and think I'm alright, and he's alright, and if they'd get right the world would be better. You can just forget it. God is not going to meet you. And he's not going to meet me with that kind of attitude.

This is the first thing God Said to his people he revealed to them a problem. He said if things start falling apart, they're not going forward. There's that drought and locusts and pestilence in the land.

He said I I'm in heaven waiting to change it waiting to revive waiting to heal the land and forgive their sin. But he said the first thing is you've got to deal with the problem of an unbroken will an Unbroken will humble.

Yourselves, I love first Peter if you want to turn there with me you can. If not, I'll just turn there and read but first Peter chapter 5 Unbroken wills. Here the whole context we see the importance of humility in the local church.

First to the Lord then to the elders the younger to the elder. But he says there in first Peter chapter 5 verse 5 likewise you younger submit yourselves into the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another and be clothed with humility.

Dress yourself up in humility. Oh brethren He said for God, this is the third time resisted the proud and giveth grace to the humble God stiff arms the proud the self-sufficient the independent. But he says I pour out grace and I draw fillingly near to the humble.

Therefore verse 6 here's a command humble yourselves. Therefore under the mighty hand of God that he might exalt you and what are the last three words say read it with me in do time. God's timing is everything God knows when your heart is humble.

God knows when my heart is humble and when he chooses he can exalt us. Amen. He will use us. He can revive the work again. He can come and forgive sin and heal the land. He can correct the wrong and make right the wrong.

He can do more. Listen to me. Listen to me. God can do more in one visit and just a couple of minutes than a thousand hours of counseling. Amen, the Lord Jesus can come and in one minute do more in this church Than a thousand sermons could ever produce.

That's what we need. But I'm going to tell you God is not going to come and be feeling linear near to a proud People to a self-sufficient people to a people that is not willing to Solomon. He got down on his knees and he humbled himself.

He acknowledges need and I'm gonna tell you God came down and manifested his power. But we're living today. We're severe say well, I don't want to go forward somebody. I think I'm lost. It does not matter what other people think about you.

What's important is what God already knows is true in your heart. And when God knows what's going on in your heart, we ought to go ahead and get right with God. Anyway, let others think what they're going to think.

Amen. Give them something to talk about glory to God. Humble ourselves. If my people which are called by none shall humble themselves and pray here. He's addressing the other problem. What's withholding God's blessing God renewing the work healing the land forgiving sin.

Removing the problem. The first problem is unbroken wheels. The second problem is what unbent knees. Prayerlessness prayerlessness. Why is God not coming and manifesting his power? It's because brethren.

We're not believing God for anything. We're not believing God for it. We're not getting in that place where God can hear us and we can believe from him. That which he promises and longs to do. Why once again the problem gets back to that lack of humility, right?

Unbroken wheels we've made our plans and we're trying to work them out and God said I'm gonna tell you God has the right. We make plans he can change our plans. And he has every right to change our plans.

But something he wants us to do is come and pray. There are those who believe us and God is sovereign. Let's don't misunderstand me. God is sovereign. Amen. But there believe that this God is sovereign.

He's got everything planned from beginning to the end and really therefore we really shouldn't pray, you know God has decided in eternity past who he's going to save today and tomorrow and it's all in the great under the umbrella of the Sovereignty of God and we are to just leave it alone.

I'm gonna tell you something brother if you believe that way you're never going to pray if you believe that way. You're never going to get earnest in earnest and serious about the loss and the dying that are going to hell because if you really believe That you're gonna be a lazy soul winner.

You're not gonna be a soul winner. You're not gonna be burning for them. Because you believe listen God's got it all worked out and really my prayers don't matter. I'm gonna tell you something you ought to read the book brother.

You're to read the Word of God and understand it. Paul prayed that Israel would be saved. What do you think about Paul if he prayed brethren you are to pray. The Lord Jesus Christ found himself rising way before dawn.

Found himself at times before he would make a decision. The Lord Jesus before brethren. He chose the disciples. The Bible said he spent all night praying. If the Living God. Since the need to draw near to the Father to God and to pray and to seek him out before he made a decision.

How much more should you seek him out? How much more should I seek him out until we get an answer from God? There are those that believe rather the state of affairs. God is sovereign. What's going to be it's going to be.

I'm gonna tell you I'm not agree. I'm not in agreement with that kind of philosophy. I know that God is sovereign. But I also recognize that the sovereignty of God does not interfere with the volition of men.

Men make choices. And they will suffer for those consequences. It's the same in your life in mind. I Change things and prayer moves the hand of God and an answer to prayer. I do believe souls are saved and an answer to prayer.

I believe God does work and an answer to prayer. I believe lives are changed and an answer to prayer. I believe God does change families. I believe God is pleased to hear our prayers and come and visit in a great way.

Prayer for Revival and the Salvation of Families

It was one young man. His name is Ben. I mean He came to Christ last December. He's now in our Bible Institute. He's starting to grow spiritually. His daddy says I don't believe anything. His mother says I'm a strong Catholic.

They had no interest. They were upset with him that he was seeking God outside the Catholic Church. But he came to Calvary and came to the Lord. Amen got saved. He began inviting his family. We began praying.

Amen. Lord help them to come. Lord burden their heart. Lord. Give us an opportunity to preach the gospel to them. Guess who came this morning? Guess who came his whole family? I Made it my nose. Brother, guess who came?

The family came. They came in today. I had the joy of preaching the gospel to them. Sowing the seed brethren. There was mom and dad and little sister. Hey. When lost people see positive changes in someone's life because of the gospel of Christ all the sudden interest is rekindled.

Maybe we should go and see why our son is now treating us Respectfully. Why our son has stopped cussing and stopped drinking. Why our son leaves the house to go to the office of the Spanish Church and study his Bible.

Amen. Amen. Brethren, I'm going to tell you something. We are to believe God for something. I want to give you an example just one but look with me at first Timothy chapter 2. First Timothy chapter 2.

Here Paul is exhorting that the church. He said you guys are to pray. He said I exhort therefore. I'm in first Timothy chapter 2 verse 1. I exhort therefore that first of all and notice this here's the priority.

Here's the instruction. Concerning the conduct in the local church. They are to be a place of prayer in the church. I Exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers. Intercessions and giving of thanks be made for and what does the Bible say?

All men were kings and for all that an authority were to be praying for our president folks. You don't like what's happening. Don't gripe about it. Get on your knees about it. I Know he's not making all the best decision.

I'm not always in agreement with it, but I'm gonna tell you something. I thank God for our president. I thank God that we're in this country. I'm gonna tell you something if the church doesn't get right with God, we're gonna see bad days.

I Saw a sticker just recently. I said to my daughter. I said look at that. It said Harriet. Oh, wait. Be careful. I mean Hillary. I'm sorry Hillary. It said Hillary. Oh wait, and immediately my heart just jumped it.

Ah. Okay, I won't get on that brother, but I'm gonna tell you something. God said we better pray for those in an authority. Why verse 2 the second part then we might lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior read out loud verse 4 with me. Who will have all men to be saved and to come and to the knowledge of the truth? Brethren, you better think about it.

Why should we be praying for the authorities? Why should we pray for this world and for this country brethren that we can live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness? But also because we see it as the will of God that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.

There are people that actually believe us and prayer does not change things. God is on his throne and what's going to be is going to be. I'm going to tell you something. God Moves in answer to prayer and you need to lift your sights and get your eyes on the field.

But I'd and begin to envision what God longs to do in your family and in this country for the glory of Christ. And you are to pray. You are to believe God for something. Unbent knees. Jesus said men are always to pray.

Luke 18 1. Jesus said pray lest you enter into temptation. Some of you are falling into a state of compromise. Spiritually speaking because you're not on knees. Acknowledging your utter dependence upon God.

First Thessalonians 5. Bible says men are always to pray. Brother pray without ceasing. The Bible says pray without ceasing. Brethren, we see all these exhortations all these commandments. And God says to his people you begin to see problems.

Oh Brethren problems abound and the influence of sin growing hearts waxing cold. What should his people do rather than correct these problems. Unbroken wheels? Unbent knees. Get in that place of prayer once again as a church as a family get where you can meet with God.

Oh brethren, I just believe God wants to do more than we see these do it. I just believe in my heart that God wants to grow his church. God wants to save people. God wants to change lives. God wants to change my life and brethren.

I believe there is no power Where there is no prayer. But where we get humble and we meet with God I believe God gets feelingly near and meets with us and does something in that moment that otherwise would not be done if we didn't pray.

I Want to believe that. I do believe that. There are those that well, I don't believe that why I suggest you read the book Amen. Maybe that's why not much is happening in your spiritual life. Paul prayed for the loss.

He said I prayed he earnestly prayed that all of Israel would be saved if Paul the man of God saw into the context is God's sovereign election for the nation of Israel where the Bible says that that the Calling and repentant and the calling and what does it say the the election of God are without repentance, right?

The calling and the gifts of God are without repentance. I'm wrestling between Spanish and English the calling and the gifts of God without repentance. What's the context has nothing to do with a called pastor?