The Revival Project: Urgent and Dependent (1st Samuel 17:40-51)

 

[Slide] URGENT & DEPENDENT (1^st Samuel 17:40-51)

 

The Revival Project studied every major renewal of faith and discovered 6 essential keys to revival. Today we are learning about the first. Let’s first define revival.

 

David and Goliath: A Revival Story

[Slide] At its simplest, revival is you renewing your love for God above all else. Every day, our love for God is in competition with our love for self, for comfort, for every other thing. It’s great to rejoice in other things like Halloween candy and cute kids in costumes. It can be exciting to cheer your favorite team. But do you show the same enthusiasm for God? Revival happens in your heart when you do everything you can to renew your love for God.”

 

[Slide] Psalm 85 says, “Restore us again.”  Revival happens when God’s people choose to work for revival. It’s a choice we make to place God at the forefront.  Over these 40 days, remind yourself, “I am going to do whatever it takes to renew my love for God!” 

 

[Slide] I’m dieting. You know, die with a T?  No trips to Culvers for a frozen custard. No bread or pasta. No fruit pies or donuts. No pizza or French Fries. No popcorn or soda at the movies. I have all that yummy stuff stored right here. I am choosing better health. I get to enjoy a healthier, more energetic me. And I get to live longer with great people like you!

 

Your choice to renew your love for God is like a choice for health. God is the very wellspring of life. Move in His direction each day, and God will renew you in His love. Your family will notice. Your friends will too. You will become a source of light, hope, and blessing to all around you. And God knows we need that.

 

[Slide] Did you ever think of David and Goliath as a revival story? David was only a teenager when he heard Goliath taunting Israel’s army. “Who will face me?! Is there none man enough to fight me?” 

 

[Slide] The Israelites were all dismayed and terrified.

 

If the Philistines army defeated Israel, they would kill all the soldiers, the elderly, and infirm. Women and children would be enslaved. If Israel failed to beat Goliath and the Philistines, they faced complete annihilation. Somehow, David faced this evil when all others hid in fear.

 

How do you defeat evil when it attacks? How do you defeat evil when it surfaces in your family, community and nation?

 

[Slide] The FBI prevented a terror attack planned by an 18 year old. Two years in the making, he purchased a machine gun intent on killing 30-60 people at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. Imagine being the parents of this teen?

 

Would you battle for the soul of your child?  If it was your kid, wouldn’t you do whatever it takes to save them from evil influences and choices.

Like Daivd, prepare yourself to face the Goliaths we face today: Goliaths of sin and addiction; Goliaths of apathy and distraction, Goliath ideologies that lead to suffering.

 

How can you prepare for giant evil threatening your life? [Slide] David was prepared to face Goliath because he loved God every day. He prayed to the Lord. As he watched over the sheep, David wrote songs to God and sang to Him in worship. David defeated Goliath because he daily nurtured his relationship with God. He was a man after God’s own heart. That led to prosperity and freedom for Israel. The same victory can be yours by daily renewing your love for God.

 

[Slide] Pursue revival like your life depends on it. Revival means I depend on God’s love. I stop placing faith in my abilities, or my family, politicians, or money. I stop turning to food for comfort. Entertainment takes a back seat.

 

Train your heart to love God more. That’s revival. Your choice to pursue God (or not) will impact your life and the people you love.

 

[Slide] Consider these concentric circles. We each have a choice whether to pursue revival or neglect God’s transforming love. Your choice impacts you and all those around you.

 

A church experiences revival when people choose to renew their love for God. As people are renewed in God’s love, families and churches are renewed. As churches are revived, entire communities can experience revival. And if that happens in enough places, the entire nation can experience revival.

 

As you look at these different groups, in which of these would you like to see the love of God change lives? In your kids, your grandkids, your friends, your workplace, our schools? How about the entire nation? Which group would most motivate you to say, “I’m willing to deny myself, step out of my comfort zone, and pursue revival.”

 

[Slide] If we want revival, it calls for a posture of urgency and dependence.

 

We’ve got to have a sense of urgency for the kingdom of God. For revival to happen, we must act on a great desire for God’s love to reign in our lives and the nation.

 

[Slide] Urgent action means that we will do all we can to work for revival. We’re not just praying, “Oh, God, please bring revival” We’re doing everything we can to bring about revival, with a total dependence on God. We need God to show up. When we do our part, God will bring victory. [Slide] When we comply, God will supply!

 

David acted with urgency. He saw the sad state of his nation cowering in fear. Fully dependent on God to give him victory, he stepped onto the battlefield.

 

[SLIDE] David says to Goliath, “You come against me with sword, spear and javelin. But I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”

 

David is not at home asking God to defeat Goliath.” David is on the battlefield urgently doing what he can.

 

[Slide] David tells Goliath, “The Lord will deliver you into my hands.” David goes into battle fully confident that God will grant him victory.

 

God desires revival more than any of us. He’s eager to do his part, if we’ll step out like David and do our part. Will you be a David for your family? For your church and community?

 

[Slide] Work for revival like it all depends on you. Some say, “We’re going to pray for revival, but we’re not going to do anything.” Others say, “We’re going to work for revival, but we’re not going to pray.” It’s got to be both and. Work like it all depends on you. Pray like it all depends on God.

 

[Slide] Jesus said the greatest commandment is “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.” Revival is not about religion or rules. It’s about our hearts. Do you love God more than you love anything else? That’s where revival begins.

 

You want to learn what you really love? Do a time budget. Categorize how you spend your time. If you love God, shouldn’t God share a good amount of your time? Urgent action to renew your love for God will change that picture. Depend on God to help you.

 

[Slide] Here’s what revival looks like in scripture: the blessing-judgment cycle. At the 1:00, people turn to God. Revival starts when people who already know God, turn to God daily. When we turn to God, God blesses.

 

As His love grows in you, your relationships improve. You will find freedom from bad habits. God will prosper you at work and at home.  Look what happens though. Blessing leads to comfort; comfort leads to complacency. We get distracted. Our attention is drawn to other things. We love fun more than God. We give our hearts to some thing or some pleasure, and we drift away from God. Blessings cease, security falters.

 

Complacency is why Israel was in such a sad state with the Philistines. The people grew complacent in their comfort and prosperity. God calls for repentance. Repentance takes us back loving and obeying God. If we don’t repent, it leads to judgment.

 

Judgment in the Bible can be severe, like war, plagues and famine. Israel, in its complacency, did not repent and chose judgment. But David’s fierce love for God changed the course of the entire nation.

 

What if your revived love for God could bless the life of someone you love? What if our revived love could bring our wayward nation back to God?

 

None of us think that we are choosing judgment, but when we turn away from God and chase after lesser things we are doing just that. Judgment is often God abandoning us to the consequences of our choices.

 

[Slide] Germany (Prussia) was a “Christian” nation for about 300 years. Christianity was the official religion. They prospered. They built universities and factories. Germany produced some of the greatest scientists, philosophers and theologians in history.

 

But they grew comfortable and complacent. German philosopher, Frederick Nietzsche wrote, “God is dead.” Karl Marx said, “Do away with religion, the opiate of the masses.” Marx and Nietzsche said, “We don’t need God anymore.”

[Slide] Adolf Hitler loved Nietzsche. Germany followed. “We can do better without God.” [Slide] And the godless Nazi party committed some of the most heinous crimes in human history, while complacent Germans turned their heads from the smokestacks of Auschwitz.

 

[Slide] Jesus taught about the prodigal son left destitute by his selfish excess. It’s a picture of us when we run away from God. I was that prodigal son. I partied hard and had to live with the consequences. At 35 years old, I was an emotional child. My choices locked me in spiritual immaturity. Alcohol stunted my growth for 20 years! I’ll never get those years back. I’ll never repair the damage caused by my selfish choices. Oh, but God can!

 

[Slide] The Father waited for his wayward son to come home. When he finally came to his senses, sin sick, starved and broke, the prodigal son returned home. His father ran to him with open arms and kissed him. He restored his son; not because his son deserved it but because he loved him! God, our Father, is waiting for you to come home. Turn. Now is the season.

 

[Slide] When we choose to daily turn to God and seek His love, He will revive us. His love will bless us. Your cup will overflow with love blessing your families, friends, and community.

 

[Slide] Only God can bring this kind another great awakening to America. God is calling us to do our part. We may fear the Goliaths of our time, but Christ will bring us the victory.

 

[Slide] Like David, it’s our time to step out in faith, for the sake of our own souls, for our families, community and nation. Pray for personal and national revival. Act with urgency, fully dependent on God.

 

[Slide] Let’s join in the daily revival prayer. (Back of your Revival Project devotional)