for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." - Ephesians 5:14
Lord, pour out Your Spirit on Your people!
Wake us from our sleep so that we may know You and Your will!
Barriers that prevent awakening
1. Shallow worship
We were created to worship God.
Give your life to God.
Testify that God is indeed good.
Participate in worship.
God is searching for worshipers.
19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet.
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship."
21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father.
22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.
23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." - John 4:19-24
And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, - Isaiah 29:13
Your heart must be in worship.
Don't go through the motions.
Dear God, we worship You with all we've got for as long as we've got ... not for what You do but simply for Who You are!
2. Weak prayers
We are not bold in our prayer.
He is an all powerful God who is able.
We need You every minute of every hour!
He restores all things!
17 And someone from the crowd answered him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute.
18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able."
19 And he answered them, "O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me." - Mark 9:17-19
25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, "You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again."
26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, "He is dead."
27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose.
28 And when he had entered the house, his disciples asked him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?"
29 And he said to them, "This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer." - Mark 9:25-29
Prayer and fasting is our lifeline to God!
"The devil fears nothing from prayer-less work, study or religion. He mocks our religion, he mocks our toil but trembles when we pray."
Samuel Chadwick
Lord, bring revival!
Dear God, may we as Your people learn that we can pray big, bold, confident prayers.
We don't know Your will but You have said" we have not because we ask not".
3. Christ-less preaching
We must preach Jesus!
He alone is able!
1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.
2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
11 "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "when I will send a famine on the land- not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.
12 They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, to seek the word of the LORD, but they shall not find it. - Amos 8:11-12
"America needs Godly men in the pulpit that will preach God's word. People don't need cute stories or 20 minute sermonette. The world has taken the gloves off. They're throwing knockout punches. It's time for God's preachers to stand and declare Thus Says The Lord God".
Steve Gaines
" We put men into pulpits because they have degrees. But you can have 32 of them and still be frozen".
Leonard Ravenhill
Incredibly gifted preachers have lost their passion for God!
They sprinkle a little Jesus.
Boldly preach the word of God.
Share the good news of Jesus Christ across the street and around the world.
Love people regardless of their level of education, color of skin or socio-economic status.
Dear God, we lift up one name and one name only, the high and holy name of Jesus. The name that is above every name!
No repentance!
Your sin is your downfall!
1 Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.
2 Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips. - Hosea 14:1-2
Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them. - Hosea 14:9
"The chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God and heaven without Hell".
William Booth
Founder, The Salvation Army
The late 1800's
We must call people to repentance, that is our command.
We must love people, but the second part of that is to point out that you must repent.
There is accountability for staying in your sin!
19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,
20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, - Acts 3:19-20
Dear God, we repent of our sin and plead for Your mercy!
Thank you Pastor Kevin!!
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