The Spirit of Revival - Pr. Brent Cantelon

I) How are we deciding what to believe and what is true?
2Timothy 3.1-17
Matthew 22.29
2Peter 1.19-21
Revelation 22.18,19

- all that the Holy Spirit wrote is perfectly right—nothing must be removed from the record—but He left nothing out that should have been written—nothing must be added to it.

- this was accomplished through more than forty (40) different authors,

- who lived over a span of more than 1,500 years;

- and many of them never saw nor conversed with each other, yet their writings in no way disagree.

Verbal, Plenary Inspiration .

This view holds that all the words written are God-breathed (2Tm. 3:16). “Verbal” signifies the words, and “plenary” means “full,” or “complete,” as opposed to partial.

Thus it is held that the words themselves, and all of them, are inspired. God gave full expression to His thoughts in the words of the biblical record.

He guided the very choice of the words used within the personality and culture of the writers; so that, in some inscrutable manner, the Bible is the Word of God, while being the words of men.

The means, or process, of inspiration is a mystery of the providence of God, but the results of this process is a verbal (the words), plenary (extending to all the parts equally), inerrant (errorless) and authoritative record.

I) First sign of the Spirit of Revival: The Bible is first of all!
· People who read the bible more than any other print media
· People who know their bible – know it’s sound, know it’s smell, know it’s fruit
· People who live based on the Bible – do what it says.
· The answer to every major current event and issue is in the Bible

Principles of truth

• Tells us what to do when trouble comes
• How to treat the environment - what the actual destiny of the planet is …. (new heaven and a new earth)
• How to live under persecution
• Where to find hope in financial crisis
• How to resolve conflict
• How to heal a marriage
• How to deal with Civic authority
  

Challenge us as a church today:

• We need more bible – not less in these perilous times, confusing times – who can we trust?
• List your bible reading in your mind this past week…..
• How many times
• How much each time
• 30 day commitment to read your bible daily – more than a devotional verse, I mean read your bible (or listen), whole books at one sitting.
  o OR if you don’t know where to start: Bible reading guide on our web site for each day for the next 30 days (also here in this Blog)
• Increase daily amount – you choose, just increase.
  Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Azuza street came from people reading the bible, believing it and then seeking all they saw happening in the word.

II) Second Sign of the Spirit of Revival: laborers in Kingdom work.

Acts 8: 4-8
- talents: contribute what you’ve been given by God – do not bury it.
- sowing and reaping: testimony, more sowing, more testimony – to speak words of truth
- light: honesty, servant hearted acts, kindness
- salt: injustice, selfishness
- come and see – inviting
- laborers, workers in the harvest – help out, get involved
· Re-ordering of life and time to make room for service to God

III) Third sign of the Spirit of Revival – Prayer that moves mountains
· Intercessory prayer, passionate prayer
· More than devotional prayer
· Increase of prayer, intensity of praying, desire for prayer
· Call upon the name of the Lord

IV) Tourth Sign of the Spirit of Revival: Kingdom money:
· Release of giving
· Those with holding begin to lay the proceeds at the apostles feet… do with it as you choose (Acts 4:36)
· Spiritual principle of releasing control to God and appointed spiritual authority.

V) Fifth Sign of the Spirit of Revival: Repentance from sin and a hunger for holiness.

1 Cor. 6: 9-12
1 Peter 1: 13-16

Discerning when God is doing something:

1. Does the Move of God line up with the plain sound of Scripture? Do Jesus and the Gospel have preeminence?
2. Is there evidence of genuine evangelism to the gatherings – souls being added daily – or is it another recycling of existing believers? The body of Christ with itching ears flocking to the new thing.
3. Who is the leadership accountable to? Is the accountability real? Can the leader be removed? Is there evidence that the leaders welcome accountability and submission to spiritual authority or to quote: “who does “big Name” talk to?”
   o Character matters!
   o Prophetic license – gift functioning, uncorrected character issues
4. Is the fruit of the move of God an increase in personal holiness and humility, are the people less like the world and more like Jesus outside of the meetings?
5. Is the reputation of the “revival” one where the fruit of the Spirit is evident in the neighborhood where it’s happening? Do the people being revived have a good reputation where they live? “Enjoying favor with all the people” (Acts 2:47)
   

How can I know these things…. Remind you of the first scripture we looked at today:

2 Tim 3: 10But you know what I teach, Timothy, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith and how long I have suffered. You know my love and my patient endurance. 11You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord delivered me from all of it. . . . 13But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will go on deceiving others, and they themselves will be deceived.
14But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. 15You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.