Revival - Warren Strawbridge - 2351

Jesus said in Matthew 28, verse 19, go therefore and teach all nations. Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Welcome to go teach all nations, bringing you Christ's teachings through Australian and international speakers. And here is today's presenter, Pastor Warren Strawbridge. There's been many revivals over the last three or 400 years in churches, but not since 1904 has there been a great revival. Does anyone know what country that actually happened in? Wales. Yeah, somebody said it, I think Colin as he walked out the door. Wales. Yeah. And I want to tell you a little bit about that at the end. I want to talk about two men, Reese Howell and Evan Roberts, and how they changed Wales. But as we think about God and his people, God has always been calling his people back to himself. We read in the Bible where God would call his people back to him, they would come back to him and they would fall away. Then they would cry out again and God would rescue them. And we think throughout the book of judges, it's full of it, from Othneel to Ehu to Shamgar, Deborah, Gideon, Tonla Jr. Jephtar, Ibsan, Elon and Samson. That's how many judges were in the book of judges. Each one represented a period where people had fallen away from God. They'd forgotten about him, things of this world had become important to them and they had forgotten about God. But finally God allowed an oppressor to come in and these people were oppressed. And as they were oppressed, they cried out to God. And we see that in the world that we live in today, we see we may not leave the church, we may not leave God, but our experience sometimes goes up and then goes down. And so we have all experienced times when we have backslidden. But God has a plan for each one of our lives. You know, in the first two books of the Bible, Genesis one and two, we see God's perfect plan for mankind and for this earth. Then in chapter three, we see the fall of mankind. And then for the rest of the Bible, the 1186 chapters, we see God's plan to bring his people back to him, which finally finishes in revelation 22. Eden restored is what God wants for us, for mankind. And the central theme of the Bible is Christ's atoning work here on this earth and also in heaven. And while there's been many revivals, there's going to be one last, final, true revival. Ellen White says that it is the greatest need of this church, of the 7th day Adventist Church. Our greatest need is of revival true revival. And how does that revival come? It comes by seeking the Holy Spirit, seeking and lifting up Christ. That's what will bring revival. When the Holy Spirit comes, repentance comes. But before the Holy Spirit comes, not only must we seek the Holy Spirit, but there must be lots of prayer. And one of the things that I have tried to do as a pastor, as a Christian is to encourage and lead by example, people praying as individuals, but also praying collectively. It's so important. For nothing happens without prayer. And so today, that's a subject that I want to look at revival. And so I just invite you to bow your heads as I pray. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to come and to worship, to fellowship. Father, we thank you for your son Jesus Christ and the work that he has done in this world and is now doing in the heavenly sanctuary. But today, lord, we want. Father, we want to focus on the Holy Spirit and the work that he is wanting to do in our lives, wanting to do in this world. Father, help us to seek the Holy Spirit like we have never sought him before. I pray that you would speak through me today. May the words that I speak not be my words. For there is no power. There is nothing in me except what you place in me. Father, you want to see a revival. You want to see us being drawn closer to you. And so I pray that you would use me today. Open our hearts and our minds as we come near you. For we ask and pray this in Jesus name. Amen. As I said before, for the last 6000 years we have seen God's people catch fire, then grow cold. Catch fire and grow cold. And through the christian dispensation, through the last 2000 years, we have seen that. We have seen revivals spring up in places like Wales, in places like Africa, in places like Europe, in England, in Scotland, only to die out. It's human nature to catch fire. But then to stop doing what keeps the fire burning. What is it that keeps a fire burning? A fire has to be fed. I guess we all know something about having fires at home. We either have one at home or we've been somewhere where there's been a fire. If you don't put wood on the fire, it's going to go out. And that's what happens with revivals. But this last true revival that God wants to bring to this world so that people can see what he is like so that they can see that he is a God of love, that he's a forgiving, loving, caring God and that he loves not only us in the church. But those in the community that have no idea about him, the only time they talk about Jesus is a swear word. You know, the Bible is full of it. From Seth to Noah, from Abraham to Moses, from David to Jeroboam, from Hezekiah to Manasseh, from Josiah to Zedekiah, from the church of Ephesus to the church of Thyatira, and from the greatest church, the church of Philadelphia, to the church of Laodicea, which is this church, which is us. Friends, what is the condition of Laodicea? Lukewarm. But what does being a lukewarm Christian look like? How does the Bible describe it? In fact, the Bible in the New Testament describes three types of people. Let's have a look at them. This is the first. This is what the Bible calls the natural man, the natural person. The natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. So that's no one here in this morning in the church, none of us are natural men, or we wouldn't be here. But there's two types of people that the Bible goes on to describe. This one here in Romans eight, six, and seven says, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is. And peace, because the carnal mind is the enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be talking about the carnal man. In Greek, the word carnal means non spiritual. That's what it means. So we have one hand, we have the spiritual man, and on the other hand, we have the carnal man. And today you are either one or the other. The fact that you chose to come to church today means you're not a natural man. You believe in God. You've come here not only to be blessed, but you've come here for a purpose. The third one is in Romans chapter eight and verse nine. I've used this particular verse, but you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if indeed the spirit of God dwells in you. Now, if anyone does not have the spirit of Christ, he is not his. So it's very obvious we're either carnal or we're spiritual. Next time I come to Marciotton, I'm planning to talk to you. A sermon entitled examine yourself, because Paul says that we should examine ourselves. Am I spiritual or am I carnal or am I spiritual or am non spiritual? And that is such a big question, and it's only do I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me, really? That what decides whether we're spiritual or know when we think about the parable of the virgins? The ten virgins, five were wise and five were foolish. So when Jesus gave that parable, he was saying, at least half the church are going to be wise and half are going to be foolish, half are going to be spiritual, and the other half are going to be carnal friends, people I know, I don't want anyone to be carnal. I want us all to be spiritual. And it's the job of leaders to help each one of you become spiritual. And that's why today I'm challenging you not only about revival, but about being filled with the Holy Spirit. You know, biblical things are spiritually discerned. I preached in churches where people have been offended by what I said, or people have thought that I'm talking in riddles. What did that guy actually talk about? Really didn't make any sense to me. If people are offended or if people don't understand what I'm talking about. And I praise the Lord that not so much in this church, but some churches that I preached in, people say I preach too long or they're offended by something that I said. That just shows, that should show yourself that you're carnal. One corinthians three, one to three says, and I, brethren, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food, for until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able, for you're still carnal. Paul says to the church of Corinth, I've left you and I expected you to grow and to mature, but you haven't. You're still babes, you're still carnal, you're not growing, you're not filled with the spirit. As I said, to understand spiritual things, you must have the Holy Spirit in you, because, you see, it's not about how wise you are or how wise I am, it's about having the spirit and being able to understand spiritual matters. You know, as 7th day Adventists, we have a lot of knowledge and we need to understand that there's a difference between knowledge and spirituality. There's a difference between knowing things and having a relationship. The pharisees had knowledge in the Bible, but they didn't even recognise the Son of God, and yet they had knowledge. When the three wise men came to see them, they said, yeah, bethlehem is where he's going to be born. But they didn't go. You know, I was reading John, chapter eight in my devotional time. Jesus is speaking to the people, and they couldn't understand them. They couldn't understand them because they didn't have the Holy Spirit. They only had knowledge. So why are people not filled with the spirit? Why are some church members carnal? Probably the most simple way is to think of the story of the ten Virgins. That's a really sad thing. 50% didn't make it. Is it possible to know all this and miss eternal life? Is it possible to come to church every week? Is it possible to pay my tithes? Is it possible to do everything that the Ten Commandment tells me to do and miss eternal life? Wouldn't that be such a waste? It would be madness. But in the story of the ten Virgins, what is lacking? What is it that the foolish do not have that the wise have the Holy Spirit, the wise have the oil. They both have lamps, they both have the Bible. And even the foolish have a little bit of the Holy Spirit, but they don't have enough. And the other thing is that in the story at the end, as they knocked on the door, what did Jesus say to them? He says, depart from me. I never knew you. No relationship. They don't have the Holy Spirit. They don't have a relationship. I'm not saying that knowledge is not important, friends, but what I'm saying is that knowledge will not save you. Being filled with the spirit of God is what saves you. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ. That's what saves. Know, one of the things that having the Holy Spirit in our life does is it brings us to a point of surrender. When I came back to the Lord in 2006, and I started to, I was even preaching about it, and yet I didn't know much about it, but I felt impressed to talk about the subject of surrender. I couldn't find people that could tell me what surrender actually was in the church. Finally, I found a retired minister. He was able to tell me and explain to me what true surrender actually was. And I read books. Morris Vendon, some of you might know him. He said in his book 95 thesis on righteousness by faith, there is no such thing as partial surrender. It's no more possible to be partially surrendered than it is possible to be a little pregnant. Either you are or you aren't. There's no middle ground. Either you are surrendered and you are filled with the spirit, or you are not. I found another man, and I didn't bring all of his books. I did this to a sermon recently. I've got a big stack of books that I bought from christian bookshops. The guy's name was Andrew Murray, a south african Christian who lived a number of years ago who wrote a lot about surrender. He wrote books entitled abiding in him the branch and the vine, absolute surrender. And I read these books to try and find out what is this surrender business about? But it's like the story about the rich young ruler. He knew there was something missing in his life. He just didn't know what it was. He comes to Jesus. Apparently, he had kept all the law. He hadn't done all these things that Jesus had said about the law, but he knew there was still something missing in his life. Jesus pointed to it, and he went away sad. His was riches and money, but ours could be anything. I have no idea what our problem is, what your problem is as far as surrender is concerned. But all of us, most of us, are happy to give up 90, 95%. But we all want to keep that little bit for ourselves. It would be like in a marriage if the husband comes to his wife and says, well, look, I love you, but I'd just like to sleep with another lady, just for one night a year. One night a year. I don't think there would be a wife that would think that would be all right. But when it comes to surrender, we think 99% is okay. I don't know. Sometimes. I mean, computers, you love them or hate them. You're trying to download something, and it gets to 97, 98, 99, and it's 99, and it keeps going 99, and it won't go to 100. It's not downloaded until it's downloaded 100%. It's the same with surrender, friends. We're either surrendered or we're not. The same as what Morris Vendon says. You can't be a little pregnant. You're either pregnant or you're not. Let's have a look at this quote by Ellen White. Only those who will become co workers with Christ. Only those who will say, lord, all I have and all I am is thine, will be acknowledged in sons and daughters of God. All I have and all I am is thine. I'm not preaching down to anybody. I am preaching as much to myself as I am preaching to you. I need to hear the sermon as much as you need to hear it, because 100% surrender is difficult for the human. That's why there's very few people that do this who give God everything. But they are people that turn this world upside down for God. Andrew Murray said, being filled with the spirit is simply this, having my whole nature yielded to his power. When the whole soul is yielded to the Holy Spirit, God himself will fill it. I'm going to read a quote from Ellen White soon that says that we can't even surrender. You might say, well, what the hang am I talking about today? If she says, we can't surrender, no, we consent. We say, lord, I can't surrender, but I give you permission to come into my life and to do that work in me that only you can do. I've been reading a book about revival, and I'm not even sure I can pronounce the guy's surname, but he's a german, and he's written this wonderful book, and this is just a quote from it steps to personal revival. The carnal person wants to follow Jesus and please him, but he hasn't surrendered his whole life to Jesus. Or if he has, then he has backslidden somehow. That means that he maybe unconsciously wants to live according to God's will and his own wishes simultaneously. So he wants to serve God, but he also wants to serve self, but that doesn't work. Ultimately, he is carrying his own life in his hands. As the saying goes, there are two souls dwelling in his breast. Can God send the Holy Spirit in such case? James four, three, you ask and do not receive because you ask amiss. This person's request is from the carnal heart. And ask not for God's glory, but for his own ego. Revelation three calls this lukewarm, and in Matthew 25, it calls it foolish. Um, and that's a problem. Many of us even. We even pray from the carnal heart. But, you see, the carnal heart is always praying for itself. It's all about me. The spiritual is about how I can be a blessing to others. I'm not trying to discourage anybody by what I'm saying, because a lot of people don't even pray, to be honest, these days. So if you're praying, that's a good sign. But really, spiritual people will be praying not for themselves, but for others. A. W. Tozer, many of you may have not heard of this man, but I just love this quote. If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, that's our church today, 95% of what we do would go on, and no one would know the difference. If the Holy Spirit had been withdrawn from the New Testament church in the book of acts, 95% of what they did would stop, and everybody would know the difference was built for. I think we worked it out one day it was 105 people. You can comfortably sit in this church and at one stage this church used to be full and in know in Shannon. There's so many churches where I live that are disclosed. People have lost sight of their need of God. You know God has really blessed our country but people think that the blessing just comes. I don't know how they think it comes. They probably don't think about that. But we are blessed. But as people turn their back on God, God has to withdraw his spirit from this country to some regard. And that's when Satan comes in and does what he does. As we look at the book of acts we see what was happening and I've just used three verses, acts 113 to 14 says. And when they had entered they went up into the upper room where they were staying. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the woman and mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers. Ten days of prayer. Our church in Levin just had ten days of prayer. We were praying for revival. Did revival come? No, it didn't and it hasn't as yet. Do we want revival? Absolutely. But we need to do what makes revival happen. And I'm going to share with you at the end exactly how all of that happens. Acts 238. Then Peter said to them, repent and let everyone be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. What comes first, the Holy Spirit or repentance? You could argue both ways, but when the Holy Spirit comes, repentance comes. Believe me. I've been studying and reading about the subject in Wales. And when the Holy Spirit fell upon the churches the people just went to their knees and repented. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out so that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. You know, every time we repent of anything there's always a refreshing that comes afterwards. I remember when I was a kid I had broken the door on the stereo cabinet and I tried to glue it back together but it was never the same afterwards. For about five or six years I got away with it until one day dad went to open it and it just broke off in his hand and he said, how did this happen? And I remember saying, yeah, I did that five years ago. And I said that I was sorry and I was. There was a great relief. A great weight was lifted off my shoulders. I no longer have this pressing down on me. And you might think that carrying stuff doesn't put pressure on you. It does. Repentance and revival go hand in hand. And as we finish, friends, I want to just say, no matter where you are spiritually today, you don't have to stay there. If you examine yourself and you're honest and you say, yes, I'm still carnal, you don't have to stay carnal. I haven't come here to put anybody down. I've only come here to encourage you to say, friends, we need to be spiritual, but we need to pray for the Holy Spirit. We need to surrender our life. This is this quotation from Christ. Object lessons, page 159. No outward observance can take the place of simple faith and entire renunciation of self. But no man can empty him, empty himself of self. We can only consent for Christ to accomplish the work. Then the language of the soul will be, Lord, take my heart, for I cannot give it. It is thy property. Keep it pure, for I cannot keep it for thee. Save me in spite of myself, my weak, unchristlike self. Mould me, fashion me, raise me up into a pure and holy atmosphere where the rich current of thy love can flow through my soul. You can't surrender, but you can consent for God to do the work in you. We can invite the Holy Spirit to do that work in us. Today I want to finish by telling you a story about the welsh revival. There were two men who didn't actually know each other, that lived in totally different parts of Wales. One's name was Reese Howell and the other's name was Evan Roberts. And I think I've put a picture here. I couldn't find a young photo of Reese Howe. That's him there. And they were quite close in age. This is Evan Roberts. These two men, from a very young age gave their lives to God. And they felt this burning desire to give their lives to invite the Holy Spirit into their life. They went to churches that were dead. The people went to church, but they had long faces. There was no joy in the church. There was no love in the church. And they knew that when they looked at the character of Jesus Christ, this was not how the church should be. They knew there was something missing. And so they prayed separately, not knowing having anything to do with each other. They prayed in different parts of Wales for over ten years for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So don't think when you pray for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it's going to happen in one day or one week or one month it may happen, but these men prayed for over ten years. I hope that God puts this on your heart to pray for the Holy Spirit's outpouring in this church and in your life. Evan Roberts said he was praying for the first few years, God, change us. God, change us. But the Holy Spirit spoke to him one day and said, you need to not pray for us, you need to pray for yourself. And so he changed his prayer from change me. And the word he used was bend me. Bend me in the way that you want to bend me. And when he started praying God change me, things started to happen. And I'm guilty of this. Like, even in Levin we want revival. We only had a few people coming, you know, of a church of nearly 100 people. I think one night we had 14. But most of the time we had about eight, nine people come out. Did we see revival? No. And so I'm, in my own heart and mind, I'm blaming other people. I'm saying, why do people not want this? But after I study this subject about the life of Evan Roberts, I realise that it has to start with me. I can't be looking at other people. If other people decide they don't want to pray for the Holy Spirit, I can't do anything about that. But I can do something about me. I can do something about what I do. And so I've been convicted to pray that in my life, Lord, change me, bend me. That I can be so filled with your spirit that this world will be turned upside down, not because of me, but because I've allowed God to do what's needed in my life. You see, when the Holy Spirit comes, there comes power. It's not safe. God can't give people the power if they would just use it for selfish purposes. That's why a person needs to be fully surrendered before the power of the Holy Spirit can come. Or people will use that power for their own selfish purposes. And I wouldn't be any different to anyone else. And so today I pray that you will pray that prayer. God, change me. God, change me. God, bend me. Because you see, when the Holy Spirit comes, so does conversion. Not only in our life, but with friends, family. If you have family or friends that you want to see walking with the Lord. And if the Holy Spirit is in your life and power, you won't have to say a word. People will see it in your countenance. They will see the joy and the peace and the love. They will feel that love. And so really, friends, as I finish today, I just challenge you to pray and ask God to change you, to bend you. I don't know about you people, but I've had enough of this world. I want to. I want to go home, but there's a big job to be done before we go home. And so today it starts with each one of us saying, lord, change me. And that's my prayer for all of you today. Lord, change me. This message was made available by the Masterton 7th day Adventist Church. For more resources like this, visit Masterton Sda nz us. You are changing me by your spirit. You're making me like you Jesus, you're transforming me. That your loveliness may be seen in all I do. You are the potter and I am the clay. Help me to be willing to let you have your way. Jesus, you are changing me as I let you reign supreme within my heart. Jesus, you are changing me by your spirit. You're making me like you Jesus, you're transforming me. That your loveliness may be seen in all I do. You are the potter and I am the clay. Help me to be willing to let you have your way. Jesus, you are changing me as I let you reign supreme within my heart. As I let you reign supreme within my heart. That was Jesus, you are changing me. By divine hymns and coming up next to be like Jesus by Jeremy Sanico Heitman a little boy needs a hand to hold and oh, how he loves those little children. How he long to be a friend too. Young and old, his tender spirit welcome souls who seek him. His giving heart has nothing in return and I have found his promise. I seek to live my life that I may lose to be like Jesus, to be like Jesus. May all who see my heart find him in me when I receive gift his salvation his heavenly love filled my earthly soul and I became a new creation my brokenness he made completely whole and through the darkness of this world I've been commissioned to be a light that shines for him alone surrounded by his infinite mercies. May my life always be known to be like Jesus, to be like Jesus love my only earthly goals fulfil when I centre. May all who see my life find he we hope you enjoy the short presentation of how God led his people after the reformation. From lineagejourney.com, the movement had focused on Christ from the beginning. The early advent believers asked the question, when is Jesus coming? However, after the great disappointment of 1844, they then moved on to ask the question, what is he doing? By the early 1880s, though, the church had lost sight of Christ and had failed to make him the centre of its doctrines. A spirit of debating had settled in, and they were winning people over to the church more through debating and a theoretical ascent of knowledge, rather than by emphasising heart change. The 1888 general Conference session is the most famous GC session in our history, but unfortunately it's remembered for negative reasons, with the questions often being framed. What if it was held here in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from October the 17th to November the fourth, and it was the 27th session held. It was held in the newly constructed adventist church that was located on the northwest corner of the intersection behind me. At the time, world membership was 27,000 and there were 90 delegates present. Small by today's standards. Mission work in the South Pacific city, evangelism, amongst other ordinary matters, were discussed, but no one remembers these. Ellen White later commented, I have been instructed by God that the terrible experience at the Minneapolis conference is one of the saddest chapters in the history of the believers of present truth. Prior to the GC session, the theological tension had been building with articles being published by both sides, something that Ellen White spoke very strongly against. Also, at the various camp meetings, different presentations were given and a spirit of opposition, debates and bitterness was aroused. However, this would come to a head here in Minneapolis. The principal characters at this GC session were A. T. Jones and E. J. Wagner, both in their thirty s, and Uriah Smith and GI Butler, both in their 50s. As the two younger men presented their messages of righteousness by faith, they were met with opposition. They were presenting on the importance of the centrality of the cross and of Christ's righteousness, and the importance of seeing the law in its correct context. However, one of the arguments that they used to show this was that the law in Galatians three was the ceremonial law and not the moral law. This was met with stiff opposition, as some thought that the teaching of the Sabbath was under threat and would lead to misinterpretation and misunderstanding from other denominations. They were invited to debate, and although this practise was common at the time, they refused to. They hadn't come to do that. A rebuttal presentation was made, but the only response at the next session was to read Bible passages in turn on the love of God. No explanation given, just the Bible read. The impact was profound. Many were impacted by the messages, with Sn Haskell and J. O. Corliss being two of them. The following year, revivals would take place all over the United States of America, with Ellen White, Jones and Wagner leading out, one of which took place in south Lancaster, Massachusetts. Commenting later on, Ellen White said, I have never seen a revival go forward with such thoroughness and yet remain so free of undue excitement. A few years later, Uriah Smith would apologise to Ellen White for how he had responded and would also make a public apology in the dime tabernacle in Battle Creek. Not an easy thing to do. One of the sad outcomes of 1888 is that the principal presenters of Jones and Wagoner would eventually end up apostasing and leaving the church. The reasons for this are many and cannot be adequately explained in a few minutes. Some of the responsibility rests with them for not letting the message completely change their own heart. Yet some blame must be apportioned to the brethren who so strongly and bitterly opposed them. This opposition would become a difficult and overmastering temptation to the young messengers, and whilst this does not excuse their departure, it does give us some understanding. A key lesson that we didn't learn in 1888 and that we still struggle with today is how to be a Christian whilst in conflict with someone else. How do you show christlike love when the person that you're discussing or debating with has a vastly different viewpoint to you and or may be treating you wrongly? May we learn to be graceful with those we disagree with in the conflicts that we have today, the church would move on over time and realise the issue that was debated wasn't of the magnitude that people thought it was at the time. So often we major in minors. Ellen White would say many times that the law in Galatians wasn't a major issue and that the church shouldn't make it so. Today it's easy to get sidetracked on other issues and miss the bigger picture. Jones and Wagner were some great preachers, some of the brightest minds that our church has seen, and yet ultimately they lost sight of Jesus. Today we need to be careful that we don't follow men, but that we follow God's word and the message that is contained there. It wasn't the message that was at fault, but it was the attitude and spirit of those involved on both sides. The message that they gave will need to be given again and God will raise up other people who will overcome where they failed. May we be part of sharing the beautiful message of the love of God and the righteousness of Christ to the world. To view more episodes in the series, visit lineagejourney.com. It's been a pleasure bringing you this programme here on 3abn Australia radio.