Jesus Revolution: The Holy Spirit in Revival

Harvest messages are brought to you by harvest partners to receive free email daily devotions or to become a harvest partners, please visit us online@harvest.org so let's grab our Bibles and turn to acts chapter 2 and the title of my message is Jesus revolution. The Holy Spirit in revival. You know the late 60s and the early 70s, America's seem to be unraveling. There was a very real threat of nuclear war in the mid-60s Nikita Khrushchev made some very serious threats against our nation, including placing nuclear missiles in Cuba and Pres. Kennedy may stop with him in what is called historically, the Cuban missile crisis, but her kids in school. I was one of those kids in school we thought we might all die tomorrow though we had bomb drills in our classrooms. We would get underneath our desks. In case there was a nuclear blast which in the look at back in retrospect you think being under her desk would've saved us from a nuclear blast on a no so one year after the Cuban missile crisis are useful. Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas on November 22, 1963. Meanwhile, this traumatized the nation. By the way some of you were alive then will remember this very traumatizing event. All of America more. Meanwhile, the Vietnam rate of war, which was never officially the current declared raged on with young men coming home in body bags and then the drug revolution is breaking out the same time, of thousands of get our kids are turning to drugs for some kind of self-realization some kind of answer. Hopefully that just made things worse. Add to the drug revolution the sexual revolution with the discovery of the birth control pill in the early 60s freelove rain then everybody just wanted to express themselves and pushed away those parameters on those barriers that existed for so long. No further culminated in the big music festival called Woodstock, which was billed as three days of peace and music, and Jimi Hendrix play the Star-Spangled Banner on his electric guitar.

Everything was really groovy, man.

But then in 1968. All the psychedelic colors turned the black-and-white is reality began to kick in and we reap the consequences of all of these horrible decisions was in 1968 that civil rights leader Martin Luther King was assassinated and then on the heels of that shortly after, as a matter of fact, Robert F. Kennedy, the brother of Pres. Kennedy was running for the presidency was also assassinated in Los Angeles right here in California and then all of these rock icons died in a relatively short period of time.

Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison of the doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, so this is the reality because things were so dark with riots in the streets, in the vision. Time magazine put out an ominous cover story read cover a black cover rather red letters reversed out is God dead that's all a lot of people felt that maybe God was dead. But God was not dead God was very much at work and we don't know exactly when it started or were the actual beginning of what was, but in the middle of the drug revolution in the middle of the sexual revolution God said the Jesus revolution so only a few years later time puts out this cover with Jesus, revolution on the cover. What a difference a few years makes what a difference a revival makes so I have an issue of this and let me read to you something from that particular issue of Time magazine and imagine for a moment reading this and time magazine today. Headline Jesus is alive and well. The article says, quote Jesus is alive and well of living than the radical spiritual fervor of a growing number of young Americans who proclaimed an extraordinary religious revolution in his name there message. The Bible is true miracles happen. God really did so love the world that he gave his only begotten son. What is this time magazine Bibles about whether the cherished first covered King James version or scruffy back pocket paper bags.

There are invariably well-funded and often memorize there's an uncommon morning freshness to this movement. A brilliant atmosphere of hope and love along with the usual rebel zeal, but their love seems more sincere than a slogan deeper than the fast fading sentiment of the flower children. What startles the outsider is the extraordinary sense of joy at the rebel to communicate." Can you imagine again that be the time magazine today and that's exactly what was happening. A little history lesson because it's important for us to know what God is done in the past so we can pray for what he wants to do in the future.

America has had for great spiritual awakening. The first awakening was in the 1700s, led by such men as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield. This is actually before we were officially a nation a George Whitfield and evangelists from England came over and preached to so many people living in the colonies.

80% of the folks that heard him. Thousands were coming to Christ in a revival broke out so you can make a very good case for the fact that America was born in a time of spiritual awakening was that fertile soil of revival that produced the parameters that we could safely have this great experiment in of liberty and freedom in the belief in God as our founding fathers had that was first great awakening. The second great awakening the 1790s. 1840 was led by many, including Charles Finney. This is in the days of the wild West law was disregarded. Sexual sin was rampant, but people would gather for what they call Meetings often in the middle of the forest they would little structures are put up tents and put the sawdust on the floor and people would walk forward to accept Christ, and that's with the phrase the sawdust trail came from. That was a great revival. The third great awakening in America was from around 1857 to 1859, led by a young man in New York named Jeremiah Lanphear and it started as a prayer meeting Jeremiah left ear felt it would be a good idea for New Yorkers to start praying. So he called a prayer meeting at lunch time and needless to say very few people showed up. Then the stock market crash and then a lot of people showed up because people were alarm and concern and within a relatively short period of time. Thousands of New Yorkers were coming to Christ. There were 10,000 additions to church membership every week during this revival in one year alone, 50,000 people came to Christ and when it was all said and done 1 million came to the Lord in this brief.

That brings us to the fourth and the last great spiritual awakening the Jesus movement. I had the privilege of being there at a front row seat. I didn't know it was a revival I didn't know I walked into the middle of the spiritual awakening and there was a man then opened his heart and opened his church to it being Chuck Smith and decides all the young kids are getting saved, and they want to go to church and a lot of churches took one look at him and said you're not coming here looking like that but for the churches and open their doors to the Jesus people as they were called of the Jesus freaks as they were also called those churches experienced revival for the church is a get their doors shut to these folks.

They did not experience revival. Some things that kind of stand out to me about that time.

Number one, there was a sense of expectancy in the services.

So when you came to church you came with a sense that God is going to do something you know we talk a lot about the need for anointed preaching, but I think there's also a need for anointed listening that we come with the right attitude to church. We come with an open heart with an open Bible, the notebook lists and seen Lord speak to me today.

No one was ever late for church.

Back in those days.

By the way, because if you were, you wouldn't get a C so that sense of expectancy number two, the word of God was pretty much taught in every service you know Pastor Chuck Smith taught us to love the Bible we would go through books of the Bible in our lives were changed by the Bible. We were a bunch of young kids that knew nothing. We were ignorant of all things biblical, but we developed at that time, a biblical worldview and then also there was worship and I mentioned a little bit earlier. It was a whole new kind of worship that was born before our very eyes. One of the bands already mentioned, that was popular at that time is called love song and I love one song they had a particular many of them I love. But I love this one in particular is called to again listen to the lyrics. We would sing this together were all gathered here because we all believe there's a downer in the crowd. We ask you not to leave. Give a listen to the story. Here the message that we bring feel the faith swell up inside you lift your voice with us and saying accept them with your whole heart and use your own two hands with one reach out to Jesus and with the other. Bring a friend. What I love about that song is it's very simple, but it also is a message to people that would be visiting you know you would come as a nonbeliever and say what is this all about that song answers and so let let's listen to that song again and encourage you to sing along and can is leave the hand and fleeing me a a you and me and in those days. I don't know who started this funding would happen while we would sing this song.

He grabbed the hand of the person next to you in general hold up so it say with one hand reach out to Jesus and with the other.

Bring a friend. So I want to leave your comfort zone right now working to do it again. So grab the hand of the person next to you. Let's all stand up and sing this grabbed the hand of the person next to you hold that and I don't care if you know them or not, and and and and and and and and and and and and and as you guys look great, great love that you be seated. Another thing is evangelism we would give invitations and pretty much every service and I think what happens is when nonbelievers come to a church that's alive, a church that's experiencing revival.

They want to know God and as we just thing and that lyric there. The other, bring a friend so we brought friends and people would accept the Lord. Here's another big earmark of that time we believed in the imminent return of Jesus Christ.

We believe that Christ could come in our lifetime. So somebody was able what is up 45 years ago that your timing was a little off Greg yeah will you know when I don't regret living in belief that Christ could come back and you know what 45 years, closer to his return. Then we were there. I still believe it. I believe Jesus could come in my lifetime.

We got up to meet the Lord in the air and I think it's a very important thing else I might ask, why didn't he come back then. While a lot of us were praying Jesus would come and catch us up to heaven in 1970, but let me take a quick poll. How many of you have come to believe in Jesus since 1970. Raise your hand up, aren't you glad God didn't answer our prayer.

Yeah so here's what the Bible says God is not late as some men count lateness. He's long-suffering toward us and not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. God is waiting for that last person the believe. Can you imagine if there was one person, the Lord is waiting for and you knew it was would you be tempted to pressure the dude we get saved.

What is wrong with you but the Lord knows who that person is and will happen in his timing. Of course, but we need to pray that God will do this again, some 85 sixes, will you not revive us again that your people may rejoice in you.

The prophet Habakkuk understood this when he prayed this prayer in Habakkuk 32 I've heard all about you, Lord, and I'm filled with by the amazing things you've done in this time of deep need revive your work as you did in years gone by. Show us your power to save us. And so it's similar to how you might feel now some of you might be thing without must've been so great back then. I wish I could've been around then God wants to do it again because Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever case so it starts with us. America needs an awakening and the church needs a viable so I thought we would prefer that together. Let's pray that God revives the church. Let's pray that God will send a spiritual awakening. And let's pray that it starts with us.

So if you want to do this with me stand up over dinner, prayed together right now for a great awakening in America and a revival in our church.

Let's break.

Father, you know better than any of us how badly our nation needs you and Lord were asking for you to move powerfully by your Holy Spirit and send a spiritual awakening to America. We pray Lord that thousands and thousands of people will come to Christ as we heard about in these last four great awakenings.

Lord were praying for 1/5 grade awakening in the name of Jesus Christ I worry we can address 61 and the seventh one Lord move powerfully move mightily and let this revival now starting us.

Let this revival started me in each of us individually. We need to be living in that close, intimate first love relationship with Jesus Christ. So let it start in our own hearts and we ask it in Jesus name for prayer we could all sing together courses like this current year they go though you in the you and saying get it try the current and a ball you and yeah no means a new way and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and I mean being in a a and in a and and and and a and try to be seated revival is a community saturated with God will one person.

Another said revival is an invasion from heaven Richard Owen Roberts wrote these words. Quote revival is an extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.

One last point, I see for the very end. It is very important.

The Jesus revolution was a work of the Holy Spirit. You know, the book of acts where we read about the Holy Spirit being poured out on the church we see a very important principle. It is the word of God. It's accusing it's the spirit of God working through the word of God in the hearts of the people of God. Really, you need all three. The spirit of God working through the word of God in the hearts of the people of God and the people that Jesus used the changes world were very well ordinary people, uneducated, calloused hands, use social graces, many of them were outcasts.

But in a relatively short time they change the world they didn't have social media. Thomas did not tweet.

Peter did not update his Facebook page that they didn't use any of these tools we had dinner road system and a common language that they could use to bring the gospel to the rest of the world under the control of Rome. At that time, but really it comes down to this. It was a work of the Holy Spirit. So Jesus told them all at three died on the cross and rose from the dead go to Jerusalem and wait and he said in acts 18 you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit has come upon you to be witnesses and for me in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the planet. The uttermost parts of the earth, and so they went to Jerusalem today. Pentecost they don't know what they're even waiting for, and suddenly the Bible says there was a mighty rushing wind, and then there were these divided flames of fire over their heads. I don't even know what that was all about was never repeated again in Scripture and then they spoke in the language as they spoke in tongues, glorifying God and people are watching trying to figure this out. There's a lot of nonbelievers there because people I come from all over to be in Jerusalem at that particular time.

So Simon Peter gets up to preach, and that in itself is no small thing. Only days earlier this Simon Peter denied Jesus three times what happened. He been empowered by the Holy Spirit. And here's a Peter said in acts two verse 15.

From the new living translation. These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming is 9 o'clock in the morning.

It's too early for that email. The bars aren't even open yet.

He says what you see, was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel Ory says in the last days, God says I'll pour my spirit out on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy in your young men will see visions in your old man will dream dreams, credible that was a day of Pentecost.

You might say what we need another Pentecost. We don't the last home is good.

We don't need another Pentecost any more than we need another Calvary because the same power that was poured out by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost is available for believers today, you need to simply receive it again.

Acts 18 says, just as you oversee power to be a witness power to share your faith power to speak up and be counted. Power to turn your world upside down. And here's the promise that was given here next to about that power that was poured out on Pentecost. This promise is on the you it's to your children and all that are afar off it, even as many as the Lord our God shall call to God is still giving this power today what you have to do to receive it. You just pray for this power you know in Ephesians 5 it says be filled with the Holy Spirit speaking to yourself in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord and in the original language that can be translated be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit, by the way of the original Greek. It's also a command. God commands you to be filled with the spirit each and every day, but I think we make. You know too much out of this and and we feel it has to be some emotional thing you know, working to pray for people to be filled with the spirit so dim the lights and seeing slow songs while luck you can do that if you want, but the Holy Spirit to be poured out when the lights are on or off. Okay, it and it doesn't have to be emotional.

Talk about being filled and when you go put gas in your car do you have an emotional experience, probably not until you see how much the gas cost sides of the most are given electric guitar car when you plug it in the wall of an emotional experience. Any view that may be restudied in water when you do it you might generally it's not an emotional thing is just something you do you put gas in your car. You do it again and again.

Sometimes once a week. Others, once every six months if you of a previous ride. I guess because her tires of the size of donuts. I don't know but the thing is is you your fill. You fill your car and your life needs to be filled in the same way with the Holy Spirit. So what you do, you simply ask God. Jesus said that the father would give the Holy Spirit to those that ask him and I think we ought to do that right now how many of you feel that you need more power from the Holy Spirit in your life. Raise your hand up all right. Well, God wants to give you that power. He wants to fill you and he wants to refill you, then he wants to refill you again so we can ask God to fill us all with the Holy Spirit right now and ask you this day to get a lot of standing and sitting today is in there. I want you to get your exercise okay so we can pray in here's what were going to do is I'm going to lead you in a prayer and I would ask you to pray this prayer after me out loud even very similar to what we would lead someone coming to Christ in, but this is a different kind of prayer that this is what you want in your life.

Pray if you want this don't pray that no one forced me to do anything, but if you feel that you need more power to be a witness.

If you feel that you want those gifts of the spirit of the God wants to give to you and you pray this prayer with me right now. Let's start heads father were asking that you will bless this moment as we ask you for something you told us you want to give us, and we want everything you have for us. So were asking you to hear our prayer. If you want God to fill you with the Holy Spirit. I want you to pray this out loud after me.

Pray these words Lord Jesus, I am weak, but you are strong and you promised power to me power to be a witness power to change the world.

I need this power in my life, Lord.

So I am asking you now and then name that is above all names, the name of Jesus Christ.

I'm asking you to fill me with the Holy Spirit give me all the gifts you want me to have.

To be all the power that I need to serve you to glorify you to be used by you. I received this power in my life now in Jesus name I pray to. So in the evening and he is a and and being a and a and a and and a and you and and and and and and and and and and and and and and and I and you can all be seated for one last time. So all those folks are gathered together in the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit is poured out, nonbelievers are standing there watching this all happening and they don't know what's going on.

Peter gets up and preaches to the people tells them the gospel tells them Jesus died on the cross for their sin and they didn't know what to do and we read in acts 237 Peter's words pierced their hearts and they said to him, and the other apostles, brothers, what should we do Peter apply each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, you, I think when you come into a study like this is a nonbeliever or as a visitor you wonder what is this mean what is this all about. It's about Jesus. It's about a relationship with Jesus and you know it's a funny thing when you're around people that have something there enjoying you wanted to give her going out with folks to eat after church may be, and maybe you don't want to eat your trying to lose weight and you say I'm just gonna drink water and so your friends order burgers and fries and onion rings and all that good stuff, and you're watching all and then you say door Frank and I am one of your fries. Just when they say go ahead and you eat one fry from someone else and it's like the greatest French fries you've ever had in your life then you order your own right. I think when a Christian is living as they ought to live. It's contagious. Other people want it. They desire to maybe you've come here today you're watching on a screen right now.

One of our campuses. Wherever you are if you don't have this relationship with Jesus Christ and your question is the same as the people on the day of Pentecost. What is this mean what should we do Peter says repent of your sins and turn to God. That's it. What is it mean to repent of your sins and needs to turn from your sin, to stop living that way. Change your direction in life and then turn the God put your faith in Jesus and he will come and take residence in your heart.

Folks listen, this is about a relationship with God. That's why we didn't call it the church revolution or the Bible revolution of the God revolution.

It was the Jesus revolution was people having their lives turned around by Jesus, and Jesus is still in the revolution business today. He still changing lives and he can change your life. I don't know what state you're in. I don't know what path you're on.

But as I talked about hopeless people turning to drugs or alcohol trying to find answers. Maybe that describes you, maybe there's somebody else here that's been so despondent you've contemplated suicide. Maybe there's somebody else here that is just wondering what you know you have checked all the boxes you got all the things you thought you would want in life to make yourself happy and there's just as big hole in your heart. Some of you are older in your thinking a lot about the afterlife and you're wondering what's going to happen to you and you hope that God will let you and the other listen we can get all of that was all right now to fill that void in your life or you will no longer need drugs or alcohol or any other kind of substance to fill it. He can also forgive you of your sin so you can know was certain that you will go to heaven when you die you don't have to guess on that or worry about that and also by having Jesus in your life you can know with confidence that if you were to come in our lifetime or if you were to come today you would be ready to meet him you would be ready that go to heaven if you're not sure that you need to respond to an invitation I'm going to extend the moment.

Listen, Jesus died on the cross for your sin he rose again from the dead, and he will come into your life.

This is personal yeah true corporately.

We all believe this but it's personal. The way God works in a person's life. It's as though you're the only person on earth he's doing it for but in reality he's doing it for many many others will do it for you today because Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead stands at the door of your life in the Knox and says if you hear his voice and open the door will commit so I'm a new extended invitation for you to come.

The crisis is for everybody here and for everybody watching me on the screen right now.

Whatever harvest A charrette this is for you and if you don't know Jesus right now respond to this invitation. I'm going to now extend atop our heads. Please everybody, praying father. Now we pray that your Holy Spirit will convict and convince every person here every person watching wherever they are, of their need for Jesus and help them to come to you and help them believe in you right here right now. No other heads of God or praying together. If you want Jesus Christ to come into your life if you want him to forgive you of your sin if you want to know that when you die you will go to heaven if you want to be ready for the Lord's return wherever you are, would you lift your hand up right now so I can pray if you lift your hand and say yes I want Jesus today. I want him to forgive me of my sin.

And I'll pray for you. God bless you. God bless you wherever you are, lift your hand up Iraq and see it. I'll pray for you today. If you want to the screen.

I'm still going to ask you to look at your hand up and I can't see the screen but this is a little step of faith you're taking toward God, and God sees you wherever you are. Just raise your hands and just I need Jesus to pray for you. Anybody else raise your hand sin you want is forgiveness. You want to go to heaven when you die you want to start this relationship with him. Anybody else raise her hand to me. Pray for you. God bless everyone of you raising a hand might be some of you are sort of lapsed Jesus people you walk with the Lord in the day, but that was a long time ago and it's time for you to come home again. It's time for you to return to the Lord. So you need to come back to Jesus Christ. If you need to make a recommitment to him. I meant to ask you to raise your hand up right now.

Let me pray for you.

You need to come back to the Lord again.

You fallen away, or you've lost that passion you left that first love relationship with Jesus but you wanted in your life again.

Raise your hand up when we pray for you accomplish anybody else accomplish Naaman ask everyone who raise your hand if you would please I want you to stand your feet stand your feet all of you that raise your head.

Even if you did not raise your hand but you want to make this commitment a recommitment to Jesus stand up, you heard me right. Stand up and Emily join this prayer wherever you are, stand up, or alternate pray together stand your feet wherever you are, stand up, it's making a public stand for Christ. There might be a few more of you even if you did not raise her hand but you want to pray this prayer making a commitment, a recommitment to Jesus stand up and let me lead you in this prayer.

God bless you, that are standing by the way, you will be alone. Others are already stepping away one more moment anybody else stand up now you need to make this commitment a recommitment to Christ.

Stand your feet about solidly stepping you that are sent and I want you to pray this prayer out loud after me being there from your heart and God will hear you again as I pray this out loud after me. Pray these words Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner but I know that you're the Savior who died on the cross for my sin I discern from my sin. Now, and I choose to follow you as my Savior and Lord is my God in friend thank you for hearing this prayer in answering this prayer in Jesus name I pray a man amen. God bless each one of you that pray that prayer