Prescription for Personal Revival

James 4:6-10 

Introduction:  You go to your doctor for whatever reason.  He does his examination.  He has blood drawn.  He may even run a few tests to make sure what is going on with your body.  At the end of your office visit, he will tell you what he thinks is going on. Then he will write on small piece of paper and hand it to you and tell you that this is the prescription he wants you to take.  You can have it filled at your drug store. 

      (On the lighter side, he gives you your bill that can be cause you to have a heart attack.)  You take the prescription to the drug store where you have it filled (usually another place for a possible heart attack).  That prescription is supposed to take care of your medical condition.

  Our author, Brother James gives us a prescription for personal revival.  I am convinced more and more that a church will not have true revival until individual members get right with God and experience personal revival.  We sing the song today, "Revive us again".  Do we really mean these songs when we sing them or we just sing a song because it is what is picked out for the day?

  The song would probably mean more to us if we would sing this way:  "I praise Thee, O God!  for the Son of Thy Love For Jesus who died and is now gone above.  Hallelujah! Thine the glory, Hallelujah! Thine the glory, revive me again."  "Revive me again; fill my heart with thy love; May my soul be rekindled with fire from above.  Hallelujah! Thine the glory, Hallelujah! Thine the glory, revive me again."

  Today I want to look at our text and give you some thoughts that the Lord impressed upon my heart about personal revival.  These thoughts are found under the different verbs that you find in these verses.  It is found in the words:  Submit, Resist, Draw, Cleanse and Humble.  Before each of these words you do not find a subject.  The word "you" is clear understood.  That is one reason why I have called this message:  'The Prescription for Personal Revival'.  It is simply this you are to submit; you are to resist, you are to draw, you are to cleanse and you are to be humble.  God will never do what for you what He expects you to do for yourself.  He will always do His part.  He will not fail.  As 1^st Kings 8:56 tells us so well, "Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant".

   May we experience personal revival!  Let me give you this thought before proceeding forward.  Personal revival is not feelings even though God will break through your emotions.  If you are going on feelings, then you have missed the whole intent of this message.  But God wants to give you personal revival much more than you want it.  Let's get desperate for God today and implore Him to do that which that only God can give: REVIVAL, personal REVIVAL! 

I.   THE BEGINNING OF PERSONAL REVIVAL "SUBMIT"

                                                Vs. 7

                  “Submit yourselves therefore to God.”

      This is a real challenge.  What a change that this can bring. It is a command that must be obeyed.  Let's look at this principle from the scriptures.  Before preceding any further, I want to give these preliminary thoughts. When you submit to anyone else, you are to the victim but with submission to God, you are a victor.  The word "submit" is a military term that means to get into your proper rank.  It has its objective unconditional surrender.  It is this submission that is the beginning of personal revival.

      A.  What is not Submission!

             1. A man has not submitted to God as long as he is in a state of indifference.  If you are walking about and saying to yourself that I don't care, then you will not experience the beginning of personal revival.  We live in a period of indifference in the church today.  Most people are eat up with apathy as long as it does not affect them.  Many folks want to be entertained instead of exhorted to live right.  If they are not be entertained, they may get upset enough to come out of the state of indifference or apathy.

         2.  A man has not submitted to God as long as he is living only for self.  Too long we have be doing just this.  It is no wonder that we live a disgraceful, disappointing, disagreeable and defeated lives as believers.  Living for self desires our own praise and honor.  Living for self defeats our Lord's attempts to bring personal revival to us.

         3. A man has not submitted to God as long as he is seeking to please men.  We have become satisfied with our outward appearances.  This is what man sees.  We like looking religious so the world will think kindly upon us when in reality, it really despises us for being phonies.

         4. A man has not submitted to God as long as he loves the world.  If the world is in the heart, it is still an enemy of God.

                          James 4:4

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

      B.  To whom we should submit?  The answer is simple.  It is "TO GOD"

           “Why?” is the question on some people's minds.

         1.  It is because He hath made us- Our Creator.

         2. It is because He hath sent His Son to save us- Our Converter.

         3. It is because He hath given His Spirit to quicken and comfort us- Our Companion.

         4. It is because He hath given His Word to guide us and assure us- Our Compass.

      C.  What is to be submitted?  "YOURSELVES"

           This implies that you must submit these areas if you want personal revival.

         1.  Our will and affections

         2.  Our time and talents

         3. Our plans and purposes

         4.  Our pleasures and possessions

         5.  Our cares and anxieties

      D.  Why you ought to submit- "SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE"

      Anytime you find the word "therefore" in the Bible, ask yourself this question "Wherefore is that therefore, there for?"  Look back at verse 6.

         1.  It is because God resisteth the proud.  He has set Himself against those who are in rebel against Him.  We do not have the time today to look at the ways that we are in rebellion against Him.  But if you, with an open mind, Bible and heart, are set before Him and ask Him to show you the rebellious areas of your life, He will show you.  Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

             It is vain to hope to have personal revival in the face of resisting God.

         2. It is because God giveth grace to the humble.  Those who submit will receive grace sufficient to pardon, to reconcile, to keep, satisfying, to bring personal revival.

            Psalm 51:17

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” 

II.  THE BRAVERY OF PERSONAL REVIVAL- "RESIST"

                                                Vs. 7

                  “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

         What a great passage this is!  But how is this possible?

                          1^st John 4:4

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

          You have the Creator God living in you who will do the work for you.

                                                Philippians 1:6

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ”

                          Philippians 4:13

       “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

      The blood of Jesus Christ is one of the tools that you have at your disposal.  Satan hates the Blood.  It spelled his defeat at Calvary.  It spells your cleansing.

                          Revelation 12:11

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

      The Word of God is another tool at your disposal.  Jesus used the Word of God when He was tempted of the devil in the wilderness.  What makes us think that we should use     another method?  Our wisdom is for naught in resisting the devil.              

                                                Hebrews 4:12

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

      The name of the Lord Jesus Christ is another tool that you can boldly use in resisting the devil.   Philippians 2:9-11

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

      You can resist the devil when you have personal revival.  Why?  It is because you have the beginning of personal revival- submission to God. 

III.   THE BEAUTY AND BOUNTIFULNESS OF PERSONAL REVIVAL- "DRAW"

                                                Vs. 8

                  “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”

      A. W. Tozer said, "Nearness is likeness."  The problem is we do not want to be near God because we do not want to like Him.  We are satisfied with the status quo.  If you want the beauty and bountifulness of personal revival, you will have to draw nigh unto God.

      A.  Areas to draw nigh

         1.  Our attitudes must draw nigh unto God.  I do not have the time in this message to deal with out attitudes so I will let the scriptures speak itself on the subject.  What you will be in life is dependent upon your attitude.

                          Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

         2.  Our affections must draw nigh unto God.

                          Colossians 3:2

            “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”

      Our affections have been set on the things of this world that is temporary at best.  New cars, clothes and such are only temporary.  A fire, a thief or even a moth can destroy these temporary items.  Only eternal souls are best.

         3. Our actions should draw nigh unto the Lord.  Too often we allow our emotions to guide us.  Brother James reminds us in this epistle that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

      Albert Barnes gives this light on this passage with these words: Compare 2^nd Chronicles 15:2 (And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.) This declaration contains a great and important principle in religion. If we wish the favour of God, we must come to him; nor can we hope for his mercy, unless we approach him and ask him for it. We cannot come literally any nearer to God than we always are, for he is always round about us; but we may come nearer in a spiritual sense. We may address him directly in prayer; we may approach him by meditation on his character; we may draw near to him in the ordinances of religion. We can never hope for his favour while we prefer to remain at a distance from him; none who in fact draw near to him will find him unwilling to bestow on them the blessings which they need.  

IV.  THE BURDEN FOR PERSONAL REVIVAL- "CLEANSE"

                                                Vs. 8

                  “Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

      Nothing makes a person feel better after a long, hot day than a hot bath or shower.  You feel revived physically.  The burden for personal revival is to come clean with God.      Let me ask a few questions.  These questions are very pointed but they will reveal to us whether or not we really want cleanse ourselves of sin.

      1.  Is there anyone against whom you hold a grudge?

      2.  Is there anything in which you have failed to put God first?

      3.  Are you secretly pleased over the misfortune of others?

      4.  Have you robbed God by withholding His due of time, talents and money?

      5.  Do you have any habits that are defiling the body?

      6.  Are you in any way careless with your body?

      7.  Are your statements most about "I"?

      8.  Do you complain?

      9.  Do you find fault?

      10.  Do you get angry?

      11. Do you ever carry hidden anger?

      12.  Have you virtually called God a liar by doubting His Word?

      13.  Do you ever lie?

      14.  Do you ever cheat?

      15.  Are you irregular in attendance to church?

      16.  Have you neglected God's Word?

      17.  Are you lazy?

      18. Does your manner of dress please God?

      19.  Are you more concerned about what people will think than what will be pleasing to God?

      20. Are you taken up with the cares of this life?

      These questions when answered prayerful can reveal some areas in which you must ask God to cleanse. 1^st John 1:7, 9

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”  “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

      In verse 9 of 1^st John chapter 1, we find the seriousness of this principle from God's word.  It is that we confess.  Confession of sin means that we call that sin exactly what God calls it.  If it is a lie, then call it a lie.  Don’t try to trivialize by calling it a fib.  Call it a lie.  Confession of sin brings cleansing. 

V.   THE BROKENNESS OF PERSONAL REVIVAL- "HUMBLE"

              Vs. 10

                  “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

                        Humility is one of principle that Brother James is stressing here. Our Lord requires it.        Micah 6:8

“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

      Years ago there was a contest in the London Times asking readers to respond to the question "What is wrong with the world?" The winner was the writer G. K. Chesterton who wrote: "Dear sirs, I am. Yours faithfully, G. K. Chesterton." How many people really believe that?  We are to have personal revival; we must get to the place we know that we are the real reason we don’t.

       It must be seen in our walk with the Lord.

                          Psalm 34:18

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”

      Prayer is the only way to get humility.  We must remember who we are and who He is.  We are dirt with a lot of hot air.  He is the Creator who made the dirt and also the man out of the dirt.  If that does not really humble nothing will do so.  When God bring humility in our lives, He lifts us up.

      Humility is a gift. God is in the business of humbling His people; causing them to be dependent on Him. Nobody is to fight against God in the humbling experience. 
What is it that is happening in your life that is humbling you? Do you see God?  Nobody can brag about his humility.

      Not only does Brother James give us a principle to follow, he also gives a promise that will stand and is sure.  God will lift us up.  When He lifts us up we don’t have a reason to be proud and arrogant. 

Conclusion: Do we really want personal revival or we just lying to God and ourselves?  We will have personal revival when we submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, draw nigh unto God, get cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ and humble ourselves before God.

      Maybe we need to do what I heard one man that came forward in a revival meeting did.  He came to the front and drew a circle and told the Lord to bring revival to everything in that circle and then he stepped into that circle.