Acts 24:12 And they neither found me in the temple disputing with any man, neither raising up the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

Paul had come to Jerusalem because God had shown him that he was going to preach the gospel in Jerusalem. However, before Paul took an active part in stirring up the hearts of the Jews for the things of God, Paul desired to first get his heart right with God. Paul was not seen in the temple warming up his arguments for the big show down with the religious leaders; instead, Paul was found in the temple worshiping God.

Paul understood that before God could use him to do great things in Jerusalem, God first needed Paul to make sure that his heart was right with God. Paul understood that the religious leaders would diligently look to find some problem with the life of Paul and if Paul was not right with God, his testimony could be greatly damaged. As such, Paul started first with his own heart before he trusted the Lord to allow him to touch the lives of those around him.

Have you every prayed for a great revival to touch this country once again? Are you prepared for the personal sacrifice that it takes to see a great revival? A revival does not start with the lost souls all of a sudden recognizing their need for God and coming to church to be saved. No, a revival starts with Christians who see just how worldly their ways are and they come and repent of their sins and abstain from the things of this world. When the world sees the change in the church, then the world starts coming and repenting of its sins.

Revival must start in the heart of the Church, the bride of Christ. You are a part of the bride of Christ and as such, that means that you are accountable to God for the condition of your heart. God desires that you follow the example of Paul by first making sure that your heart is right before God before you start meddling with the lives of those around you. If your heart is right before God, then God can open up the doors and bless the work of your hands as you go out and show the world what it means to reflect the light of God.

Paul was a great Christian, but he took time to just sit down and worship God. Paul was not concerned about the fact that he was missing great opportunities to be arguing with the religious leaders about the errors of their way. Paul knew that in the perfect timing of God, he would be seeing plenty of action. Nonetheless, Paul first understood that he needed to make sure that his relationship with God was right.

Jesus Christ before going up on the cross went off to pray with God. Christ understood the importance of putting aside the things of this world in order to focus HIS attention upon the things of God. Even the perfect Son of God desired something other than the cross because of the price that HE was going to have to pay; but the perfect Son of God by taking the time in prayer was able to focus HIS heart so that HE was pursuing the perfect plan of God.

When was the last time you put aside the cares of this world in order to ensure that your heart was right with God? When was the last time you diligently added temperance to your life and said no to the desires of your heart so that you filled your soul with the desires of the heart of God? When was the last time you just kneeled down and thanked God for all the wonderful things that HE has done for you? Maybe you are spending too much time trying to be used of God and not enough time putting the things of God first in your life.

Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

The nation of Judah is held captive in Babylon. They are weeping as they remember how God use to bless them when they were in Zion. Now they are suffering God’s judgment for their sins and the sins of their father. The nation does not serve God with a whole heart and because of their sin, of worship false gods and sacrificing their children to false gods, God has brought judgment upon them.

This is the first step of repentance, recognizing God’s judgment upon the land. Once your eyes become awakened to God’s judgment, then you are in the position to humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways. Once God’s people humble themselves and pray, then God can come and heal the land and remove the oppression.

The nation of Israel suffered oppression for seven years from the children of Midian before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, he sent Gideon. The nation of Israel suffered oppression for eight years from Cushanrishathaim, king of Mesopotamia before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, he sent Othniel who delivered them. The nation of Israel suffered oppression for eighteen years under the hand of Eglon, king of Moab before they finally cried out to God for deliverance. Once they cried out to God, HE sent Ehud who delivered them. Throughout Israel’s history you see how once the nation of Israel recognized the judgment of God and they cried out to HIM for deliverance, HE would raise up a man to deliver them from the hand of the enemy.

It is important to recognize the judgment of God upon this country. It is important to see just how God has allowed the enemy to rule over us and to dictate how, when, and where you worship God. As you look back at history and realize that there was a time where you had more freedom in worshiping God, you will see the bondage that this nation is in. The first step of this revival begins when you allow God to open your eyes to see the oppression of the enemy.

The enemy is a master at gradually taking away your freedoms. In order to understand the attack of the enemy, you must allow God to open your eyes and to see how things used to be and how they were meant to be.

You will never humble yourself, pray, seek God’s face, and turn from your wicked ways until you first allow yourself to see just how God is judging you and the nation. As you allow God to awaken your heart and you begin to weep, you need to be prepared for how God might use you to encourage others to also cry out to HIM for deliverance.

To open your spiritual eyes to the judgment of God, you must first fill your heart and mind with the things of God. As you begin to think upon the things of God, the bondage of Satan will become more evident. Adding virtue to your life will open your spiritual eyes and enable you to see that greater is HE that is in you than he that is of this world. When God opens your spiritual eyes, than you are ready to be used of HIM.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

Solomon was in the process of dedicating the temple to God and God laid out the steps of revival. The first step of revival is to humble ourselves. What does it mean to humble yourself? You know the scriptures, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6). You understand what pride is; it is easy to watch it creep up in your life, but how do you develop a humble life? How do you demonstrate to God humility?

Jesus taught that “Whosever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:4). It is easy for you to look down on a little child; what have they done in comparison with you? What great feats has this little child done? However, that is pride speaking through you. The little child’s whole existence is dependent upon those who care for it. That is the attitude that God requests you to maintain in your life.

It is God who has given you life. It is God who has protected you from harm. It is God who loves you and has given you the talents that you have used to accomplish things that you think should give you honor and praise from those around you. However, apart from God you are nothing. When God allowed Satan to try Job’s faith, there was nothing Job could do to stop the loss of his wealth, his health and his family. Absolutely nothing. All Job could do it trust in God, that is all that he had and that is all that God wanted.

Job was a humble man who understood his position with God. A little child cannot earn the money to put food on the table. Yet that child’s simple trust in those around him or her is what God desires to see in you. God desires for you to recognize that nothing you have could have been obtained without HIS blessing on your life.

When the disciples tried to determine who would be the greatest, Jesus reminded them that “whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12). In God’s eyes, greatness is not found by the person who can brag about all their accomplishments; greatness is found in the one who can acknowledge God’s greatness in their life and how they are unworthy of God’s blessing.

King Ahab is an interesting study. Here was a man who along with his wife did great wickedness in Israel. One day, Jezebel had an innocent man killed so that Ahab could take possession of this man’s vineyard. Elijah met Ahab in the vineyard and pronounced God’s judgment upon Ahab. Later on, God told Elijah that because Ahab humbled himself, God was not going to bring judgment upon Ahab during his lifetime.

What did Ahab do to demonstrate his humility to God? In 1 Kings 21:27 you find that Ahab ripped his clothes, put on sackcloth, and fasted. Ahab may not have lived a life pleasing in the sight of God, but he understood that God was with Elijah and that whatever Elijah said was coming directly from God. Ahab understood God had pronounced judgment upon him and the fear of the Lord caused him to humble himself.

Many years later, there was a king named Josiah. Josiah started his reign when he was only eight years old. Josiah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. He ordered that the temple be repaired. While the temple was being repaired, a book was found that contained God’s judgment upon the nation. God spoke to Josiah through the prophets that because his “heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord” (2 Kings 22:19). The Lord did not bring HIS judgment upon Judah during Josiah’s reign.

What did Josiah do to demonstrate his humility? When Josiah heard God’s judgment as found in the book, Josiah humbled himself by ripping his cloths and by sending his servants to go inquire of the Lord. Josiah understood that God keeps his promise and by ripping his cloths from his body, Josiah was demonstrating to God a humble and tender spirit that was pleasing in the sight of God.

God tells us to humble ourselves “in the sight of the Lord, and he shall life you up.” (James 4:10). In between verse six and verse ten of this chapter, God lays out the things that you can do to demonstrate your humility before him.

God asks you to “submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7). To submit means to yield, this means that you understand that it is not your will but HIS will that must be done. Christ taught us in the Lord’s Prayer that we are to ask God that HIS will be done. Christ not only taught us with HIS words, but HE also demonstrated with HIS actions by submitting to the Lord’s will when HE went to the cross to die for your sins.

God also asks you to “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8). God has not sinned; it was man who sinned back in the garden. Because of your sin, there is a great gap between you and God. God has demonstrated HIS love for you and it is HIS desire that you transform your life so that HE might be glorified through you. HE longs for you to take the steps necessary to come back to HIM. HE longs for the day for you to willingly ask HIM to forgive you for the sins that you have done that have damaged your relationship with HIM. God is waiting patiently for you. God desires that you demonstrate your humility by purifying your heart and learning to think upon the things of God.

Both king Ahab and king Josiah demonstrated their humility when they recognized God’s judgment. These men, demonstrated James 4:9 which says “Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.” If you desire to see God bring a great revival across this country, then you need to follow the example of these two kings. The first thing God requires of you is humility. Humility will be found as mourn and weep for the sin that is being committed around you.

Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah all confessed the sins of the people around them. All three men did great things for God, and God used them in mighty ways. God was able to use these men because they were not only concerned about themselves. These men looked to God and understood HIS’ faithfulness. These men understood that those around them had sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. As such, these men cried out to God and not only confessed their own sins but also cried out to God to forgive the sins of those around them and the sins of their fathers.

God desires to bring another revival into the hearts of HIS people. However, that revival must start with you. No longer can you wait for others to start the process, the process must start with you humbling yourself before God. You must follow the words of Peter who taught us to “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your cares upon him; for he careth for you.” (I Peter 5:6-7).

You must understand that your life does not mean much if you do not have the right relationship with God. If you are not willing to lay aside the things of this world, you will never have a heart after God’s own heart. Choose you this day whom you will serve. Will you do that which is right in your own eyes or will you do that which is right in the eyes of God? Apart from God you can do nothing, the sooner you figure that out, the soon you can find yourself in a position that God can use you.

The Hebrew word that is translated humble in this passage means to bend the knee, to bring into subjection and to subdue. In countries that have a king, the subjects of the king will often bend their knees to the ground as an outward manifestation that they live their lives in subjection to their king. This gesture demonstrates to all that the will of the one who is bowing is subject to the one who stands.

God desires that you acknowledge HIS greatness in your life. HE desires that you put your life in subjection to HIM; that you yield your will and allow HIM to reign supreme in your life. Humility is simply acknowledging with both your words and actions that God is great and that without HIM you would be nothing. Humility is demonstrating to God the glory and honor that is due unto HIS name.

Hebrews 12:28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

The nation of Israel had watch time after as the Lord had brought a plague upon the land of Egypt but had spared them. Now they were being told that if they did not kill the lamb and sprinkle the blood their firstborn would die. By faith they obeyed God and the life of their firstborn was spared.

Imagine being an independent observer to the events in Egypt. You walk up to one of the Israelites this night as they are sprinkling the blood. You ask them why they are doing what they are doing. You receive a reply that if they did not sprinkle the blood their child would die. You then ask how the sprinkling the blood was going to save the firstborn. The Israelites probably could not have told you but they would have said that they were just obeying Moses and that Moses really seems to have a connection with God What Moses says, happens.

By faith an entire nation was spared the death of their firstborn by simply obeying God and doing a new thing. They were not spared because they were decedents of Abraham. They were not spared because they worshiped God. They were not spared because the evil Egyptians oppressed them. They were spared because they obeyed.

In this passage of Hebrews, we have seen many individuals who demonstrated faith. Now in this passage we see how the entire nation individually demonstrated faith. Those who did not obey believing that they were saved based upon their heritage ended up suffering a tragic loss. It was an individual act of faith for each family. But collectively it was accounted to all who obeyed as faith.

Revival occurs when a group of individuals at the same time obey the prompting of God’s spirit to put God first in their life. While it takes a group of individuals collectively obeying to create a revival, each individual’s step of faith is what saves them. Just because someone was at the revival meeting does not mean that they live happily ever after. In order to receive the blessings of living a life dedicated to the Lord, you have to obey the Lord and accept the gift of salvation.

Revival is like geese flying south for the winter. As you look up into the sky, you will see them flying in a V pattern. They collectively are benefiting by staying in the slipstream of the goose in front of them. If one goose were to decide that they were not going to stay in the slipstream, not only would they lose the benefit of the slipstream but every goose that was behind them would suffer as they either tried to get back in line or as they struggled to follow this goose going astray. Each goose must individually obey, but collectively they all benefit.

Each time revival broke out across this land it was individuals who decided that they were going to live a life more pleasing to the Lord. It was the collective nature of such changes that caused the whole world to take notice that the Lord was doing something special. Individually we obey and individually we are blessed but collectively we are recognized.