Greg Laurie - Are We Seeing Another Spiritual Awakening?

May 18, 2026 | 27:29

Join Pastor Greg Laurie for a time of encouragement, worship, and Bible study.

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Harvest with Pastor Greg Laurie | Greg Laurie - Are We Seeing Another Spiritual Awakening? | May 18, 2026
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  • Greg laurie: jesus says, "remember from where you have
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  • Fallen, repent and do the first works quickly."
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  • What did you used to do when you were passionate and on fire
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  • For jesus?
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  • Well, i bet every day you read the bible.
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  • I bet every day you committed things to the lord in prayer.
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  • I bet you were actively involved in the church, probably serving
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  • In the church, and more.
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  • Do you still do that?
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  • "well, i don't know, not as much as i used to."
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  • "go back and do the first works quickly," that's what
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  • Jesus says.
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪
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  • ♪ this is the day, the day when life begins. ♪♪
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  • Greg: "are we seeing another spiritual awakening?"
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  • My answer is: we are seeing a spiritual awakening.
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  • Will this become national?
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  • I don't know, but i pray it will.
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  • And what other hope is there for this young generation?
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  • As i mentioned, gen z has the highest suicide rate of
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  • Any generation.
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  • This is a generation, 42% of them, the high school students
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  • Experience constant sadness.
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  • Twenty-two percent of high school students have
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  • Contemplated suicide, and i know the answer is jesus christ.
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  • They need their own encounter with god, and that's what we
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  • Need to pray for.
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  • It's helpful to look back at how god has moved in our past, in
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  • Our nation.
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  • America has had four great spiritual
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  • Awakenings historically.
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  • The first one happened in the united states before we were
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  • Officially a country in 1740.
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  • This revival shook colonial america.
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  • And one of the main figures of this revival was named george,
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  • Not george washington, but george whitefield.
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  • George whitefield was a preacher from england, and he had a
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  • Tremendous voice that could be heard for miles.
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  • In fact, benjamin franklin wrote about how he went to hear george
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  • Whitefield preach, and he said that he felt his voice could
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  • Reach upwards of 30,000 people without amplification.
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  • Now, by the way, i tried this once.
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  • I was at angel stadium preaching, and all of a sudden
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  • The sound went out, the power went out, and i tried to
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  • Keep preaching.
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  • It was ridiculous.
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  • No one could hear me.
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  • There was a little microphone on the stage that one of the bands
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  • Had used for one of their songs for some little effect they
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  • Were doing.
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  • So i picked up this tiny little megaphone, and i tried to speak
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  • Through it.
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  • It was not working.
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  • Finally, they got the sound back on, and it was just someone
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  • Unplugged the cord.
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  • But i can tell you, there's no way my voice would have carried
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  • To that many people, but george whitefield's voice did, and
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  • Thousands of people came to christ under his preaching.
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  • From 1740 to 1742, 50,000 people came to christ out of a
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  • Population of 300,000 people, and it was in this soil of
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  • Revival that america was born.
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  • You see, the first great spiritual awakening didn't just
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  • Change hearts, it helped to shape the moral dna of what
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  • Would become the united states.
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  • Our country, despite what some people will tell you, is unique,
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  • And i believe it has been established by god.
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  • In our unique document, the declaration of independence, it
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  • Stands alone for its acknowledgment of god, in which
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  • It says, and i quote, "we hold these truths to be self-evident,
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  • That all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by
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  • Their creator with certain inalienable rights, and among
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  • These are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,"
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  • End quote.
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  • There's no other nation in history with a statement
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  • Like that.
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  • Effectively, our founding fathers were saying, god gave us
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  • These rights.
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  • A king did not give us these rights.
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  • Government does not give these rights to us.
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  • They've been given to us by god.
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  • America is exceptional.
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  • America is unique, and america has been established by god.
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  • America was born in revival, and america needs another revival,
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  • To sum it all up.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • So there was george whitefield, the great preacher, our
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  • Spiritual founding father, and then, of course, there's
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  • George washington.
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  • During the revolutionary war, general washington, leading the
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  • Continental armies, had a special flag prepared, and on
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  • The flag were the words "appeal to heaven."
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  • And it was a reminder to all of the troops that the only way
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  • That they could possibly win this war, as they took on the
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  • Most powerful military in the world at that time, that of
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  • Great britain, would be if god intervened.
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  • And washington was quick to give credit to god for the success on
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  • The battlefield and ultimately, of course, he became
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  • Our president.
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  • So that's awakening number one.
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  • The second great awakening was in the 1790s to around 1840.
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  • It was during the days of the wild west, and they called it
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  • The wild west for good reason.
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  • It was just rampant lawlessness and chaos, but they would have
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  • These huge camp meetings out in the forests and people would
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  • Walk the so-called "sawdust trail" and make that commitment
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  • To follow christ.
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  • The third great awakening was quite different from the second
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  • And the first.
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  • It happened in new york city, from around 1857 to 1859.
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  • It started with a 48-year-old businessman named jeremiah
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  • Lanphier that decided he wanted to start a prayer meeting.
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  • Initially, hardly anyone came.
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  • Then something dramatic happened.
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  • The stock market crashed.
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  • Suddenly, his prayer meeting was full and more prayer meetings
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  • Were starting throughout new york.
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  • And within six months, 10,000 new yorkers were gathering for
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  • Prayer throughout the city on any given day.
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  • And it was reported there were 50,000 new yorkers converted
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  • From march to may, and then it became 50,000 new yorkers a week
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  • Coming to christ for about two years.
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  • When it was all said and done, one million people came to
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  • Christ through that powerful prayer meeting started by
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  • Jeremiah lanphier.
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  • And so it started so simply.
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  • David jeremiah summed it up this way, quote, "revival is the
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  • Rekindling of a flame, and when the fire is lit, it doesn't just
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  • Warm the church, it lights up the world."
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  • And the last great spiritual awakening was called the jesus
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  • Movement, and that was around 50 years ago.
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  • I was privileged to come to christ at that time, at the age
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  • Of 17.
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  • I did not know that i'd walked into the middle of a revival,
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  • But i certainly did, and many historians say that the jesus
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  • Movement may have been the most significant and far-reaching of
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  • All the american revivals.
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  • Okay, so what is revival?
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  • Revival is coming back to life.
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  • It's simply coming back to life.
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  • It's refreshment, it's restoration, it's returning to
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  • Its original condition.
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  • In psalm 80:19 it says: "restore us, o god.
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  • Let your face shine on us so we might be saved."
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  • And listen, revival can happen individually.
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  • You can have a personal revival.
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  • You can have a revival in your family, or in your church, or in
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  • Your community.
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  • So revival can be personal, it can be local, but an awakening,
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  • That's different.
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  • That's when god does a huge work across the board.
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  • So my question is: are we seeing an awakening?
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  • I know we're seeing a revival of sorts here in southern
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  • California, but will that turn into something larger?
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  • I don't know, but it can start with you.
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  • It's called returning to your first love.
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  • You know, to the book--in the book of revelation, jesus speaks
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  • To the believers in ephesus, and he commends them.
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  • Lose paraphrase, "hey, you guys are doing great.
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  • I know you're discerning.
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  • I know you work hard.
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  • I appreciate it, but i have something against you."
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  • "you have left your first love."
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  • So he says, "remember from where you have fallen, and do the
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  • First works quickly."
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  • And in the same way as christians, we can start off
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  • With a lot of passion and excitement in following
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  • The lord.
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  • You just can't go to church too often.
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  • You love to study the bible.
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  • You delight in prayer, evangelism just flows out of
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  • You, but as the years pass, sometimes that passion can begin
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  • To fade.
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  • If that is the case, you are leaving your first love.
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  • So jesus says, "remember from where you have fallen and do the
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  • First works quickly."
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  • You see, you need to learn how to grow and mature in your
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  • Faith, and every now and then we all need to be refreshed.
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  • Billy sunday, the great evangelist, said, "they tell me
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  • Revival is only temporary.
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  • Well, so is a bath, but it does you some good."
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  • And every now and then, we all can use a little revival and a
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  • Little refreshing in our life, but how badly do we really want
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  • To see it happen?
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  • Often, we pray for prosperity, but it's often during times of
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  • Hardship that we see spiritual awakenings happen.
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  • I once asked pastor chuck smith, who is regarded as the father of
  • 00:10:04.035 --> 00:10:08.273
  • The jesus movement, and certainly one of the primary
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  • Leaders of it, i asked him, "chuck, do you think we'll ever
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  • See another jesus movement?"
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  • And he said, "i don't know, greg.
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  • I don't know if we're desperate enough."
  • 00:10:18.049 --> 00:10:20.385
  • Well, i think maybe we are desperate enough now.
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  • So revival is being refreshed and revival is waking from sleep
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  • And turning from sin.
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  • Romans 13 says, "it's urgent for you to know how late it is.
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  • Time is running out.
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  • Wake up, for your salvation is nearer than we first believed."
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  • We need to wake up.
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  • Some christians are asleep spiritually.
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  • One writer put it this way, and i quote, "if all the sleeping
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  • People will wake up, if all the lukewarm people will fire up, if
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  • All the dishonest people will confess up, if all the
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  • Disgruntled people will cheer up, if all the estranged people
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  • Will make up, if all the gossipers will shut up, if all
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  • True soldiers will stand up, if all the dry bones will shake up,
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  • If all the church people will pray up, then we can have
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  • A revival."
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  • And i agree with that.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • God lays out his prescription for revival in 2 chronicles
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  • 7:14, not unlike a doctor writing a prescription for you,
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  • Do this and you'll get better.
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  • God says, "do this and you'll be healed."
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  • 2 chronicles 7:14, a verse we all should commit to memory.
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  • And somehow i've forgotten it.
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  • No, i remember.
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  • God says, "if my people, which are called by my name, will
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  • Humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from
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  • Their wicked ways, then," the lord promises, "i will hear from
  • 00:11:51.009 --> 00:11:55.013
  • Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land."
  • 00:11:55.013 --> 00:11:59.350
  • So we think, yes, lord, we would like you to heal our land.
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  • Look at america today.
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  • Look at the crime, look at the violence, look at the breakdown,
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  • Look at all of the problems we're facing.
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  • God could heal our land.
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  • How does it happen?
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  • "if my people," god says, "will humble themselves and pray and
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  • Seek my face."
  • 00:12:18.069 --> 00:12:19.437
  • See, we're so quick to point our finger at secular culture or at
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  • Hollywood or at washington d.c., but when god's looking for the
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  • Problem, he doesn't point his finger at the white house.
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  • He points his finger at his house.
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  • "if my people, which are called by my name," that's you and me,
  • 00:12:34.886 --> 00:12:39.791
  • "will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from
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  • Their wicked ways," then god says, "i'll hear from heaven,
  • 00:12:44.496 --> 00:12:48.266
  • Forgive their sin, and heal their land."
  • 00:12:48.266 --> 00:12:51.936
  • So we're looking at nehemiah.
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  • And this is a story of revival among god's people, as you
  • 00:12:53.905 --> 00:12:58.176
  • Recall, they had been exiled to babylon for their
  • 00:12:58.176 --> 00:13:00.812
  • Constant idolatry.
  • 00:13:00.812 --> 00:13:02.781
  • So now they're returning to their land.
  • 00:13:02.781 --> 00:13:05.650
  • They've rebuilt the walls of jerusalem under the direction
  • 00:13:05.650 --> 00:13:10.388
  • Of nehemiah.
  • 00:13:10.388 --> 00:13:11.756
  • Ezra the prophet preaches a sermon to them, and they want to
  • 00:13:11.756 --> 00:13:14.993
  • Get right with god, so they prayed, and what follows is the
  • 00:13:14.993 --> 00:13:18.830
  • Pattern they walked in after that.
  • 00:13:18.830 --> 00:13:22.000
  • So nehemiah chapter 9, verse 1, "on october 31 the people
  • 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:27.472
  • Assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in
  • 00:13:27.472 --> 00:13:31.409
  • Burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.
  • 00:13:31.409 --> 00:13:34.979
  • Those of israelite descent separated themselves from all
  • 00:13:34.979 --> 00:13:38.316
  • Foreigners, and they confessed their sins and the sins of
  • 00:13:38.316 --> 00:13:41.719
  • Their ancestors.
  • 00:13:41.719 --> 00:13:43.588
  • They remained standing in place for three hours while the book
  • 00:13:43.588 --> 00:13:47.225
  • Of the law of the lord their god was read aloud to them, and for
  • 00:13:47.225 --> 00:13:50.295
  • Three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped
  • 00:13:50.295 --> 00:13:54.365
  • The lord."
  • 00:13:54.365 --> 00:13:55.733
  • If you want to see revival, you must pray with passion.
  • 00:13:55.733 --> 00:14:01.039
  • These people were praying with passion.
  • 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:03.641
  • Look at verse 1, "they assembled themselves, and fasted, and
  • 00:14:03.641 --> 00:14:07.378
  • Dressed in burlap, and sprinkled dust on their heads."
  • 00:14:07.378 --> 00:14:10.281
  • This would be an indication of repentance.
  • 00:14:10.281 --> 00:14:13.818
  • It reminds us of the story of the woman in matthew 15 who had
  • 00:14:13.818 --> 00:14:18.223
  • A demon possessed daughter, and she cried out to jesus loudly
  • 00:14:18.223 --> 00:14:22.660
  • And aggressively.
  • 00:14:22.660 --> 00:14:24.229
  • And she said, "have mercy on me, o lord, son of david!
  • 00:14:24.229 --> 00:14:27.298
  • My daughter is possessed by a demon."
  • 00:14:27.298 --> 00:14:30.134
  • The disciples said, pipe down, quiet down.
  • 00:14:30.134 --> 00:14:32.904
  • You're creating a scene, stop it.
  • 00:14:32.904 --> 00:14:34.772
  • This woman would not give up.
  • 00:14:34.772 --> 00:14:37.008
  • She kept crying out to jesus.
  • 00:14:37.008 --> 00:14:39.744
  • Finally, jesus turns to her and says, "dear woman, your faith is
  • 00:14:39.744 --> 00:14:43.615
  • Great and your request is granted."
  • 00:14:43.615 --> 00:14:46.417
  • I think one of the reasons we don't see our prayers answered
  • 00:14:46.417 --> 00:14:49.888
  • Is we don't put any heart in them.
  • 00:14:49.888 --> 00:14:53.591
  • Sometimes we just say our prayers, we repeat petitions
  • 00:14:53.591 --> 00:14:57.462
  • We've said so many times.
  • 00:14:57.462 --> 00:14:59.764
  • God really wants to hear your heart in prayer.
  • 00:14:59.764 --> 00:15:02.267
  • He doesn't need eloquence.
  • 00:15:02.267 --> 00:15:04.502
  • He needs you to cry out with passion and call on him.
  • 00:15:04.502 --> 00:15:08.139
  • In the book of acts is a story of simon peter being arrested,
  • 00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:12.844
  • And he was going to be executed by king herod, but i love what
  • 00:15:12.844 --> 00:15:16.814
  • Acts 12 says.
  • 00:15:16.814 --> 00:15:18.149
  • It says, "constant prayer was offered to god for him by
  • 00:15:18.149 --> 00:15:22.620
  • The church."
  • 00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:24.322
  • And that word "constant" could be translated: they prayed
  • 00:15:24.322 --> 00:15:27.258
  • Fervently to god for him.
  • 00:15:27.258 --> 00:15:30.361
  • And that's how we need to pray as well.
  • 00:15:30.361 --> 00:15:33.064
  • Fervent means to display passionate intensity.
  • 00:15:33.064 --> 00:15:36.601
  • This is the kind of prayer that elijah the prophet prayed.
  • 00:15:36.601 --> 00:15:40.438
  • And by the way, he was an ordinary guy like you and me,
  • 00:15:40.438 --> 00:15:43.474
  • But this boy knew how to pray.
  • 00:15:43.474 --> 00:15:45.610
  • And when he went up on mount carmel and faced off with the
  • 00:15:45.610 --> 00:15:48.246
  • Prophets of baal and called on god, he prayed with intensity
  • 00:15:48.246 --> 00:15:52.850
  • And passion.
  • 00:15:52.850 --> 00:15:54.218
  • And giving some commentary on that, james tells us in james
  • 00:15:54.218 --> 00:15:57.655
  • 5:16, "the fervent prayer of a righteous man has great power
  • 00:15:57.655 --> 00:16:02.460
  • And produces wonderful results.
  • 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:04.762
  • Elijah was as human as we are, but when he prayed fervently
  • 00:16:04.762 --> 00:16:08.666
  • That no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years,
  • 00:16:08.666 --> 00:16:12.236
  • And he prayed again, and the sky sent down rain."
  • 00:16:12.236 --> 00:16:15.039
  • What did he do?
  • 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.407
  • He prayed fervently.
  • 00:16:16.407 --> 00:16:19.077
  • Sometimes we'll say, "i prayed about it, but nothing happened."
  • 00:16:19.077 --> 00:16:21.579
  • Did you pray a fervent prayer?
  • 00:16:21.579 --> 00:16:23.581
  • A fervent prayer for the salvation of your family?
  • 00:16:23.581 --> 00:16:27.251
  • A fervent prayer for a spiritual awakening in america?
  • 00:16:27.251 --> 00:16:32.690
  • Number 3, or 4, rather, if you want to see revival, you must
  • 00:16:32.690 --> 00:16:36.861
  • Confess your sins.
  • 00:16:36.861 --> 00:16:39.731
  • We read in verse 3, "for three hours they confess their sins
  • 00:16:39.731 --> 00:16:43.534
  • And worship the lord."
  • 00:16:43.534 --> 00:16:45.703
  • This comes back to 2 chronicles 7:14.
  • 00:16:45.703 --> 00:16:48.172
  • "if my people, which are called by my name, will humble
  • 00:16:48.172 --> 00:16:51.209
  • Themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their
  • 00:16:51.209 --> 00:16:53.544
  • Wicked ways."
  • 00:16:53.544 --> 00:16:55.380
  • We all have sins to confess each and every day.
  • 00:16:55.380 --> 00:17:01.152
  • That is why jesus taught us in the lord's prayer to pray as
  • 00:17:01.152 --> 00:17:03.888
  • Follows: "our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name.
  • 00:17:03.888 --> 00:17:08.126
  • Your kingdom come.
  • 00:17:08.126 --> 00:17:09.460
  • Your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
  • 00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:11.562
  • Give us this day our daily bread.
  • 00:17:11.562 --> 00:17:12.930
  • And forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned
  • 00:17:12.930 --> 00:17:17.435
  • Against us."
  • 00:17:17.435 --> 00:17:18.803
  • Just as surely as i need to pray for god's daily provision, "give
  • 00:17:18.803 --> 00:17:22.540
  • Us this day our daily bread,"
  • 00:17:22.540 --> 00:17:24.075
  • I need to also pray for daily forgiveness.
  • 00:17:24.075 --> 00:17:27.111
  • "forgive us our sins," why?
  • 00:17:27.111 --> 00:17:29.213
  • Because i sin every day.
  • 00:17:29.213 --> 00:17:30.982
  • You say, "greg, i don't think i've sinned today."
  • 00:17:30.982 --> 00:17:33.618
  • "oh, really?"
  • 00:17:33.618 --> 00:17:34.952
  • "no, i haven't stolen anything.
  • 00:17:34.952 --> 00:17:36.954
  • I haven't lied, that i know of.
  • 00:17:36.954 --> 00:17:38.956
  • I haven't had an impure thought.
  • 00:17:38.956 --> 00:17:41.192
  • I don't think i've sinned."
  • 00:17:41.192 --> 00:17:42.527
  • Well, the bible tells us that there are sins of commission
  • 00:17:42.527 --> 00:17:45.496
  • And omission.
  • 00:17:45.496 --> 00:17:47.098
  • A sin of commission is when you do something you should not do.
  • 00:17:47.098 --> 00:17:51.736
  • A sin of omission is when you don't do something you should
  • 00:17:51.736 --> 00:17:55.339
  • Do, you see?
  • 00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:56.707
  • So i might pride myself on the fact that i've not done a sin
  • 00:17:56.707 --> 00:17:59.944
  • Of commission.
  • 00:17:59.944 --> 00:18:01.312
  • I haven't broken a commandment.
  • 00:18:01.312 --> 00:18:02.647
  • I haven't done this wrong thing.
  • 00:18:02.647 --> 00:18:05.016
  • But however, maybe it's a sin of omission because the bible says,
  • 00:18:05.016 --> 00:18:09.387
  • "to him that knows to do good and does not do it, to him it
  • 00:18:09.387 --> 00:18:13.257
  • Is sin."
  • 00:18:13.257 --> 00:18:14.625
  • So, you say, "i haven't sinned today," but maybe the lord spoke
  • 00:18:14.625 --> 00:18:17.028
  • To you this morning and said, "why don't you open your bible
  • 00:18:17.028 --> 00:18:21.232
  • Instead of looking at your phone?"
  • 00:18:21.232 --> 00:18:22.567
  • You said, "yeah, maybe later."
  • 00:18:22.567 --> 00:18:24.635
  • The lord said, "why don't you go to church?"
  • 00:18:24.635 --> 00:18:26.370
  • And you said, "maybe i'll sleep in."
  • 00:18:26.370 --> 00:18:29.240
  • The lord said, "why don't you pray about that?"
  • 00:18:29.240 --> 00:18:31.008
  • And you said, "no, i'm going to worry about it instead."
  • 00:18:31.008 --> 00:18:33.644
  • See, we sin more than we think we sin.
  • 00:18:33.644 --> 00:18:37.215
  • So these people confess their sins to god.
  • 00:18:37.215 --> 00:18:40.485
  • The next thing they did is they separated themselves from
  • 00:18:40.485 --> 00:18:44.055
  • Ungodly influences.
  • 00:18:44.055 --> 00:18:45.923
  • Look at verse 2: "they separated themselves from all foreigners."
  • 00:18:45.923 --> 00:18:51.462
  • Now, these would be nonbelievers basically, who worship false
  • 00:18:51.462 --> 00:18:55.433
  • Gods, and so they're separating themselves from those people.
  • 00:18:55.433 --> 00:19:00.338
  • We all know people that can drag us down spiritually.
  • 00:19:00.338 --> 00:19:03.708
  • Listen, you show me your friends, and i'll show you
  • 00:19:03.708 --> 00:19:07.879
  • Your future.
  • 00:19:07.879 --> 00:19:09.947
  • You influence people, people influence you.
  • 00:19:09.947 --> 00:19:13.684
  • Spend time with godly people that will build you up, not tear
  • 00:19:13.684 --> 00:19:17.855
  • You down.
  • 00:19:17.855 --> 00:19:19.190
  • Someone tells us, "happy is the man that doesn't walk in the
  • 00:19:19.190 --> 00:19:23.094
  • Counsel of the ungodly or stand in the way of sinners or sit in
  • 00:19:23.094 --> 00:19:27.765
  • The seat of the scornful."
  • 00:19:27.765 --> 00:19:29.867
  • Also, "they heard god's word, and they acted on it."
  • 00:19:29.867 --> 00:19:32.870
  • Go over to nehemiah 9, look at verse 3: "they remained standing
  • 00:19:32.870 --> 00:19:38.276
  • In place for three hours," three hours, "while the book of
  • 00:19:38.276 --> 00:19:42.346
  • The law was read aloud to them."
  • 00:19:42.346 --> 00:19:45.349
  • Three hours standing, listening to the word of god.
  • 00:19:45.349 --> 00:19:48.853
  • So don't complain when i go a little long on my sermon.
  • 00:19:48.853 --> 00:19:53.824
  • "greg, you went 48 minutes instead of 45 last sunday."
  • 00:19:53.824 --> 00:19:57.695
  • Sorry about that.
  • 00:19:57.695 --> 00:19:59.063
  • It wasn't three hours, and i didn't make you stand the whole
  • 00:19:59.063 --> 00:20:01.532
  • Time either, right?
  • 00:20:01.532 --> 00:20:03.968
  • But how important the word of god is to each of us.
  • 00:20:03.968 --> 00:20:06.737
  • We need to discipline ourself to study the scripture and allow it
  • 00:20:06.737 --> 00:20:11.742
  • To permeate into our life and affect the way that we live and
  • 00:20:11.742 --> 00:20:15.580
  • The way that we think and the things that we do.
  • 00:20:15.580 --> 00:20:20.051
  • God told joshua the secret to success in joshua 1, he said,
  • 00:20:20.051 --> 00:20:26.090
  • "be careful to obey all the instructions moses gave you.
  • 00:20:26.090 --> 00:20:30.061
  • Don't deviate from them to the right or the left, and then you
  • 00:20:30.061 --> 00:20:33.331
  • Will be successful in everything you do.
  • 00:20:33.331 --> 00:20:36.434
  • Study this book of instruction continually.
  • 00:20:36.434 --> 00:20:39.904
  • Meditate on it in the day and in the night, and obey everything
  • 00:20:39.904 --> 00:20:44.675
  • Written in it, and then you will have success."
  • 00:20:44.675 --> 00:20:48.446
  • That's the secret to a successful christian life.
  • 00:20:48.446 --> 00:20:51.682
  • So perhaps revival is coming.
  • 00:20:51.682 --> 00:20:55.086
  • What should our response be?
  • 00:20:55.086 --> 00:20:56.621
  • My last point: revival always leads to evangelism.
  • 00:20:56.621 --> 00:21:02.260
  • Revival always leads to evangelism.
  • 00:21:02.260 --> 00:21:04.662
  • Revival is when god wakes his people up, but it doesn't
  • 00:21:04.662 --> 00:21:07.932
  • End there.
  • 00:21:07.932 --> 00:21:09.300
  • It overflows into evangelism because a revived believer
  • 00:21:09.300 --> 00:21:14.572
  • Cannot keep the good news to themself.
  • 00:21:14.572 --> 00:21:18.175
  • So we see this pattern historically.
  • 00:21:18.175 --> 00:21:22.813
  • And we also see this pattern biblically.
  • 00:21:22.813 --> 00:21:26.717
  • For instance, on the day of pentecost, after the holy spirit
  • 00:21:26.717 --> 00:21:30.321
  • Was poured out and 3000 people believed, we see that was a
  • 00:21:30.321 --> 00:21:34.925
  • Response to the outpouring of the holy spirit.
  • 00:21:34.925 --> 00:21:37.828
  • Revival didn't just stay in the upper room, it spilled into
  • 00:21:37.828 --> 00:21:41.198
  • The streets.
  • 00:21:41.198 --> 00:21:42.833
  • When isaiah was in god's presence and wrote about it in
  • 00:21:42.833 --> 00:21:46.637
  • Isaiah 6, "i saw the lord sitting on his throne.
  • 00:21:46.637 --> 00:21:50.308
  • He was high and lifted up and his glory filled the temple,"
  • 00:21:50.308 --> 00:21:53.444
  • What was his response?
  • 00:21:53.444 --> 00:21:54.812
  • He said, "lord, here i am.
  • 00:21:54.812 --> 00:21:56.647
  • Send me."
  • 00:21:56.647 --> 00:21:58.015
  • So there was a cause and effect.
  • 00:21:58.015 --> 00:21:59.350
  • I encountered god, now i want to do something about it.
  • 00:21:59.350 --> 00:22:02.987
  • In that first great awakening in the united states, benjamin
  • 00:22:02.987 --> 00:22:08.025
  • Franklin talks about, after whitefield preached, people
  • 00:22:08.025 --> 00:22:11.662
  • Would be standing in the streets discussing eternal things.
  • 00:22:11.662 --> 00:22:16.967
  • And we need to see the same thing happen today.
  • 00:22:16.967 --> 00:22:19.470
  • You know, during the jesus movement, if you were around on
  • 00:22:19.470 --> 00:22:22.406
  • Those days, it wasn't uncommon to see people just out on the
  • 00:22:22.406 --> 00:22:26.310
  • Streets talking about jesus.
  • 00:22:26.310 --> 00:22:28.212
  • Wherever you went, you just see people out there talking to the
  • 00:22:28.212 --> 00:22:31.482
  • Lord and you're saying, "well, greg, that's great.
  • 00:22:31.482 --> 00:22:33.884
  • Let's pray it happens again."
  • 00:22:33.884 --> 00:22:36.287
  • Why do we have to pray it happens again?
  • 00:22:36.287 --> 00:22:38.389
  • Why don't we just do it?
  • 00:22:38.389 --> 00:22:39.757
  • Why don't we just do it?
  • 00:22:40.825 --> 00:22:42.159
  • What are we waiting for, right?
  • 00:22:42.159 --> 00:22:46.897
  • Listen, if you want to see revival, do revival-like things.
  • 00:22:46.897 --> 00:22:51.702
  • Let's say your marriage is having some problems.
  • 00:22:51.702 --> 00:22:55.539
  • Let's say there's some strain on your marriage.
  • 00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:58.209
  • What i would say to you is you need to be proactive, not
  • 00:22:58.209 --> 00:23:01.112
  • Merely reactive.
  • 00:23:01.112 --> 00:23:03.080
  • It's like a fire.
  • 00:23:03.080 --> 00:23:04.415
  • If the fire starts to go down, throw another log on the fire.
  • 00:23:04.415 --> 00:23:08.152
  • In the same way, do things to strengthen your marriage, to let
  • 00:23:08.152 --> 00:23:12.156
  • Your mate know that you love them.
  • 00:23:12.156 --> 00:23:14.658
  • You can do romantic things, and in the same way, if you want to
  • 00:23:14.658 --> 00:23:19.130
  • See revival, go do revival-like things.
  • 00:23:19.130 --> 00:23:23.200
  • Jesus says, "remember from where you have fallen, repent and do
  • 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:27.104
  • The first works quickly."
  • 00:23:27.104 --> 00:23:28.572
  • What did you used to do when you were passionate and on fire
  • 00:23:28.572 --> 00:23:32.042
  • For jesus?
  • 00:23:32.042 --> 00:23:33.411
  • Well, i bet every day you read the bible.
  • 00:23:33.411 --> 00:23:34.979
  • I bet every day you committed things to the lord in prayer.
  • 00:23:34.979 --> 00:23:38.015
  • I bet you were actively involved in the church, probably serving
  • 00:23:38.015 --> 00:23:41.419
  • In the church and more.
  • 00:23:41.419 --> 00:23:42.920
  • Do you still do that?
  • 00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:44.288
  • "well, i don't know, not as much as i used to."
  • 00:23:44.288 --> 00:23:47.224
  • "go back and do the first works quickly," that's what
  • 00:23:47.224 --> 00:23:49.693
  • Jesus says.
  • 00:23:49.693 --> 00:23:51.262
  • As the apostle paul says, get back, get back, get back to
  • 00:23:51.262 --> 00:23:55.366
  • Where you once belonged.
  • 00:23:55.366 --> 00:23:58.536
  • That's paul of the beatles, never mind it.
  • 00:23:58.536 --> 00:24:02.373
  • A lot of the kids are like, "who?"
  • 00:24:02.373 --> 00:24:03.908
  • The beatles.
  • 00:24:03.908 --> 00:24:06.310
  • They were a very good band, kids, listen to them.
  • 00:24:06.310 --> 00:24:09.313
  • But anyway, we need to get back and do those first things again
  • 00:24:09.313 --> 00:24:14.485
  • And rediscover these things for ourselves.
  • 00:24:14.485 --> 00:24:18.456
  • This is not rocket science.
  • 00:24:18.456 --> 00:24:21.125
  • Just do what god tells you to do.
  • 00:24:21.125 --> 00:24:23.260
  • Follow his word and you will be blessed.
  • 00:24:23.260 --> 00:24:26.697
  • Disobey his word and your life will be a mess.
  • 00:24:26.697 --> 00:24:31.502
  • God says it this way, in deuteronomy 30:19, "i've set
  • 00:24:31.502 --> 00:24:36.307
  • Before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore
  • 00:24:36.307 --> 00:24:40.978
  • Choose life, that you and your descendants may live."
  • 00:24:40.978 --> 00:24:43.614
  • It's your choice.
  • 00:24:43.614 --> 00:24:44.982
  • You don't have to do this.
  • 00:24:44.982 --> 00:24:46.317
  • Live the way you want to live.
  • 00:24:46.317 --> 00:24:47.685
  • God's given you a free will.
  • 00:24:47.685 --> 00:24:49.587
  • You can disobey him, you can break his commandments, you can
  • 00:24:49.587 --> 00:24:52.690
  • Chase after all the things this culture tells you you should
  • 00:24:52.690 --> 00:24:55.993
  • Chase after, and you can face the consequences, or you can
  • 00:24:55.993 --> 00:25:01.031
  • Obey the lord and watch what happens.
  • 00:25:01.031 --> 00:25:04.201
  • He wants to bless you.
  • 00:25:04.201 --> 00:25:06.036
  • So to summarize and to conclude, and i have not gone three hours.
  • 00:25:06.036 --> 00:25:12.643
  • The people prayed with passion, they confessed their sin.
  • 00:25:12.643 --> 00:25:16.647
  • They separated themselves from ungodly influences.
  • 00:25:16.647 --> 00:25:20.184
  • They heard god's word and they acted on it.
  • 00:25:20.184 --> 00:25:22.887
  • Do that.
  • 00:25:22.887 --> 00:25:24.421
  • Do that, and let's pray for another great
  • 00:25:24.421 --> 00:25:27.291
  • Spiritual awakening.
  • 00:25:27.291 --> 00:25:29.059
  • Greg: hi, my name is greg laurie.
  • 00:25:32.863 --> 00:25:34.398
  • I started searching for god at a very young age, and my search
  • 00:25:34.398 --> 00:25:39.203
  • Led me into a lot of wrong directions including drug use
  • 00:25:39.203 --> 00:25:43.240
  • That i almost destroyed my life completely.
  • 00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:46.043
  • But someone told me about jesus christ and it changed
  • 00:25:46.043 --> 00:25:50.247
  • My life forever.
  • 00:25:50.247 --> 00:25:51.682
  • And i want you to know that whatever course your life is on
  • 00:25:51.682 --> 00:25:54.518
  • Right now, it can change if you realize there's a god in heaven
  • 00:25:54.518 --> 00:25:58.289
  • Who loves you and he has a plan for your life.
  • 00:25:58.289 --> 00:26:02.293
  • I prayed this prayer to ask jesus into my life
  • 00:26:02.293 --> 00:26:05.195
  • At the age of 17, but here i am at the age of 70,
  • 00:26:05.195 --> 00:26:08.999
  • And i can tell you i made the best choice i ever could make.
  • 00:26:08.999 --> 00:26:12.603
  • You can make that same choice yourself.
  • 00:26:12.603 --> 00:26:14.838
  • You could just say, "jesus help me.
  • 00:26:14.838 --> 00:26:17.074
  • Forgive me of my sin.
  • 00:26:17.074 --> 00:26:18.709
  • I wanna go to heaven when i die.
  • 00:26:18.709 --> 00:26:20.678
  • I want a relationship with you."
  • 00:26:20.678 --> 00:26:23.247
  • If you would pray a prayer like that, god will hear you
  • 00:26:23.247 --> 00:26:26.050
  • And answer you.
  • 00:26:26.050 --> 00:26:28.018
  • Greg: hey, greg laurie here. maybe you've seen this...
  • 00:26:32.156 --> 00:26:34.325
  • This is called the "new believer's bible," and a number
  • 00:26:34.325 --> 00:26:37.828
  • Of years ago, i wanted to do an edition of scripture with
  • 00:26:37.828 --> 00:26:42.733
  • Commentary that would make the bible more accessible to someone
  • 00:26:42.733 --> 00:26:47.404
  • Who's never read it before, like a new believer.
  • 00:26:47.404 --> 00:26:50.441
  • But today we live, of course, in a digital world,
  • 00:26:50.441 --> 00:26:54.244
  • So we've taken the curriculum from the "new believer's bible"
  • 00:26:54.244 --> 00:26:57.548
  • And we've created this online community of people just like
  • 00:26:57.548 --> 00:27:01.018
  • You who are studying the word of god together.
  • 00:27:01.018 --> 00:27:04.455
  • By the way, this is free of charge, you can learn at
  • 00:27:04.455 --> 00:27:07.224
  • Your own pace, but most importantly, you'll experience
  • 00:27:07.224 --> 00:27:10.928
  • The power of god's word to transform your life.
  • 00:27:10.928 --> 00:27:14.565
  • The bible says, of itself, it's alive and powerful and sharper
  • 00:27:14.565 --> 00:27:19.403
  • Than any two-edged sword, so i hope you'll take your phone
  • 00:27:19.403 --> 00:27:23.307
  • Right now and join us online at harvest discipleship.
  • 00:27:23.307 --> 00:27:27.611
  • Let's learn and grow together.
  • 00:27:27.611 --> 00:27:29.999