Psalm 85:1-13 (NASB):
O Lord, You showed favor to Your land;You restored the captivity of Jacob.2 You forgave the iniquity of Your people;You covered all their sin. Selah.3 You withdrew all Your fury;You turned away from Your burning anger.4 Restore us, O God of our salvation,And cause Your indignation toward us to cease.5 Will You be angry with us forever?Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?6 Will You not Yourself revive us again,That Your people may rejoice in You?7 Show us Your lovingkindness, O Lord,And grant us Your salvation.8 I will hear what God the Lord will say;For He will speak peace to His people, to His godly ones;But let them not turn back to folly.9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him,That glory may dwell in our land.10 Lovingkindness and truth have met together;Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.11 Truth springs from the earth,And righteousness looks down from heaven.12 Indeed, the Lord will give what is good,And our land will yield its produce.13 Righteousness will go before HimAnd will make His footsteps into a way.
MESSAGE GOAL: The goal of this message in the series Revive Us Again is to learn how to recognize and address the root of the problem that leads to spiritual decline, in order that we as believers might truly experience revival-which is the restoration of spiritual life of God's people.
INTRODUCTION: Too often Christians want to enjoy the blessings of God's favor, while overlooking or choosing not to deal with the root problem that is keeping God's blessings from flowing into their lives. But ignoring the real issue is like taking painkillers when you have an infected tooth-a situation I faced on vacation one time when my wife and I were on a cruise together. I was planning on having a great time, but then I started to experience severe pain in my tooth just as we got settled onboard the ship.I tried to ignore the pain for a couple days, but it kept getting worse. I finally went to the clinic on the ship, and they gave me pain medications. But they didn't work, and the pain just increased each day. So I called my dentist and described my symptoms to him. He told me that he believed the problem was not just a toothache, but an infection. He also told me that since I was treating the wrong problem, dealing only with the pain, I wasn't going to get any better until I got some antibiotics to treat the infection. I followed his advice, and began to feel better. My situation illustrates how easy it is for us as Christians to do the same thing spiritually. We know there's a problem because we feel the pain inside, but we only treat the symptoms and leave the real problem unresolved. We want to go to church and pop a few "sermon" or "music" pills and leave feeling all better. These things certainly have their place, but if our real need is for a revival from the Lord, then relying on other things to cure our spiritual pains and defeats will never work. We can't fix this revival need with more good deeds or good church programs. No, true revival has to be an inner work of the Lord and no one else. We can see that our society is in a state of spiritual decline, but what about the decline in spirituality among follow-ers of Christ? We need to return to the Lord before we can ever hope to effect real change in society. In Psalm 85, the psalmist describes the problem and what it means to return to the Lord, who is faithful to draw us back to Himself. Nothing can replace a reviving and life-refreshing touch of the Lord. Let us proclaim with this psalm, "O Lord, revive us again."
1. REVIVAL PRESUPPOSES SPIRITUAL DECLINE: A spiritual decline necessitates revival
2. REVIVAL IS THE RESTORATION OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OF GOD'S PEOPLE: God's people must be reconnected to Him
3. REVIVAL IS NOT MERELY REFORMATION: More than an external change is required
4. THE ROOT PROBLEM IS DEALING WITH GOD'S DEMAND FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS: God is a God of love and also righteousness
5. WE NEED TO BE DELIVERED: God has told us of His wrath that we need deliverance from
6. GOD IS PRESENT WHEN MERCY MEETS TRUTH: God brings together truth and His mercy
Ps. 85 Message on Revival
D.A. Carson makes an interesting comment about the modern-day revival:
First, the word "revival" embedded in these questions is used a bit loosely. Mercifully, it is not used in the sense common in some Southern states where it often serves as the near equivalent of "evangelistic meetings" (as in "Last month we held a revival"). It is closer to the more historic sense of a special movement of God's Spirit that brings with it deep conviction of sin, fresh contrition and fresh holiness, and concomitant zeal for God's Word and God's glory-a special movement that may be as short as a few hours or as long as many years, and may result in thousands being renewed, and more thousands being converted. Some of the characteristics of revivals have not been particularly strong in this "young, restless, and Reformed" movement.1
While Carson is talking about the under-40 crowd of pastors who dismiss these kinds of meetings, I want us to realize revival is not just an evangelistic meeting. It has elements of evangelism. But revival involves more than that. It is a renewing work of the Holy Spirit to challenge God's people to follow Him further. The best definition of a revival is in Acts.
"Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord," (Acts 3:19, HCSB)
Peter tells the people to repent, to turn back so that sins will be forgiven and seasons of refreshing may come. Revival is not evangelism, although people may get saved. Although we have placed a time on the calendar when a group of people will come and share with us, revivals cannot be planned into tiny compartments of evenings where people "get right with God." That can happen, but a revival is more than that.
Here is my definition of a revival: the beginning of a movement of God to renew His people and return His people to His purposes.
This psalm was written by the "Sons of Korah," which sounds like a modern-day music group. The song was written to worship God and ask Him to restore His favor with God's people. Isn't that what we ask of God from time to time. You get out of step with God and you want to come back to God. You want to seek His purposes. You want God to show Himself. That's what this psalm is all about.
James Montgomery Boice was both a theologian and a musician, he looked at this psalm like a song. One can look at the structure of this psalm and see that it divides nicely into four parts, or like four stanzas in a song.
STANZA 1: My Past
Revival begins when I recognize that a "golden age" has gone (Psalm 85:1-3)
"Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored Jacob's prosperity. You took away Your people's guilt; You covered all their sin. Selah You withdrew all Your fury; You turned from Your burning anger." (Psalm 85:1-3, HCSB)
The first stanza of the hymn encourages us to look back at the past and to remember the mercies of God. Just look at the verbs that are here in this first paragraph - favorable, restored, forgave, covered, withdrew, turned from. What a great God that He would have mercy upon His people even in the midst of their sin and wickedness. As we consider our spiritual conditions, remember who this God is and how He has responded to us in days gone by.2
We have seen a few "golden ages" in the history of this church. Just like the people of Israel, we have seen God work. This is the first stanza, a reminder of God's work in the past:
Prayer: Remember the mercies of God
So Israel and Yahweh had "made up." Exile was over. It was a new day. However, when we read the book of Ezra and the book of Nehemiah, we learn that when the people returned, they soon became discouraged and they lost faith. The walls of the city were still broken down. The condition of their homeland had declined, and life was not easy like they had dreamed it to be, and they soon forgot God. The culture went south again. This leads us to the next stanza - my present.
STANZA 2: My Present
Revival starts when I desperately cry for change (Psalm 85:4-7)
"Return to us, God of our salvation, and abandon Your displeasure with us. Will You be angry with us forever? Will You prolong Your anger for all generations? Will You not revive us again so that Your people may rejoice in You? Show us Your faithful love, Lord, and give us Your salvation." (Psalm 85:4-7, HCSB)
This is the second stanza. Here, we remember that the past was great, but now the culture has changed. The people of Israel have been in exile and returned home. However, home isn't like it used to be. The place has changed. In Israel's time, the wall was down, the area was unprotected. It was run down by people who had no respect for God's things. We live in a similar world today. We have grown up with two generations who have been faithful to God and His work here in this church. Now, we see the culture is changing. There is less respect for God, His place, His time, and His priorities.
As a result of this change in the culture, the psalmist asks a series of questions. These are very similar to questions that God's people may ask today. The point of these question is that it comes with an expected answer of "No."
Will you be angry? No (85:5)
Will you not revive us again? No (85:6)
The point of these questions is to assure the person that God is not angry and that He will revive. God will do what He said about salvation. Therefore, God's anger is appeased and is not tied to salvation. However, salvation is tied to God's love (85:7).3
This makes us realize that there needs to be change. We can complain about the glory of the past. At the same time, we can ask for God's help in changing me so that I can deal with the present. This prayer is a prayer of restoration. We pray for God to restore our hearts to desire Him.
Prayer: Pray for restoration
This leads us to the third stanza in this psalm. It is how I prepare for revival. I have to wait upon God.
STANZA 3: My Preparation
Revival requires that I wait upon God (Psalm 85:8-9)
"I will listen to what God will say; surely the Lord will declare peace to His people, His godly ones, and not let them go back to foolish ways. His salvation is very near those who fear Him, so that glory may dwell in our land." (Psalm 85:8-9, HCSB)
If I want a movement of God to renew me to His purposes, then I have to wait for God to work. First, I have reflected on God's goodness. Then I have returned to God and I make myself available for Him. Now comes the hard part. I have to wait upon God. Now waiting doesn't mean I am doing nothing.
This Psalm tells us that we have called and asked God for restoration but until God has done what God is going to do, we are going to do what He has instructed us to do. We are going to live by that which we have learned from God. The New Testament reminds us that we are people who are now waiting for the return Christ. You know full well that God doesn't intend for us to just sit here in the church, maybe have a picnic or two or just enjoy being together until Jesus comes again, but we are to wait for His return. We are to have that working waiting until He comes. We don't give up hope that He is going to come.4
Prayer: Pray for patience and to not give up hope
STANZA 4: God's Work
Revival results in God working in our midst (Psalm 85:10-13)
"Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace. Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven. Also, the Lord will provide what is good, and our land will yield its crops. Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps." (Psalm 85:10-13, HCSB)
This is the final stanza, the last verse, the end of the song. God shows up. God's past performance inspired confidence for the future. Renewal of both spiritual and material well-being would come. Heaven and earth would meet, creating meaning and harmony in the relationship of God and men.5
We shall enjoy the results of revival. Here in these verses, we see seven results of revival.
FIVE RESULTS OF REVIVAL
1. People start living right - How God wants them to (Psalm 85:10).
"Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace." (Psalm 85:10, HCSB)
The key word in verses 10-13, repeated three times, is "righteous -ness." The word signifies right relationships and the terms that keep them. In various contexts the word can mean anything from salvation or victory to righteous help and healing. Whatever keeps God's covenant operative in accord with His character is righteous.7 In other words, God's people start living right. They get back on the straight and narrow. They see their sin, confess it, and then follow God's ways.
2. The church has more unity (Psalm 85:10)
"Faithful love and truth will join together; righteousness and peace will embrace." (Psalm 85:10, HCSB)
Here, four major characteristics of God join in pairs. Mercy and truth join together, and righteousness and peace join together. They are pictured here like dancing couples. Couples who dance do so in unity. When you see people living right, when you see people at peace with one another, when you see love being shared, and truth being lived out, then you are going to see unity. Jesus prayed for unity in the church - the same unity that God the Father had with Jesus.
3. The church sees an increase (Psalm 85:11)
"Truth will spring up from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven." (Psalm 85:11, HCSB)
When people get their lives right, they will be willing to share the truth - the Gospel. They will also live right. When we are living as God wants us to, and sharing with others, God's church is going to see an increase. We will see more people come. We will see more people commit. We will see more families restored. We will see an increase in God's favor.
4. The church sees God provide (Psalm 85:12)
"Also, the Lord will provide what is good, and our land will yield its crops." (Psalm 85:12, HCSB)
What is going doing during all this time? He is providing. He is providing what is good. He is allowing us to receive the blessings that come because of obedience. If you plant a seed, water it, take care of it, God will grow it into the crop which is harvested and enjoyed. The same is true with the church. If we are doing what God tells us to do, then He will provide. God will never send us somewhere without providing a way.
5. God prepares the church for the next step of the journey (Psalm 85:13)
"Righteousness will go before Him to prepare the way for His steps." (Psalm 85:13, HCSB)
"A man's steps are established by the Lord, and He takes pleasure in his way." (Psalm 37:23, HCSB)
God himself appears to lead his people forward. Before him as a herald goes the righteousness which moves him to the salvation of his people. His people will follow in his steps.8 In order for God to help us in our next part of the journey as a church, we have to be living like God wants us to. Our obedience to God paves the road that God uses to take our church forward. If we are living like God wants us to, then He takes that obedience and uses it to pave the road to our future. If we are disobedient, if we dismiss this opportunity that God has given us, we will be as lost as a person in the desert with no orientation. But we have to pay attention. The results of this revival will only happen if we take time to pay attention.
SEVEN STEPS TO REVIVAL
(Scripture Portion: Psalm 85)
In verse 6 of this wonderful psalm, the psalmist prays for revival. Multitudes today are praying a similar prayer, and in this study we shall discover some of the things that God says about revival. Some of us have seen revivals on a very small scale, where in crowded meetings many souls have been saved, lives have been transformed and there has been a deep spirit of prayer resting upon the people of God; but few of us have seen any large-scale revivals. We have read sufficient about such mighty movements of the Spirit of God to make us long for the Lord to do it again! But - what is revival? Revival is renewal, restoration -- a fresh inflow of the life, love and power of God. People faint and then, when help is brought, they revive. Flowers droop, and when placed in fresh water they revive. Christians and churches also droop, faint and need reviving. There are degrees of revival. A sick person may revive and get a little better, and then later be restored to full health and strength. The same is true with Christians and churches.
As we study this psalm let us pray that we may become deeply burdened for God to send a full-scale Holy Ghost revival in our land, and indeed throughout the world. What are the steps that lead to such a revival?
1. We must confess our NEED of Revival
The psalmist's prayer was a confession of need; it was only when he felt the need that he prayed - verse 6. Think of the need for revival:
There will never be any revival until we are willing to admit our desperate need for it.
2. We must admit the POSSIBILITY of Revival.
Are we convinced that revival is possible? The psalmist was! Six times in verses 1-3 he reminded God of what He had done -- "You showed...... You restored". And the fact that God has sent revival in the past demonstrates the possibility of revival coming again. Some people will not admit the possibility of revival coming in our day; for example, the ultra-dispensationalists, and all pessimistic, unbelieving, self-satisfied, worldly Christians will be slow to admit the possibility. But history, plus the promises of God, prove the possibility of revival. Look up 2 Chronicles 7:14; Jeremiah 33:3; Malachi 3:10
3. We must recognise the SOURCE of Revival
Where does revival come from? Verse 6 tells us. "You......" -- look up Psalm 62:11. It comes from God; it is not worked up but sent down, and therefore our eyes must not be upon men, methods, churches or denominations -- but upon Him.
"When we look to man, we get what man can do; when we look to money, we get what money can do; when we look to organisation, we get what organisation can do; when we look to denominations, we get what denominations can do; but when we look to God, we get what God can do."
Look up Psalm 62:5.
4. We must employ the MEANS for securing Revival.
What is the secret of revival? It is prayer - "Will you not......?" (verse 6) - - passionate, believing, urgent prayer. Has there ever been a revival that was not preceded by prayer? - Pentecost, the Moravian Revival, the 1859 Revival, the Welsh Revival, movements of the Spirit that are taking place in different parts of the world today......Look up 2 Chronicles 7:14 again.
5. We must provide the CHANNELS for Revival.
God is wanting to send revival, but He needs channels -- "us" (verse 6) -- believers, Christians; for -- "Revival is the outflow of the Spirit of God through the regenerated spirit of man" (John 7:38-39). Thus, if revival is to come, you and I are to be ready to receive the full blessing of God and to be channels through whom that blessing can flow.
6. We must remove the OBSTACLES to Revival.
In verse 6 the psalmist prays for revival -- "that your people may rejoice in you." This indicates fellowship, walking with God, agreement with God (Amos 3:3) -- being right with God. The greatest barrier to revival is sin. Are you right with God? Is there sin in your life? Are you living in disobedience to the Lord? Face up to this!
Many years ago D. L. Moody heard Henry Varley say, "The world has yet to see what God will do with one man who is fully surrendered to Him." Moody said, "By God's grace, I'll be that man!" Will you be another? Will you begin now to pray the same prayer for your church, that the world may see what God can do?
7. We shall enjoy the RESULTS of Revival.
Read the rest of the psalm, and notice several results which are mentioned: salvation (7); peace (8); glory (9); harmony (10); increase (11); provision (12); Psalm 37:23! (13).
