(Clip) We Have To Have Revival
Bill McLeod emphasizes the urgent need for revival as a divine remedy to impending judgment and spiritual decline in the world.
This sermon emphasizes the urgent need for revival, warning about the consequences of slipping further without God's intervention. It explores the correlation between God's judgments, righteousness, and the anger of the nations as depicted in the Bible, highlighting the importance of prayer and seeking revival in the face of impending judgment.
Full Transcript
We have to have revival. I don't know how much further we can slip without bringing the judgment of God upon us. It says in the Bible, when God's judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
It says also in Isaiah that they poured out a speech, a secret speech it says, I think in the marginal reading, a prayer when God's chastening was upon them. And I note in Revelation 11 the way this age ends, it says the nations were angry and thy wrath is come. It's the same word in the Greek for anger and wrath.
So it's an angry world and an angry God on a collision course. And the question is, why is the world angry? I think the world is angry at the conclusion of the age because the judgments of God are being poured out on us for our wickedness, and the world is angry with God because of this. And then comes, it says, the time of the judgment that the dead should be judged.
Well, this burden for revival has been on my heart all these years, and back at the time of the revival in...well, prior, two years before the revival in 71, God laid a burden on my heart to awaken every night of the year to spend a half an hour or an hour or longer in prayer for revival. And by the grace of God, I've managed to do that ever since. And every night of the year, God awakens me, one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, whenever, and I get out of bed.
I usually sit and pray, and I'll sometimes pray for every country in the world, and just pray as God may lead. But the burden of the prayer is always for revival because evangelism comes out of revival. I know the 1858 revival in the States, it ended at the conclusion probably of about a 12-month period, but for 40 years afterward, it spawned evangelistic and missionary enterprises around the world.
And so what happened in 1858, it didn't really stop at the end of 1858. It went on for another 40 years.
Sermon Outline
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I
- The necessity of revival to avoid God's judgment
- The world's anger as a sign of divine wrath
- Biblical foundation for revival and judgment
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II
- Personal burden and commitment to prayer for revival
- Historical example of the 1858 revival
- The lasting impact of revival beyond its initial period
Key Quotes
“We have to have revival. I don't know how much further we can slip without bringing the judgment of God upon us.” — Bill McLeod
“It's an angry world and an angry God on a collision course.” — Bill McLeod
“Every night of the year, God awakens me, one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock, whenever, and I get out of bed.” — Bill McLeod
Application Points
- Commit to regular prayer specifically focused on revival in your community and the world.
- Recognize the signs of spiritual decline and respond with urgency and repentance.
- Understand that revival leads to sustained evangelistic and missionary efforts beyond the initial awakening.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Bill McLeod say revival is necessary?
He believes revival is essential to prevent further spiritual decline and the judgment of God upon the world.
What biblical references support the message of revival?
Bill references Isaiah and Revelation 11 to illustrate God's judgment and the need for repentance and revival.
How has Bill McLeod personally committed to revival?
He has committed to nightly prayer for revival, often waking at various hours to pray for the world.
What example does Bill give of revival's long-term effects?
He cites the 1858 revival in the United States, which sparked evangelistic and missionary efforts for 40 years afterward.