Malachi O'Brien teaches that God chooses the least likely and most humble people to bring about revival, emphasizing a heart fully devoted to Him over personal recognition. This sermon emphasizes how God often chooses the least likely individuals with hearts after Him to bring about great works and revival. It encourages a genuine pursuit of God's glory over personal recognition, a willingness to be transparent before God who loves and forgives, and a belief in the miraculous power of God. The message highlights the importance of encountering God with expectation, sharing testimonies of divine interventions, and the transformative impact of true revival as a family united in love and confession.
Full Transcript
Like week six or seven, they had a youth night, and they had five to six thousand teenagers under the tent. In hot July, Burlington, North Carolina. Surely, if God was gonna send revival, it wouldn't be Burlington, North Carolina.
But do you know when God looks to do something great? He looks past David's brothers every time, and he looks for the least likely, the least talented, the least expecting, the least flashy. He goes, that's a man or woman that I can use, because their heart is after me. And I guess what I want for you guys today is that you have a heart after God, that would refuse to offer useless fire anymore, that you would care more about his name and his fame than whether anyone knows anything about you.
If people knew the deepest, darkest, ugliest parts of your soul, it wouldn't bother you a bit, because there's a God in heaven who loves you and forgives you, and you don't care, because he's glorious and worth it. That we don't have to come into these buildings and put on a veneer, and kind of act like we got it all together, because many times we don't. I serve a God that can revive, and his name is great.
His name is great. I serve a God that can take a ten-year-old boy, Xavier Cunningham, from one millimeter from death and raise him to life, and that can appear to him in his hospital room and say, and pray for him, and he'll be okay. Remember this, that encounter meets expectation.
Maybe the reason why we don't see powerful, wonderful, miraculous workings of God as we flat don't believe it. We don't. But just take a trip outside the United States, the Middle East, and you'll believe it.
You'll believe it. There was a man that was working for Ravi Zacharias that died a year ago of stomach cancer. Nabeel, PhD, phenomenal, former Muslim, came to faith in Christ.
But do you know how Nabeel got saved? He tells about it in his book. You know how Nabeel got saved? Do you know this story? I'll tell you how Nabeel got saved. He was a Muslim in the Middle East.
He had a vision of Jesus that told him to go to a town and speak to somebody, and he got saved. You say, does God do that? God will do whatever God wants to do. Because God won't be put in a box.
Two weeks ago in Kansas City, we had something phenomenal happen. We had a thousand Chinese leaders descend upon Kansas City for an event called the homecoming. They came, they were there at the Convergence.
They were there with some of the dearest friends of mine in the entire world, and God poured out His Spirit in revival. Unreal what God did. These Chinese leaders that represent 20 million Chinese believers, they came and they showed the prayer community how to love.
How to love. These Chinese leaders with their tears was wiping the shoes of the leaders of the organization. Because they just, they loved.
Revival's family, beloved. It's family. It's family, but we've got an orphan spirit in the church, and we need to get back to family.
What did God do? Well, by the end of it all, there was a word given, and next thing you know, the leaders are confessing sin of the organization. And one of the strongest points of confession, and they're still unpacking this even now, and this is a word for all of us. They said, we have for years fathered a vision, but we've not fathered a family.
I'm here to say revival's not as much about vision, as it is about family. The revival that we desire and believe in ought to be good enough for us, it's good enough for the neighbor, for the school up the road, for the person that we, the person we work with. Revival is family.
I was there when a week ago at a testimony service when
Sermon Outline
I. God Chooses the Least Likely
God looks past the obvious to find those with a heart after Him
David’s brothers were overlooked in favor of David
God uses the humble and unassuming for His purposes
II. The Heart After God
Desire for God’s name and glory over personal fame
Authenticity before God without pretense
God’s forgiveness covers even the darkest parts of our soul
III. Revival Is Family
Revival is more about family than vision
Confession and humility are keys to revival
The church must overcome the orphan spirit and embrace family
IV. Encounter Meets Expectation
Miracles happen when we believe
God moves beyond cultural and national boundaries
Faith is essential to seeing God’s power
Key Quotes
“God looks past David's brothers every time, and he looks for the least likely, the least talented, the least expecting, the least flashy.” — Malachi O'Brien
“If people knew the deepest, darkest, ugliest parts of your soul, it wouldn't bother you a bit, because there's a God in heaven who loves you and forgives you.” — Malachi O'Brien
“Revival's not as much about vision, as it is about family.” — Malachi O'Brien
Application Points
Cultivate a heart that seeks God's glory above personal recognition.
Embrace humility and confess sin to prepare for revival in your life and community.
Trust God’s power to work miracles when you have faith and expect His movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Malachi mean by 'God uses nobodies'?
He means God often chooses the least likely, humble, and overlooked people to accomplish great things for His kingdom.
Why is humility important for revival?
Humility opens our hearts to God’s work and allows us to serve without seeking personal recognition, which is essential for true revival.
How can I prepare my heart for revival?
By seeking God earnestly, confessing sin, and desiring His glory above all else.
What role does faith play in seeing God’s miracles?
Faith sets the expectation for God’s power to move and is necessary to experience His miraculous works.
What does revival being 'family' mean?
It means revival is about restoring relationships within the church community, fostering love, confession, and unity.
(Clip) Revival: God Uses Nobodies
Malachi O'Brien
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