## Revival By the Word

## Psalm 119:145-152

In tonight's section of the psalm, we find the psalmist crying out to God. He is in need of revival, and he cries out to the only One who can help. From time to time all of us need to be revived. We are all in need of quickening. The need is the same and the means is the same. Note tonight:

I. The Need for Personal Revival. v145-148

A. Crying with a whole heart.

1. Previously in this psalm the writer uses this same term.

2. He talks about seeking the Lord in v2 and 10

3. He talks about keeping and observing the whole law in v34 and v69

4. He speaks of asking for God's favor in v58

5. Now in this verse he speaks of crying out to God with a whole heart.

6. When we think of doing something with the whole heart, our thoughts go to total commitment and consecration.

7. Here the psalmist is crying out to God in full and complete surrender.

8. This is a key to real personal revival.

B. He asks for two things in these verses.

1. "…Hear me, O Lord…" v145

2. "…Save me…"

3. Our cries out to God to know that He is there, listening to us, and to know that He is there to deliver us in times of trouble.

C. He makes to statements also.

1. "…I hoped in thy word." v147

2. "…That I might meditate in thy word." v148

3. Note that it was in the morning and in the night.

4. In other words, he was saying that he was constantly seeking after God.

5. Note the word "prevent" means to come before or to precede.

(1 Th 4:15) "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep."

6. He was up early and up late crying out to God.

7. The apostle Paul spoke of the despair that the psalmist must have been experiencing. Cf 2 Cor. 1:8-10

II. The Prayer for Personal Revival v149

A. The basis for his prayer: God's loving kindness.

1. This is a word used exclusively in the Old Testament to speak of God's character.

2. God's kindness is mentioned in Eph. 2:7

(Eph 2:7) "That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus."

3. That verse is followed by the great passage that speaks of salvation by grace through faith.

4. Truly God displays His lovingkindness towards us through His Son, Jesus Christ.

B. '…Quicken me according to thy judgment."

1. The basis is the lovingkindness of God, but the means of revival is always in accordance with the Word of God.

2. He had hoped in the Word and meditated upon the Word.

3. Revival will not come apart from the Word of God.

4. Revival is not an emotional experience, it is the work of the Spirit of God upon our hearts in accordance with the Word of God.

III. The Experience of Personal Revival v150-152

A. The assurance of God's presence. v150

1. The psalmist acknowledged that the enemies were drawing closer, but…

2. The Lord was near to him.

3. In His presence there is peace, comfort, and protection.

4. Remember the experience of the disciples on the sea in the midst of the storm?

5. Jesus' presence brought peace to their hearts as well as the storm.

B. Realization of the God's Truth. v151

1. We spoke of this last week.

2. God's Word is always true…

3. It is true regardless of what we may think…

4. It is true regardless of what we may feel…

5. Revival will come when we are assured of God's presence and when we realize God's Word is truth.

C. Revival is also a re-assurance of previous truths taught.

1. Revival is for the believer, not the unbeliever!

2. You cannot revive someone who has never had life…

3. The psalmist speaks of the testimonies that he had known of old…

4. This isn't new truth, it is simply truth rediscovered.

5. Tonight, most of us are aware of God's Word, and what He would have us do.

6. What we need is to be quickened or revived that we might completely surrender our lives to the Lord.

Do we need personal revival tonight? Is our walk with God what it needs to be? If not, then we need to come to God and cry out to Him to revive us. We need to get into the Word of God and do more than just read it… we need to meditate upon it and take from it all that we can to strengthen and prepare us to do what God has called. Will you come tonight and surrender to Him?