Soul Revival

 

 

 

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”

Psalm 85:6

 

Saints can experience spiritual discouragement and lethargy, and sincere ones want to know the causes and cures of this malady.

 

THE CAUSES

  1. Unconfessed sin is the greatest enemy of Christian joy: since the Lord knows all the thoughts and actions of your life, you cannot play with sin (Ps 51:8; 66:18; Isaiah 59:1-2; I Thes 5:19).
  2. Worldly inputs are the second enemy of Christian vitality (Matt 13:22; Eph 4:27,30; Jas 4:4).
  3. Malnutrition or starvation of God’s words will devour a soul (Pr 29:18; Luke 4:4; Ps 119:54).
  4. Friends – pagans or carnal Christians – corrupt good manners (I Cor 15:33; II Tim 2:16-18).
  5. Ungodly relationships – bitterness, envy, or strife at others (Lu 1:17; Jas 3:14-16; I Pet 3:7).
  6. Worry is first a sin, and then it tears down your spirit (Phil 4:6-7; II Cor 4:8-9; I Kgs 19:1-4).
  7. Tiredness, or other debilitating factors, can distort your perspective (Psalm 127:2; 90:13-17).

THE CURES

  1. Self-examination, confession, and repentance are the cures (Ps 32:3-6; 139:23-24; Pr 28:13).
  2. Prayer is the soul’s pleadings for deliverance from despondency (Ps 51:12; 85:6-8; 119:107).
  3. Read the Bible – its daily supply excels food (Job 23:12; Psalm 1:3; Rom 10:17; I Pet 2:1-3).
  4. Make no provision for your flesh to fulfill its lusts (Romans 13:14; Pr 4:14-18; II Tim 2:22).
  5. Trust in God by a clear conscious choice (I Sam 30:6; Ps 42:5,11; 43:5; 127:1-2; Is 26:3-4).
  6. Visit the sanctuary – every assembly – with proper preparation (Ps 73:2,17; 27:4; 63:1-2).
  7. Godly friends can comfort, encourage, exhort, and warn you (I Samuel 23:16; Psalm 119:63).
  8. Spiritual saints who praise the Lord – can also lift you (Ps 34:1-3; Mal 3:16; I Thess 4:18).
  9. Godly music will heal your wounds and lift your soul (I Sam 16:14-23; Eph 5:19; Jas 5:13).
  10. Giving thanks verbally to God and others is His will for your life (I Thess 5:18; Heb 13:15).
  11. Serve others, for there is a blessing in it, and the Lord will reward (Ac 20:35; Matt 20:26-28).
  12. Praise by choice, for the purpose of your life is to praise God (Jer 9:23-24; Ps 71:8; 135:3).

For further study:

  1. Sermon Outline: “Reviving First Love,” reviews and applies the Lord’s sober warning to the Ephesians.
  2. Sermon Outline: “Awake Thou that Sleepest!” warns carnal and slothful Christians from Ephesians 5:14.
  3. Sermon Outline: “Praying for Soul Revival,” describes conviction, how to get it, and what to do with it.
  4. Sermon Outline: “Walking with God,” defines and exalts this descriptive phrase of a godly life.
  5. Sermon Outline: “The Heart of David,” describes David’s heart and the means he used to keep it.
  6. Sermon Outline: “A Pure Heart,” details religion of the heart and God and man’s roles in perfecting it.