In James 5:16-18 (NLT2) “The earnest prayer of a righteous person... (Part 1)

... has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops.” Today we begin this new series “Revival Praying” and I hope this is exactly what Life Church will begin to do. Anyone with their eyes opened can see our world is in a mess. The kind of revival I am talking about takes a church takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. There is nothing pacifying about revival. Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin.  Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”. The question is not “Where is the God of Elijah? Where are the Elijahs of God?”

1. Elijahs of God. James tells us that Elijah was human or of like passions as we are but we are not like him obviously when it comes to praying and seeking God. He and God stand together as a majority against a wicked nation, against a wicked king, and a wicked Jezebel. We think we can’t make a difference in the mess today but we can if we pray. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
¹⁴  if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

 2. Stand in the Gap. So many times we think we have it worse now than any time in history but Elijah was raised up at a time when darkness covered the land. So what did God do? Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV) “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”

3. Stand in the Gap and Pray. The secret to praying is praying in secret. If we are not praying, we are playing with the future of our kids and grandkids. I love the song…The Blessing but we have to pray for that to happened. Future generations will only be blessed if we will stand in the gap and pray for revival.

In Acts 19:11-15 (NKJV) “Now God worked unusual miracles...

... by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." Also there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, who did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" This evil spirit teaches us that there are people in the church whose names are known because of their Holy Spirit power. Do demons know your name? Today we look at:               

1. Unusual Miracles. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s body brought healing. That’s unusual. People brought out sick people so that Peter’s shadow might fall on them. The implication was they were healed. Unusual power manifested. We have a ways to go to get there.

2. Evil spirits know. Acts 19:15 (NKJV) “And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Pastor Rick, do demons know what I am thinking? No, but they don’t have to, they can just watch what you are doing and know how to tempt you. So powerful what the demon said, Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are you? Let me ask you today, who are you? 

3. True repentance. People heard that the evil spirit acknowledged Jesus and Paul and great fear fell on the area. God, do it again! Jesus was magnified! People came confessing their sins. This is revival! Then, they brought the things in their homes that were offensive to God and the gospel. Get rid of the junk in your house that opens the door to sin. Some of you may need to get rid of Net-Flix, movies, access to God cursing movies, and even alcohol. There is a reason alcohol has been called spirits for years. So the Word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. Repentance leads to revival! Psalm 85:6 (NKJV) “Will You not revive us again?”

Paul and Barnabas go to Lystra to preach...

    ... the gospel and to hopefully see revival. There is a message here especially for those of us who believe in the supernatural. Lystra was a pagan city where the people worshipped a host of false gods. When Paul and Barnabas show up, things get real in a hurry. A crippled man is healed and the people want to make them into gods…Zeus and Hermes. A revival of the wrong kind.

1. Going from Normal to Supernatural Will Require us to Glorify God. What kind of revival could Lystra been blessed with if they had not tried to make Paul and Barnabas into gods? People tend to want gods to follow with flesh on them. Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 

2. Going from Normal to Supernatural Will Require Us to be Contrite. Listen to what Michael Amico says in this message Beware of Revival. Revival has a price. He says… “There is nothing soothing about revival. Revival is not a season to be jolly. It’s not celebration or festivity. The church in revival is faced with the anguish of unforgiven sin. Like Isaiah of old the church cries out “Undone”.  Revival often takes the church in its grasp and refuses to let go until every last ounce of sin and self has been squeezed out. There is nothing soothing about revival. Revival often scorches before it soothes! Revival burns before it blesses! Revival eliminates before it edifies! Revival hurts before it heals! Revival empties before it fills! Revival breaks before it builds! Revival breaks everything in its path. Revival breaks pride, programs, prejudices, and platforms. Revival makes demands, real demands. Revival demands painful repentance! Revival demands painful sacrifice! Revival demands painful commitment! Revival demands ambitious evangelism! Beware of revival!  Revival is not all preachers and teachers have made it out to be.  Let me suggest that the next time you pray for revival, you first of all count the cost.” Paul decided to be contrite. What did their humility get him? Suffering with and for Christ. He was stoned and left for dead.

3. Going from Normal to Supernatural Will Bring Resurrection Power. Acts 14:20 (NIV) “But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city.” I am sure they gathered around Paul and prayed. What happened? He got up and went back into the city! Surprise! We see normal going to supernatural. God raised up Paul with resurrection power. You don’t get stoned and get back up (the same day) and go preach unless you have experienced the supernatural. Revival may cost us more than we think!

God is calling His church ...

...again to a deeper place of prayer. The church needs reviving and our land needs healing. Today we are talking about what constant prayer will do. Acts 12:5 (NKJV) “Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.” This story brings out or highlights in our lives what God can do when we participate in constant prayer. Quote - Anything God can do; prayer can do. Why? Because prayer is our link to God. The prayer of faith is the link to God’s power. Nothing is impossible with God…nothing is impossible when we pray. What happens when people pray?

1. When people pray something from heaven shows up. There was an angel…a light showed up in the prison. When we pray here, God responds from heaven. We have not because we ask not. We need something supernatural from God. 

2. When people pray God wakes people up. When the angel came to Peter, what did he do? He smote him in the side and woke him up. When God’s people pray…God wakes up those who are sleeping. Ephesians 5:14 (NIV) "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." 

3. When people pray chains fall off. Chains are restrictive. If you have chains on your legs, you can’t run. When we pray personally we find a freedom we did not have before. A new ability or freedom to witness…no longer restricted. When we pray God sets people free. Listen, your prodigal can’t be worse off than Peter, he was going to die. I know with the opioid crisis we wonder if they can be free. They can! Pray! I was there before it was popular. The church prayed and God set me free. 

4. When people pray doors are opened. Pastor, the door is not opening…pray! There’s a battle! Pray! 1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” When God’s people pray…doors are opened just like for Peter. God opened the door and set him free. We don’t need a battering ram…we do not need to force it…God will open the door. Pray!

Pray until the normal becomes supernatural. Pray until our land is healed. Pray constantly until your prodigals come home. Pray until revival comes!