What are God's word for

What are God's word for ? Christians in South Africa?

I dream about God moving in a spectacular way, a revival, a mass turning to Christ. Lord, are there any conditions for this revival to break forth?

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 1 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the house of Jacob their sins. 2 For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. 4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high.

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for a man to humble himself? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying on sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord ? 6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? 8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, 10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry (not just donate occasionally) and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.

Isaiah 58 : 1 - 11 11 The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

1 God Describes His People as Rebels • They were seeking God daily For day after day they seek me out; • They were eager for God They seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They • ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them.

1 God Describes His People as Rebels • They were keeping God’s commands as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. • They were fasting 3 ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Isaiah 58 : 6 and 7 • loosening the chains of injustice, • setting the oppressed free, • sharing your food with the hungry, • providing the poor wanderer with • shelter and • clothing the naked

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival • There are advocacy requirements and there are compassionate action requirements • Advocacy deals with injustice issues and breaking oppression. These are the first 2 conditions God lays down - loosening the chains of injustice and setting the oppressed free. • Compassionate action practically with people's needs – feeding the hungry, providing shelter and clothing the naked. These are the next 3 requirements in Isaiah 58.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Injustice issues and the advocacy needed to help overcome them. Proverbs 31 8 “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. 9 Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival • Knowing God includes defending the cause of the poor and needy. Jeremiah 22 15 “Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just, so all went well with him. 16 He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord. Advocacy work on behalf of the voiceless

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival • God is looking for people to stand in the gap of silence over injustice. Ezekial 22 29 The people of the land practice extortion and commit robbery; they oppress the poor and needy and mistreat the alien, denying them justice. 30 “I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Isaiah 594No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. 8 The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks in them will know peace. 9So justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. 14 So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. 15Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey. The Lord looked and was displeased that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival However it is not just advocacy requirements that are needed for a mighty revival. We also need compassionate action. • Isaiah 58:6 and 7 goes on and says: • share your food with the hungry • provide the poor wanderer with shelter • clothe the naked.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus • What did Jesus have to say about the poor and compassionate action? Luke 4:17 - 19 • 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:18“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus • The first public statement Jesus makes is that He has been anointed to preach good news to the poor. Luke 4:18 • In the middle of his ministry Jesus states that the proof He is the Messiah is that He ministers to the sick and the poor. • Matthew 11:4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus • Jesus' last public sermon was about compassionate action for the poor and needy Matthew 2531 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on His left.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus Matthew 25“34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus Matthew 2540“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus Matthew 2544“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45“He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival Compassionate action issues as taught by Jesus Matthew 25 41‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival • For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink (food) • I was a stranger and you invited me in (housing) • For I needed clothes and you clothed me (clothing) • I was sick and you looked after me (care) • I was in prison and you came to visit me. (care)

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival • For loosening the chains of injustice (advocacy) • Setting the oppressed free (advocacy) • Sharing your food with the hungry (food – • compassionate action) • Providing the poor wanderer with shelter (housing • – compassionate action) • Clothing the naked (clothing – compassionate • action) • Jesus adds visiting those in prison and looking • after the sick.

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival We are not called to do good works but God’s works. Wake-up… fulfil God’s plan!

2 God Describes His Conditions for Revival You cannot be neutral about God’s purposes for the Church to be welded to the poor and the needy

3 God Describes His Mighty Coming Revival • There will be significant healing miracles Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; • You will live righteous lives Then your righteousness will go before you. • God’s glory will be all around you The glory of the Lord will be your rear guard • There will amazing instant answers to prayer 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

3 God Describes His Mighty Coming Revival • There will be amazing instant answers to prayer 9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. • There will be clear guidance from the Lord 11 The Lord will guide you always; • The Lord will satisfy your every need He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

3 God Describes His Mighty Coming Revival • The Revival will be a massive flood of blessing to those who repent and do His Word Isaiah 5919 From the west, men will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the Lord drives along. 20“The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord. 21“As for me, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth, or from the mouths of your children, or from the mouths of their descendants from this time on and forever,” says the Lord

What are God's word for