SARDIS:
about 50 miles east of Smyrna
700 years before John wrote Revelation, Sardis was one of the great cities of the world. It’s an OLD city…
It was at an elevation of 1500 ft and was nearly impenetrable. As that part of the town filled up, they expanded into the valley below. But the original Sardis was surrounded on 3 sides by huge walls & cliffs that were nearly perpendicular and almost impossible to climb.
It was also a wealthy city. They built an impressive synagogue there roughly the size of a football field.
Revelation 3:1-6
Socially alive, but Spiritually dead.
Remember, you can SAY all the right words–the very WORDS of Jesus. But say them without HIS SPIRIT, and you’ll still be wrong.
We need to embrace the gifts of the Spirit AND the fruit of the spirit, but not get too wrapped up in either as a god unto itself.
God is a productive God! If it’s not producing, He uproots the plant and puts something in that WILL produce fruit.
The world can sniff out a walking dead believer WAYYYYY quicker than the church can.
It’s not enough to talk the talk. Are you actually living different? Are you ACTUALLY set apart?? Is your relationship with Jesus actually producing fruit? Is it actually changing things? Is it actually requiring sacrifices of you? Is the HS producing love, joy, peace…
When MY people, who are called by my name, shall 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 Chronicles 7:14
For revival to take place we need to:
1) re-focus, REFOCUS our EYES on JESUS.
2) remember, go back to what you heard and believed at first
3)repent. Turn-a-way FROM sin, and turn TOWARD Jesus.
What in your life needs to be pruned?
Why did you come to Jesus in the first place? What has He done in your life? How have you changed since coming to know Him?
What do you need to repent of, and leave in the past, to follow after Jesus with your whole heart today?
Matthew 6:28-30?
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
Ya wanna know how to come alive again? I gave you a few different ways today, but they all begin and end with this…pursue the Holy Spirit with everything you have inside you.