Sermon Text: Acts 8

Aren't you glad to be in church tonight, amen? Jesus Christ could come tonight. If the Lord came tonight, think about all of those people in the Super Bowl. I tell you what, that wouldn't mean much then, would it? Oh, listen to me tonight. I praise God for those who are faithful to the house of God.

Notice here in the book of Acts chapter number 8. I want to read a few passages of scripture here on the subject of revival. That's my heartbeat. I want to see the church experience revival. I want to see God raise up an army of Christians who will march on this sin-soaked society and be literally captivated for the honor and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what the Lord wants you and I to experience in our lives. He wants us to experience victory, amen! God never intended for the Christian to experience defeat. As God commanded the children of Israel to go into the promised land, He said destroy the enemy. He wanted them to experience victory, amen? He wants the church to experience victory today. Oh listen, the only way we will experience that is for God's people to determine in their heart that they are going to experience revival.

Listen, the book of Acts is a book of revival. It's the blueprint that lays out the conditions for what you and I must determine to propagate in our lives if we are going to experience this supernatural thing of revival. We'll have revival if. Amen. That's the message. We'll have revival if.

Revival is conditional. God will take care of the supernatural, but we must take care of the natural. You must recognize that we have responsibilities. We're living in a day and age of responsibility shirkers. That's why there are so many abortions. That's why there are so many divorces. That's why homosexuality is running rampant today. That's why you have perversion and all sorts of ungodliness on television today. Nobody wants to take responsibility. That's why we are not experiencing revival. Nobody wants to take the responsibility to pray. Are you with me tonight? Say amen! That's right. So, we'll have revival if. Amen.

Listen, revival is only going to come through God's people.

(II Chronicles 7:14) If my people, which 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.

Here in this passage of scripture we find a church at Samaria experiencing revival. They had gone through some persecution. Under the influence of the Holy Spirit of God, Philip the evangelist was sent down to that church. We know there is a church there because in John chapter 4 we read about the Samaritan woman coming to know Christ as Saviour. The town people came out and many folks were saved. Out of that nucleus of people, a church was established; a growing church, a going church, a giving church for the honor and glory of God.

Now, they experienced some persecution and there was some discouragement and dissension there in that church at Samaria. Philip the evangelist was sent and the Bible says he preached Christ unto them. That's a good subject to preach, amen? Because they met the conditions that were laid out in the preaching of the Word of God, God sent a supernatural revival in the hearts of God's people. God used this church. There was revival and evidence of revival. Why? Because the Bible says they were rejoicing. Anybody who is rejoicing in things of God is experiencing revival. Amen.

Oh, the problem with so many Christians today is that they walk around as if they lost their joy. Their lips are dragging so low that they could eat oatmeal out of a tail pipe; down, depressed, and discouraged. God's people have no business being discouraged. It's a sin for you to be discouraged. Amen. It's a sin. To be discouraged is a lack of courage. The lack of courage is a lack of faith and that which is not of faith is sin. Amen. Don't be discouraged. This church was experiencing a little bit of that. So, Philip the evangelist came down and preached the Word of God and they had revival. The Bible says in verse number 8:

(Acts 8:8) And there was great joy in that city.

Amen. They recognized their responsibility, not only when they were rejoicing. Look at verse number 12:

(Acts 8:12) But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

They began to fulfill the great commission; the command of God. They went out and compelled people to the house of God. They were saved, baptized, and added unto the church! Amen. That's revival; recognizing their responsibilities. Look at Acts chapter 9, verse 31.

(Acts 9:31) Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

People were added unto the church. People were saved, baptized, recognizing their responsibilities, rejoicing in the Lord. We'll have revival if. Amen. Look at Acts chapter 15 verse 3. Are you with me tonight? Say amen.

(Acts 15:3) And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.

Lets go back to Acts chapter 8. They had revival, walking in the fear of the Lord, edified, and multiplied. I mean they were walking in the fear of God. There was a manifestation of righteousness. Where's the righteousness in the house of God today? Where's the righteousness in the lives of God's people? Walking in righteousness! Rejoicing in the Lord! Recognizing the responsibility! Listen to me, that's a church that's had a revival, amen. The impact that this church had for the cause of Christ was tremendous. We'll have revival if! Amen.

We'll have a revival if all of the sleeping folk will wake up. How many of you are tired? If you are tired, get over it. You're a child of God. You've got the Spirit of God dwelling within you to give you the strength and power that you need, hallelujah. Amen. We'll have revival if all of the sleeping folk will wake up, both spiritually and physically. If all of the lukewarm folk will fire up, all of the dishonest folk will confess up, all of the disgruntled folk will sweeten up, all of the discouraged folk will cheer up, all of the depressed folk will look up, all of the estranged folk will make up, all of the gossipers will shut up, all of the dry bones will shake up, all of the true soldiers will stand up, and all of the church members will pray up, then we'll have revival! We'll have revival if!

Mark it down that the Lord Jesus Christ has a greater desire to send revival than you have to experience revival. Oh how the Lord Jesus hungers and thirsts and longs for the church to have revival. We'll have revival if. Amen.

Now notice in Acts chapter 8 some conditions laid out in God's Word, for revival to take place in our lives.

(Acts 8:5) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
(Acts 8:6) And the people ...

That's where we're going to have revival; through the people. They are individuals desiring supernatural renovation of the Spirit of God in their lives.

(Acts 8:6) And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
(Acts 8:7) For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

Amen. They had revival. We'll have revival if, number one, God's people are faithful to the assembly and God's people determine to be faithful to the house of God. Listen, we'll not have revival unless there is an assembly, an assembly of people that gather together. Oh how we as God's people need to be more faithful to the assembly; I mean Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and when there is a gathering here at the church during revival meetings. Every time the doors are open, why is it that God's people can't be faithful to a week of revival meetings? Amen. Why can't they be faithful to the house of God? I'll tell you why; because we're too busy. You've got mom working and you've got dad working. You've also got kids in school or kids in the daycare. You get off work and you've got to pick up the kids at daycare or pick them up at school. Then you get home and you have to put the meal on the table. Dad comes home exhausted, mom's exhausted, and the kids are exhausted. By that time, you've blown off the revival meeting. That's why we are not having revival. We're too busy with our own affairs. That's why we can't be faithful to the house of God. During a revival meeting, listen, God's people need to determine to be faithful to the assembly. Amen. The Bible says:

(Hebrews 10:25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Forsaking! Forsake means to leave behind in some place or to desert. Listen, if you are not faithful to the house of God every time the doors are open, you are a deserter, according to the Bible. You are a deserter. In the Civil War days, they shot deserters. They were worse than the enemy. At least you knew where the enemy stood. Amen. Desert the house of God! How God's people need to be faithful to the assembly. You'll not experience revival sitting at home in front of your television when you should be in the house of God. Amen. The Spirit of God is not going to rest upon you there in your recliner. Amen.

Oh, take your Bibles and turn to the book of John chapter 20. Are you with me tonight? Say amen, even if it kills you. Look at verse 19.

(John 20:19) Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Now that was Sunday in the evening being the first day of the week. People ask why we have an evening service. Because they had them in the Bible. Why is it so important and imperative that we be faithful to the assembly? So that we may experience God's presence. Oh to know the presence of God in your life.

When the children of Israel went into battle, what gave them confidence and conviction to go in there and conquer the enemy? It was knowing that God's presence went with them. The ark of the covenant was there and God's presence was manifesting itself. As they wandered through the wilderness, a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night gave them comfort, conviction, and confidence. Amen. To know the presence of God! That's why people are not faithful to church. They don't want to be in the presence of God. You know, at one time, Adam didn't want to be in the presence of God. Why? Sin! Sin drives us away from the presence of God and we lose our joy. Notice what it says in verse 21.

(John 20:21) Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

We need to experience God's peace. Amen? To experience the peace of God as opposed to frustration, fear, and fatigue. So many Christians today are frustrated, irritated, impetuous, impatient. Why? They are not faithful to the assembly. Notice in verse 22.

(John 20:22) And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

This is so you may experience God's power. Amen. Oh listen, the greatest need of the hour is for God's people to walk in the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit of God. So many of God's people are falling into sin and temptation. Why? They are not faithful to the assembly and the result is they are not experiencing the power of God. Amen. The power of God in your life! Oh listen, we'll have revival if God's people are faithful to the assembly. Amen.

There was an assembly. Who wasn't there? Who wasn't at the assembly? Thomas. What is he known for? Doubting. So many Christians today doubt. Young people doubt. They don't know what they are going to do with their life. They only come to church because they have to. Well amen for that. That's the reason why I came to church when I was a teenager. Praise God I had a mom and dad who made me come.

People doubt their salvation, they doubt their service, they doubt their existence with God. Because of that sin that's riddled their life, they go out and they begin to doubt whether they even ought to go on with life and they commit suicide. What a tragedy! Last year I heard of several Christians claiming to know Christ commit suicide. What's the problem? Not faithful to the assembly. Amen. You've got to be faithful to the assembly, exhorting one another, encouraging one another, edifying one another, uplifting one another, and being a blessing to each other. Amen. We're a unit and team. We've got to have harmony in our lives. Church is important. It's so important that the Bible says that Christ purchased the church with His own blood. It must be pretty important. Amen? People are so flippant about church.

God knew what He was doing when He called me to be an evangelist. He said the best place for Darrell Murphy is in church. Amen. I preached 40 week-long revivals last year. That's 40 weeks in the house of God, night after night. Last year I preached 10 week-long meetings back-to-back. That's being in church a little bit, amen. That will keep you out of trouble. Listen, in the New Testament they had church every day, all day. We're too soft. Assembly!

Take your Bibles and go back to Acts chapter 8. Notice that to have revival there must be an assembly. Secondly, there must be an attentiveness. Notice what the Bible says there.

(Acts 8:6) And the people with one accord gave heed ...

Amen. They gave heed, they were attentive, they were mindful and alert. They were not daydreaming. They were not thinking about their job or what was going on, what was on television, or anything of that nature. I mean these people were literally focused, hanging on the edge of their seats, waiting to hear the sermon that Philip the evangelist had to preach. They were attentive!

Now praise God we meet the first conditions for revival. We have an assembly. But mark it down this next condition for revival is where many of God's people fall short. They are not attentive. I can dare say probably 70% of the people right here are not attentive to the preaching of the Word of God right now. You allow your minds to wander. The Bible says bring every thought into captivity.

(II Corinthians 10:5) ... bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

Discipline yourself! We've allowed Hollywood to regulate our attention spans. We've allowed television to regulate and dictate how we are to pay attention. We pay more heed to television and commercials. We know the commercials and the jingles by heart better than we know the Word of God. We are distracted and preoccupied. So many of God's people are that way; preoccupied. You study the Bible and you'll find those who fell into sin were preoccupied. David fell into sin because he was preoccupied with a female. He fell into sin. Samson was preoccupied with the lust of the flesh. He lost his eyes. He fell into sin.

Gehazi, Elisha's understudy was preoccupied with finances, preoccupied with money. That's the problem with many churches today. They are more concerned about meeting budget than running buses. Well, praise God for Pastor Johnson. He's still running the buses, amen. Yet he's got enough wisdom and enough knowledge to be able to administrate and meet the budget and all of that. There's a lot of preachers out there who get themselves into trouble because they misappropriate funds. What are they preoccupied with? Finances! Gehazi was plagued with leprosy because of money. Now there's nothing wrong with having money; it's when money has you.

Preoccupied! Demas was preoccupied with fun.

(II Timothy 4:10) For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, ...

He was preoccupied with fun, pleasure, and entertainment. Listen, the church is not a place where you come to be entertained. It's a place where you come to exhorted, rebuked, and reproved. I preach in some of these places where they bring in some of these folks to sing and they get up there and sing some honky-tonk music. It blows my mind. It's a lot more prevalent in the south than it is up in the north, but some of the music they play up north is so dead that it wouldn't even raise Lazarus. Amen? Lazarus would say, "Keep me in the grave if I have to listen to that music." Praise God for a great music program here, amen.

These people come in and they sing all this honky-tonk music. They sing about how much they love Jesus, about how much they are walking with God, and they sit back in their pew and they don't even bring a Bible to the house of God. You know, that's entertainment. They are getting up to entertain. Oh, listen to me, I clamp onto that like a mad dog in a meathouse. I get up in the pulpit and preach, "How in God's dear name can you claim to love God and not even bring your Bible to church?" Amen.

What's the problem today? Preoccupied with things. How we've lost our desire to give heed to the preaching of the Word of God. That's the problem in our country today. Listen, Daniel even said it. The greatest sin that we're committing is that we are not giving heed to the preaching of the Word of God. Read about it in Daniel. We wouldn't listen to the prophets. We wouldn't listen to them. We were not attentive. We were daydreaming. We were lethargic. We were lazy. We were lukewarm. Take your Bibles and look at Acts chapter 20. Got your King James Bibles? Say amen.

(Acts 20:7) And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

What if we went to midnight tonight?

(Acts 20:8) And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.
(Acts 20:9) And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead.

That's symbolic of a Christian on the edge. There's a lot of Christians out there on the fringes. There are a lot of Christians out there on the edge. That's why you are so easily distracted. You're sitting in the window spiritually and you're looking out on the worldly crowd. Even the Psalmist said:

(Psalm 73:3) For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

You've taken your eyes off of Jesus and off of the things of God and you're looking out that window. You're on the fringe. You think the grass is greener over there. But when you get over there you find out it's not grass at all. It's just astro-turf. It's fake. It's not real. It's phony. Mark it down that the grass is always greener next to the septic tank. If you're an RVer, you know about that, right?

The young man sat in a window and he fell asleep. He was in a deep sleep, because of Paul's long preaching. And he was taken up dead. So many Christians are that way. Eutychus was distracted. He wouldn't give any heed. He wasn't paying attention. Are you attentive tonight? Are you alert? Are you awake? Are you attentive? They gave heed to the preaching of the Word of God. They gave heed to the power of God. They gave heed to the purpose of God and the plan of God for their lives. They went out and fulfilled the great commission. Say amen, even if it kills you. But that's what God says in the book of Acts chapter number 8; black and white. Don't get mad at me; get mad at God.

Just like the fellow who got mad at me when I was out soul winning one time. I was with this preacher and we knocked on the door. This fellow came to the door and he was all mad and I could tell this was going to be a bad call. The preacher said, "Do you go to church anywhere?" The follow said, "That's none of your business!" He had a sour look on his face and I had been soul winning long enough to know where this call was going to go. Amen? I just stood there with a big smile on my face, trying to maintain the joy of the Lord, you know. He must have said "That's none of your business" a hundred times. The pastor was trying to be so pleasant and everything. Finally, the pastor looked at me and he wanted me to say something. The fellow looked at me and said, "What are you smiling at?" I just said, "That's none of your business." He slammed the door and got mad at me. It was the first time I had ever preached for this pastor. He said, "You really do have a hockey player's mentality, don't you?" I said, "That's right, amen. I was going to body check that fellow."

Attentive! Attentive! Oh, so many of God's people are not attentive to the preaching of the Word of God. Oh, they're attentive to the jokes. I don't know how many have said, "Well, your preaching has bad jokes." I answer, "Well, I'm glad you got something out of the message, amen." What does God want you to do with your life? You don't even pay attention. What does God want you to do with your life? For some of you young boys and girls, you moms and dads; do you just want to sit out there on the window, on the edge, on the fringe, and just exist? Do you want to be daydreaming and lethargic for the rest of your existence as a child of God? Not me! I want revival. Attentive! Attentive!

Back in Acts chapter 8, then notice here that not only were the people faithful to the assembly and not only were they attentive, but notice in verse number 7:

(Acts 8:7) For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.

Now verse 7 tells us what must take place in our hearts and in our lives if we are to experience true revival. Notice that the unclean spirits that had possessed the people came out. This is a picture of how the children of God must deal with sin in their lives. To have true revival, we must acknowledge the fact of sin in our lives. Now listen, a child of God cannot be possessed with a demon, but many children of God are possessed with unclean spirits of sin. We'll not have revival until God's people are willing to acknowledge those unclean spirits of sin and cast them out. Amen. We need to acknowledge the unclean spirit of pride. When's the last time you've been to an altar, prayed, knelt down in humility, and just thanked God for your salvation? You're too proud. You're too proud. You'll not experience revival in your life until you're willing to acknowledge that pride. Amen.

Hey listen, some of you might have been here in 1982 when I had to acknowledge my pride and come forward and get right with God. That's the difference between me and you. You're still in your sin; I got right with God. I got right with the Lord. I acknowledged my sinful condition. I acknowledged I was running from God. I wasn't right with God. Acknowledge the unclean spirit of pride in your life! That's why you don't tithe; you're proud. That's why you don't give to missions; you're proud. That's why you're not doing the will of God; you're proud. That's why you're running from God; you're proud. You had better acknowledge that unclean spirit of pride.

There is the unclean spirit of jealousy, the unclean spirit of envy, the unclean spirit of lust, the unclean spirit of anger, and unclean spirit of laziness, prayerlessness, the unclean spirit of contention, and the unclean spirit of a bad thought life. Unclean spirits! We need to acknowledge them and get right with God. Amen. You're too proud to admit to your kids that you've been wrong. You're too proud to admit to your wife. Wives are too proud to admit to their husbands. That's why there is contention in the home. Unclean spirits!

Notice what the unclean spirits resulted in. The Bible says in verse number 7 that they were taken with palsies and were lame. Palsy means to be paralyzed, feeble, and sick spiritually. Many of God's people are palsies. That's a tragedy when someone is afflicted with that physically. But there are a lot of God's people who because of the unclean spirits that they have allowed to rule and reign in their lives, they become feeble, sick, and paralyzed. They are palsies. It's a nervous disorder of the brain. A person who has that disease has a tendency to throw fits or spasms. See God's people throwing fits; getting in arguments with one another, people getting into Preacher's face, people getting into staff members' faces. They have an unclean spirit and they're throwing a fit. It's a spasm. It means to be out of control. Are you with me tonight? Say amen. It's in the Bible. It's right there.

Notice they were lame; another result of an unclean spirit. Palsy and lame means to be limping, crippled, and not able to walk. Christians who are possessed with unclean spirits of sin have a hard time walking with God. That's why you are hit and miss with your Bible and with prayer. Listen, you have an unclean spirit and you're limping. Have you ever watched those nature programs, when an African lion is sneaking up on a watering hole and there might be some gazelles or some wildebeests there. What do you think that lion's looking for? Is he looking for a big, strong, robust wildebeest that could possibly turn on him and could kick him with its hooves? He's looking for that one wildebeest that's walking with a limp. "Ah, there's one I can catch. There's one I can devour. There's one I can destroy." Because of that unclean spirit, you lay prey to the devil's devices in your life. Rebellion! You're too hard, subborn, and stingy. You refuse to get right with God. You have an unclean spirit. We need to acknowledge it.

Saul had an unclean spirit of pride, jealously, and all of that. He was jealous of David, jealous of the things going on, and Samuel came and called him on the carpet. What did Saul do? He blamed the people. He didn't acknowledge his sin. He didn't acknowledge his unclean spirit. He blamed the people and as a result an Amalekite killed him. These were the same people he was supposed to destroy and because he didn't fully obey God and take care of business, that same sin came back on him. An Amalekite killed Saul when he couldn't kill himself. Read about it. It's in the Bible. That sin you refuse to take care of fully is going to come back and destroy you. Amen.

But listen, David also sinned; premeditated murder and adultery. They were wicked sins. When Nathan came and pointed his finger at David and said, "Thou art the man!", what did David do? He said, "I have sinned against God." He repented and got his heart right with the Lord. He acknowledged it. In Psalm 51 you can read about it.

(Psalm 51:3) For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

He owned up to it. He admitted it. He didn't make excuses. He didn't pass the buck. He didn't blame the church. He didn't blame the preacher. He didn't blame the Christian school. People blame the Christian school when it's their rebellious kid who probably needs to be saved. Amen. You'd be surprised what an old fashioned dose of salvation will do to an individual. Stop blaming people. We live in an Opra Winfrey and Phil Donahue type of society. Well, you can't function because you were abused. Hey, grow up, everybody is abused. Amen. Well, I'm a serial killer because my mom and dad made me eat green peas when I was a kid. Every time I see a can of green peas, I go off. The green pea killer on the next Opra Winfrey. We can't wait to see that one, amen?

But David acknowledged his sins. He got right with God; thoroughly right with God. You'll never experience revival in your life. You'll never experience the blessings of God. You're just satisfied with being average. You're content with being mediocre rather than stepping out by faith and surrendering your all on the altar for God. That's why we're not having revival. People aren't acknowledging those unclean spirits of sin. Oh, the church at Samaria had revival; rejoicing, recognizing responsibility, righteous in their conduct, walking in the fear of the Lord. Why? They were faithful to the assembly. They were attentive in their attitude and in their spirit. They acknowledged there were some unclean spirits that needed to be dealt with. Oh listen, we need revival. We need God's people getting their hearts right with God. We'll have revival if. We'll have revival if you want revival.

Father, thank you for your love and your goodness. Thank you for your mercy of grace. Thank you for your Word. I pray tonight you will burn it within our hearts. Help us to recognize the importance of experiencing revival. I pray tonight, dear God, if there is one here who is not saved, they'll come to know you as Saviour. And if there are folks here who aren't right with You, they will come and get right with You. If there are folks here who need to acknowledge some unclean spirits, I pray they'll do it. I pray Lord, we'll just see overwhelming presence of the Spirit of God convicting the hearts of God's people, dealing with sins of pride, envy, jealousy, gossip, and dissension; people getting right with the Lord. I pray Lord if there is one here not saved, they'll come and get saved.

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