Revival Sermon: Praying for the Power
A Sermon on Isaiah 62:6-7
Scripture
6I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, 7And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
Sermon Description
In his book, the prophet Isaiah demonstrates deep concern for the City of God. In this sermon on Isaiah 62:6–7 titled “Revival Sermon: Praying for the Power,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones stresses that today Christians should be just as concerned for the church and God’s people. The church is the bride of Christ, the City of God, and His dwelling place. He suggests that if Christians don’t have the same concern Isaiah had, perhaps it is because they don’t possess the right conception of the church. And if they don’t, they cannot love it the way Christ does. Isaiah has a burdened heart; a heart broken over the state of the remnant of God’s people. He prays to the Lord and pleads with the people to remember His goodness and mercy. When the church seems to be only a remnant, weak and small, Christians must remember that she is a holy people; the place where God dwells. Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out a few areas where Christians must act upon their concern for the church such as doctrine, prayer, and evangelism. He reminds to pray for revival and encourage others to do the same. In doing so, Christians are to remind God of His own promises and what He has said about Zion, the City of David, and His church.
Sermon Breakdown
- The prophet Isaiah was deeply concerned about the state of the church in his day. He saw Jerusalem as the city of God, and was grieved by its current condition.
- We as Christians today need to develop a similar concern for the state of the church. We must see the church as God sees it - as the city of God, the light of the world. Then we will understand why its current state is tragic.
- Isaiah was determined not to remain silent about this. He preached constantly about it, calling people to consider the situation. This is how revivals begin - with people who are burdened for the church.
- Isaiah had a vision for what the church could be - "a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord." We need to catch this vision too, from Scripture and from past revivals.
- Isaiah was anxious that the Gentiles would see the church in her glory. We should be similarly concerned with how the world views the church today.
- Isaiah calls for watchmen to warn of dangers, and to look for signs of hope. We need watchmen today to guard the truth and look for revival.
- Isaiah calls for prayer and intercession. We are to "give [God] no rest" until He revives His church. We are to remind God of His promises and be importunate in prayer.
- There is an urgency and desperation in Isaiah's appeal. We are to "take no rest" ourselves in praying for revival. The times demand an all-out effort.
- If we catch Isaiah's vision, we will set watchmen, become intercessors, and pray without ceasing for revival. We will not rest until God's glory returns to His church.
Revival Sermons
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.