The Results of a Spiritual Awakening
Jonah 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. 6Then word came to the king of Nineveh; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. 7And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. 8But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?
- I begin with a question this morning, “What happens when an awakening comes?”
Last Sunday I talked about "Transforming Apathy into an Awakening". in fact many today have never born witness to a moving of the manifest presence of God.
Thus, these have little idea about what to expect.
I want to take a look at Jonah as to understand an awakening.
Jonah had a divine call, a determined run, a disaster at sea, a destitute man, a distressed prayer, a directed preacher, and a decisive action.
Now Think about it, God awakens us with a purpose in mind.
We become conscious of the fact that something has to be accomplished.
That is what happens when the alarm goes off.
Now, the common people of Nineveh have repented, turned to God, and a spiritual awakening is breaking out all through the city.
Do you notice that Nineveh is not awakened until first the prophet is awakened.
* Let me offer 3 results of God awakening a city.
- Lives are changed.
Think about this, God has sent Jonah to Nineveh to preach His word.
If God sent Jonah, God is giving power to the words and the message of Jonah.
It seems that everywhere the message went out, God honored His message and people’s lives were affected.
God is clear in Isaiah when He says, “My word will not return void.”
Think about this, the man of God and the word of God empowered by the Spirit of God will lead to lives changed by the power of God.
Here is what many miss today; this change affects all of life.
It affects desires, schedules, attitudes and actions.
It doesn’t simply affect “a part of life” or a “compartment in life”, it affects ALL of a person’s life.
You begin to hear what you couldn’t hear when you were asleep.
Why? Because in the midst of an awakening things are never the same.
- The word begins to spread When spiritual awakening happens there's no need for a public relations person to promote it.
Flyers, handbills, signs, nor mail outs are required to let people know. Candidly, if you ever find yourself in the middle of a spiritual awakening, just “TRY” to keep it from being known and you may wind up one of the most frustrated people around.
Truth is, word will get out.
Why? Because just as surely as you can’t stop bad news and lies from traveling, good news which is consistent, will make the gossips columns in the same.
The scripture said, “When the word “reached” the King.
When God gets loose, both lives and lips are loosed and the word gets out. Lives are loosed to live in a way they have never known or even imagined.
Today, we think freedom is doing what “I” want to do, but real freedom comes in completely doing what you are designed to do.
When we do this, another thing happens to us.
- Our lips are loosed. Let’s consider this thought just for a second.
Why is it seemingly so difficult to speak a word in behalf of what we say we believe so dearly?
When our lives are loosed the obvious outcome is that our LIPS are also loosed. It is a natural outgrowth.
- No one is exempt.
When God begins to move, He knows no boundaries.
In Nineveh, His powerful word reached all the way to the throng room.
There are two words in this sentence to which I will draw your attention; the first is ‘word’ and the second is ‘reached or came.’
The text says, “When the “word came ” the King.” “Word” is also translated as tidings, message, and news.
The Hebrew words would convey something like a matter, an issue, or a cause.
Certainly the changing lives within the city of Nineveh rose to every level.
It was being talked about in the stores, on the streets, in the houses, and had now made it to the White House. Do you understand that the new of an awakening affected everyone in that city.
It had “reached”, “had touched”, or “arrived” in the throne room.
Scripture makes no indication that Jonah was in the throne room, so it must have been the power of the message, the power to change lives, and the power of God giving supernatural support to the message of “AWAKENING”.
In my message last Sunday I offered the observation that we are in desperate need of Spiritual Awakening.
Guess what the alarm is sounding to awaken from our sleep. Don't push the snooze button on the alarm, it is time to stop procrastinating an begin to accomplish God's purpose in your life.
