The Fruit of Brokenness
Psalm 34:18 |
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Introduction: The small band of church leaders had been praying earnestly for revival in their community--a village on the Isle of Lewis, and island just off the coast of Scotland. They were particularly burdened for the young people of the island who had no interest in spiritual matters and scorned the things of God. For eighteen months they met--three nights a week, praying through the night, right on into the early hours of the morning, beseeching God to come and visit in revival. But there was no evidence of any change. Then one night, a young man of the group rose to his feet, opened his Bible, and read from Psalm 24: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord, and who shall dwell in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart . . . . He shall receive the blessing from the Lord." Facing the men around him, this young man said, "Brethren, it seems to me to be just so much ‘humbug’ to be waiting and praying as we are, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God." There in the straw, the men knelt and humbly confessed their sins to the Lord. Within a short period of time, God had begun to pour out His Spirit in an extraordinary awakening that shook the entire island. Before revival can come to a church it must first come in the hearts and lives of that church’s individual members. If the impact of the work of the Holy Spirit is to be felt in a home, a church, or a nation, revival must first be experienced on a personal level in the hearts of men and women who have encountered God in a fresh way. And the single greatest hindrance to our experiencing personal revival is our unwillingness to humble ourselves and confess our desperate need for His mercy. 1. Our generation has been programmed to pursue happiness, wholeness, good feelings about ourselves, positive self-image, affirmation, and cures for our hurt feelings and damaged hearts. We have been lead to the think that life’s goal is happiness, yet most struggle to find happiness or to even know what it is. Our goal should be holiness in our lives. When holiness comes then comes peace, joy and happiness. God is more committed to making us holy than making us happy. And there is only one pathway to holiness--one road to genuine revival--and that is the pathway of humility or brokenness. BUT WHAT IS HOLINESS? Often we assume that everyone knows what the biblical words mean, but we often find that they are not understood or people have a wrong idea of what the word means. The word means to be separated from that which is not of God. The first time the word is found in the Bible is Exodus 3:5 when God told Moses as he stared at the burning bush that he was to take off his shoes...because he was on HOLY ground. In other words...the place was sacred being used by the Lord. Therefore something that is holy is something that is sacred or separated to the Lord. It can be people, places and things. But what makes them holy is that they are in the Lord’s service...separated from the world...or any other use, but the Lord’s. We can see that in the commandment of God in Exodus 20:8 to keep the Sabbath day holy. That means separated from other use and dedicated to use by the Lord. Concerning Israel God said in Leviticus 20:26 "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." Note God uses the word "severed." God divided Israel from the nations and peoples around them. In the New Testament 1 Peter 1:16 says, "Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy." 2. The Scripture makes it clear that this is the number one prerequisite to meeting God in revival. Romans 6:22 "But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15). "The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit" (Psalm 34:18). "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise."(Psa. 51:17) God requires brokenness, humility, contrition if we are to have His best. God is nigh only unto those who are humble, for He resists the proud. God ministers to, revives, strengthens, and quickens those who have a contrite heart. 3. We often think of revival as a time of great joy, blessing, fullness, and celebration. And so it will be in its fullness. But the problem is that we want a painless Revival . . . Many want God’s blessing without our repentance and personal revival. We forget that God’s ways are not our ways, that the way up is down. Peterus Octavianus, a man greatly used by God in the 1973 revival in Borneo, reminds us, "Revivals do not begin happily with everyone having a good time. They start with a broken and contrite heart." You and I will never meet God in revival, until we first meet Him in brokenness.
At first hearing, "brokenness" does not sound like something to be sought after. After all, it seems so negative! We may even be afraid of the concept. Perhaps that is because we have a misconception about the meaning of brokenness. Our idea of brokenness may be quite different from God’s idea.
1. Brokenness does not mean, as some think, having a sad, gloomy, downcast countenance--never smiling or laughing. It does not mean always being morbidly introspective. Nor can it be equated with deeply emotional experiences. It is possible to shed buckets full of tears, without ever experiencing a moment of brokenness. Further, brokenness is not the same as being deeply hurt by tragic circumstances.
A person may have experienced many deep hurts and tragedies, but never have been broken. Brokenness is a matter of the heart; it has to do with the disposition of the inner man, the inner conviction wherein we do not trust our selves, we desire to be dead to sin, and alive unto God. (Gal. 2:20) It is a matter of being crucified with Christ, hating sin, submitting unto Him totally.
2. Brokenness is not a feeling; rather, it is a choice , an act of the will. It is not primarily a one-time experience or crisis (though there may be crisis points in the process of brokenness); rather, it is an ongoing, continual lifestyle.
3. Brokenness is a lifestyle of agreeing with God about the true condition of my heart and life, as He sees it. It is a lifestyle of unconditional, absolute surrender of my will to the will of God--a heart attitude that says, "Yes, Lord!" to whatever God says.
Brokenness means the shattering of my self-will, so that the life and Spirit of the Lord Jesus may be released through me.
Brokenness is my response of humility and
obedience to the conviction of the Word and the Spirit of God. And as the conviction is continuous, so must the brokenness be continuous.
4. True brokenness has both a vertical and a horizontal dimension: it is demonstrated in a willingness to live with the "roof off " in my relationship with God, and the "walls down" in my relationships with others.
Scripture provides us with numerous examples of broken people.
Interestingly, these examples are often set in contrast to people who were not broken. In every case, both individuals had sinned. The difference was not so much in the nature or magnitude of their sin, but in their response when confronted with their sin.
1. For example, two kings sat on a throne. One king, in a fit of passion, committed adultery with his neighbor’s wife, and then plotted to have his neighbor killed. Yet, when the story of his life was told, this man was called "a man after God’s own heart." By contrast, his predecessor’s sin was relatively insignificant--he was only guilty of incomplete obedience. But it cost him his kingdom, his life, and his family. That King was David. What was the difference?
2. When King Saul was confronted with his sin, he defended, justified, and excused himself, blamed others, and tried to cover up both the sin and its consequences.
In short, his response revealed a proud, unbroken heart. On the other hand, when King David was faced with his sin, he was willing to acknowledge his failure, to take personal responsibility for his wrongdoing, and to repent of his sin. His response was that of a humble, broken man. And his was the heart that God honored.
3. Coming to a place of brokenness demands a willingness to humble ourselves, to look at our lives in the light of the searchlight of God’s word and making decisions accordingly. (Rom. 6:16-18)
Joy....Jesus said in John 15:10-11," If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full."
Romans 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Phil 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."
1 Thess 5:16 "Rejoice evermore."
1 Peter 4:13 "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
Conclusion:
"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17)
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)
God uses the word "contrite" to describe the broken heart. It literally means to be crushed. In Isaiah 53:10 the word is used in reference to Jesus Christ ". . . Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin" The word "bruise" is the same word "contrite, meaning to be crushed, broken."
God says:
"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." (Psalm 34:18) That means God is with the person who sees him/herself as crushed in admitting his/her sins and being in turn repentance.
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalm 51:17) God cannot favor or bless the proud, or the unrepentance who deny their sin.
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." (Isaiah 57:15)
All who Christ receives come with a contrite heart, a humble spirit. He revives the spirit and heart of the humble. That means He gives them a new life, etenal life, and forgiveness of sins, and heaven in time.
Question: Do you have a contrite heart that confesses your sin and failure to the Lord. Those that do have 1 John 1:9-10 as God’s promise to cleanse you....
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)
God has spoken to each one here today. The Holy Spirit has brought conviction and urging and empowering you to be humble, have a contrite heart, and receive God’s blessing.
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