I stand in need of a personal “spiritual awakening.” Even superficial but serious observations would lead one to believe that most Christians and every church stand in need of a spiritual awakening. My last six articles contained simple truths about God’s requirements for the beginning of a spiritual awakening which our Lord stands ready to give his people.

These requirements were found in 2 Chronicles 7:13-14, “If My people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

We come today to the very door of entrance to a spiritual awakening as God confronts us and says, “If you will then I will.” You and I are confronted by the Lord today with a decision of faith. Of course it is necessary for you to know you need a spiritual awakening. Further, it is necessary that you desire a spiritual awakening. Likewise, it is necessary that you understand what God’s requirements are for you to experience a spiritual awakening. Also you must believe that God is able to do so and will respond when you meet the requirements. But all of that will leave us empty unless we take the step and make the decision of faith. God says, “If you will, I will.” You and I must take the faith step and make the faith decision and commit and say to God and to others, “I will!” By God’s help, I will, and I will now! Believing that God will respond, “I will.” I will do what? I will begin now to meet God’s requirements for a spiritual awakening, which I will summarize.

First, I will humble myself on my face before God. I will be submissive to God. I will put away my pride, conceit, self centeredness and vanity. My concern will be only for what God thinks about me. I will confess my total unworthiness. I am nothing and have nothing except that it came from God’s hand.

Second, in my humble condition I will pray. I will ask the Lord to turn his holy light on the darkness of my sin. I will confess every sin God reveals to me. I will ask God for a Spiritual awakening and transformation in me. I will tell him that I want to be his servant and do what he would have me do. I will ask God to awaken me and then make me an instrument of a spiritual awakening in my family, in my church and in the area of my life and work.

Third, I will seek the face of God. I will remember and meditate on who God is and worship him and praise him because of who he is. I will see myself in the light of who God is. As I worship God and seek his face I know that God will supply what I need and he will enable me to ask from his hand according to his will.

Fourth, I will turn from my wicked ways. Every way I have failed, every thing in my life that is not pleasing to God, every thing I have done and have not done: I make an about face, I repent, I turn from these to God.

God answers: “Then, I will hear from heaven and will forgive your sins and begin the healing.”

God says, “If my people will,” and you answer, “I will.” Make this moment the beginning of a spiritual awakening for you. In the midst of writing this article I have stopped, taken a small sheet of paper and have written at the top the date and “By faith and by God’s help I will.” Then I have listed the numerals 1 through 4, writing by each and in order one of the four requirements for a spiritual awakening beginning in me. Since I will, then God will. Since you will, then God will. Will you make the faith decision, “I will.”

Next time we begin to look at simple truths concerning the help of the Holy Spirit in our spiritual awakening.