Are We Desperate
Shep Johnson
Sunday, March 19, 2017

   In Psalm 34:1-10 (NLT) David writes about a desperate time in his life when King Saul was trying to kill him in a jealous rage fearing that his throne was about to go to David.  As a result David was hunted like a deer.  He was constantly on the run as the army of Saul relentlessly pursued him.

  David writes: 

“I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak His   praises.
I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt His name   together.
I prayed to the LORD, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy;

no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened;

He saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the LORD is a guard; He surrounds and defends all who fear Him.
Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him!
Fear the LORD, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those

who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.”

  Notice that the Lord heard the prayer of David when he prayed in desperation.  To pray in desperation is to acknowledge that the Lord alone is our only hope.  John Blanchard writes, “We will never crave to be filled until we are convinced that we are empty.”1

  As all of you know for some years many churches in Coffee County have been praying for God to do a mighty work in our community.  We’ve seen people come together, we’ve seen barriers removed, and we’ve had some wonderful times of worship; still true revival is yet to take place.  What’s missing?  Could it be that God is withholding the blessing of revival until it means as much to us as it means to Him?

  God’s people must be desperate for revival if revival is to come.  Last month God moved in Ada, Oklahoma, a small rural town, about the size of Douglas.  During a multi-day event called “Awaken Ada,” First Baptist Church of Ada saw approximately 200 decisions for Christ and over 65 baptisms with more baptisms still to come.

  According to Brian Hobbs, “To prepare for the event, which would be headlined by evangelist Ken Freeman, members of Ada First Baptist ‘cleansed the Temple’ with 300 people reading aloud the entire Bible, cover-to-cover, in the sanctuary.  Following this, approximately 100 members fasted for 21 days, calling on the Lord to send awakening and revival in Ada.”2

  Imagine 100 members of a single church fasting for 21 days.  That sounds like desperation to me.  Are we truly desperate for God to move in First Baptist Church and Coffee County?  Could it be that the one thing needed before revival comes to our community is a heartfelt spirit of desperation?

  Nancy Leigh DeMoss Wolgemuth writes, “ ... I am learning to welcome anything that makes me conscious of my need for [the Lord].  If prayer is birthed out of desperation, then anything that makes me desperate for God is a blessing… Puritan pastor William Gurnall makes this point in his writings, “The hungry man needs no help to teach him how to beg.”3

·David prayed in desperation and God answered.

·First Baptist Church of Ada, Oklahoma, prayed and fasted in desperation and God answered.

·Are we prepared to pray and fast in desperation for the souls of our city and county?

1 Michael Catt, The Power of Desperation, B and H Publishing, 2009, pg. 43.

2 Brian Hobbs, “Awaken Ada: ‘Overwhelming’ Events Draw 22   Decisions”, Baptist Press, March 14, 2017.

3 Nancy Leigh DeMoss, A Place of Quiet Rest, Moody, 2000, p. 235, 234

Bro. Shep