QUICKEN THOU ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD

Pastor James J. Barker

Text: PSALMS 119:25, 50, 107, 154



INTRODUCTION:


  1. I am going to speak this morning on the quickening power of the Word of God.
  2. The word “quicken” is found ten times here in Psalm 119.  The word means, “to give life” and “to preserve life” and “to be made alive, to revive.” 
  3. The same Hebrew word is translated “revive” in Psalm 85:6 – “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”
  4. The same Hebrew word is translated “revive” in Habakkuk 3:2 – “O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.”
  5. We saw last week that revival comes through the quickening power of the Word of God. Ezra the scribe read the Word of God and preached “from the morning until midday” (Nehemiah 8:3).  The people were revived.
  6. The same Hebrew word translated “quicken” and “revive” is often translated “live” (cf. Psalm 119:17). “That I may live (be quickened and revived), and keep thy word.” “Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live…” (119:116).
  7. The reason so many Christians are half-dead is that they need to be quickened by the Word of God.  Psalm 119:130 says, “The entrance of thy words giveth light.”  When there is no light, there is darkness.
  8. First, we need to receive life.  Many people attend church occasionally but they have never received eternal life.  They are spiritually dead.
  9. We need to receive life initially, which takes place at the time of our conversion, and we also need to be preserved by life continually, which refers to God’s work of sanctification.
  10. Jesus said in John 6:63, “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
  11. It is the Holy Spirit that quickens.  It is the Holy Spirit that gives life.  It is the Holy Spirit that revives.
  12. The flesh profiteth nothing!
  13. Jesus said in John 6:63, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”
  14. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to accomplish His work in us.  Being born again means being born of the Spirit.  Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
  15. First Peter 1:23 says, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.”
  16. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God in regeneration, and in sanctification, and in revival.  The Word of God is the instrument the Holy Spirit uses to accomplish His work in us.

 

I. WE ARE QUICKENED WHEN WE ARE REGENERATED

  1. Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…”
  2. Ephesians 2:2-5 describes our dreadful condition before we were saved. 
  3. Because we are by nature spiritually dead, we need to be born again.
  4. When the miracle of the new birth takes place we are born again by the quickening power of the Holy Spirit.
  5. Regeneration is the impartation of a new nature, God’s own nature to the one who is born again (II Peter 1:3, 4).
  6. Every human being is born into this world with a wicked, sinful nature.  Man’s nature has been thoroughly perverted by sin – spiritually, physically intellectually, emotionally – man’s whole nature has been perverted by sin.
  7. Every element and faculty of man’s being has been weakened by sin.  Man’s mind has been darkened by sin; his heart is depraved on account of sin; and his will has been perverted by sin.
  8. Sinful men are only interested in pleasing themselves. They are not interested in pleasing God. Romans 8:8 says, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”
  9. That is why Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:6, 7).
  10. An important transformation takes place when we are saved.  Titus 3:5 refers to this as “the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” 
  11. Regeneration is instantaneous. Sanctification is a process.
  12. Regeneration is birth; sanctification is growth.
  13. This sanctification process is described in Romans 12:2 – “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
  14. “Transformed by the renewing of your mind” is through the quickening power of the Word of God.  It is the only way to renew your mind.
  15. We are quickened (made alive), and we are sanctified (set apart).  This brings us to my next point.

 

II. WE ARE QUICKENED WHEN WE ARE SANCTIFIED

  1. The word “sanctified” means, “separated” or “set apart.”
  2. Sanctification is the process of God’s grace by which a believer is separated from sin and separated unto God.  When this happens, we are quickened by the Holy Spirit.  “Sanctified” means “holy,” and the words “sanctification” and “holiness” are used interchangeably in Scripture.
  3. First Thessalonians 4:7 says, “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”  The same Greek word translated “holiness” is translated “sanctification” in I Thessalonians 4:3, which says, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.”
  4. There are three aspects of sanctification – past, present, and future.  
  5. First, the believer is sanctified when he receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior.  God sanctifies a believer when he is saved.
  6. In Acts 26:18, the Lord Jesus said to the apostle Paul, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance in among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
  7. Note: sanctified by faith “in me” (in Christ).  This is the first aspect of sanctification, and it takes place at conversion.
  8. Paul says in I Corinthians 6:11 that the believers in Corinth were sanctified when they were saved.  “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
  9. Paul says that before their conversion, they were unrighteous, and fornicators, and idolaters, and adulterers, and effeminate, and abusers of themselves with mankind (homosexuals), and thieves, and covetous, and drunkards, and revilers, and extortioners, but after they were saved, they were washed, and sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of God.
  10. This “positional sanctification” is in response to saving faith.  Colossians 1:13 says God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.”
  11. Have you been “delivered”?
  12. Positional sanctification (past) – delivered from the penalty of sin.   Saved from eternal damnation!
  13. Progressive sanctification (present) – delivered from the power of sin.  Victory over sin!
  14. Ultimate sanctification (future) – delivered from the presence of sin.  No sin in heaven!
  15. Jude verse 1 says that we “are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.”  If you are saved, then you are sanctified and preserved.
  16. The second aspect of sanctification is “progressive sanctification,” sometimes called “practical sanctification” – delivered from the power of sin.
  17. Romans 8:29 says that God predestinated us to be conformed to the image of Christ.  That is sanctification. 
  18. When we are quickened and we are sanctified, the power of sin is subjugated by the mightier force of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:2 says, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
  19. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is a higher law than “the law of sin and death.”  The higher law sets us free from the lesser law. An airplane should fall from the sky by the law of gravitation, but it is upheld by the law of aerodynamics. This is the law of counteraction.
  20. The law of life counteracts the law of death. W.H. Griffith Thomas said the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus overcomes the latter by the principle of counteraction.
  21. “The one overcomes the other by the great principle of counteraction; just as at the Red Sea the law of the wind counteracted the law of the tide” (Romans).  
  22. Sanctification is not automatic. If it were automatic, there wouldn’t be so many backsliders and carnal Christians. 
  23. First Peter 1:15, 16 says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
  24. This is a command.  This means that progressive sanctification is not automatic.  This command can only be obeyed by yielding to the Holy Spirit, and through the quickening power of the Word of God.
  25. We must actively seek to do God’s will, and we can only accomplish this through God’s power working in us and through us.
  26. Channels only, blessed Master,
    But with all Thy wondrous power
    Flowing through us, Thou canst use us
    Every day and every hour    .  – Mary E. Maxwell
  27. God uses the Word of God to quicken us (cf. Psalm 119:104-107).
  28. The third aspect of sanctification is future.  Sometimes this is referred to as “glorification.”  Romans 8:30 says, “whom he justified, them he also glorified.”
  29. Though this is still future, the apostle Paul speaks of it in the past tense – “them he also glorified” (Romans 8:30), because God is eternal.
  30. The sanctification of the whole person — body, soul, and spirit — will finally be complete when the Lord Jesus returns and we receive our glorified bodies.
  31. First John 3:2 says, “We know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
  32. Nothing unclean can enter heaven so we will be completely glorified when we meet the Lord in the air.

 

III. WE ARE QUICKENED WHEN WE ARE REVIVED

  1. I mentioned earlier, that the same Hebrew word translated “quicken” is often translated “revive.”
  2. Psalm 85:6 – “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?”
  3. Habakkuk 3:2 – “O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years…”
  4. We need revival.  Our church needs revival.  Our country needs revival.
  5. Revival produces responsiveness to God’s Word and sensitivity to sin.
  6. Psalm 119:37 says, “Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity (worthless and useless things); and quicken thou me in thy way.”
  7. It is through reading God’s Word that the Holy Spirit quickens us to turn from worldly things and draws us close to the things of God.
  8. It is through reading God’s Word that the Holy Spirit quickens us in our desire to pray, and He guides us when we pray.
  9. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
  10. As Christians, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, we are frequently conscious of the Holy Spirit urging us to pray, burdening us to pray, and convicting us when we don’t pray.
  11. Several times in Psalm 119, the Psalmist (probably David, though his name is not mentioned) says, “quicken thou me according to thy word” (vss. 25, 50, 107, 154).
  12. It is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit quickens us when we are in danger of getting cold and slack and dull and careless.  That is why Psalm 71:20 says, “Thou…shalt quicken me again.”  One conversion, but many quickenings!  One indwelling, but many fillings! 
  13. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
  14. Psalm 85:6 says, “Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” When we fall, we need to be lifted up and revived.
  15. And when we are discouraged, we need to be lifted up and revived.  Spurgeon said Psalm 119:25 describes a heart that is filled with mourning because of its deadening surroundings and downward tendencies.
  16. Matthew Henry said the Psalmist is asking the LORD to cure him of his spiritual deadness, and make him lively (“quickened”) in his devotion. 
  17. When we are dead, we need to be revived.  “Quicken thou me.” 
  18. When we are lukewarm, we need to repent and be revived (Rev. 3:14-22).
  19. When we walk in the flesh, we need to be quickened and revived. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).
  20. It is through the Word of God that the Holy Spirit instructs us in the way of righteousness and enables us to please God (Ps. 119:97).
  21. It is through Word of God that the Holy Spirit draws us away from backsliding and worldliness and sets our minds and affections on things above (Ps. 119:176).

 

CONCLUSION:


“Quicken” means, “to give life.” “Revive” means “to bring again to life.” The key word is “life.” Jesus said in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

E. W. Mills said, “Revival has to do with life and more life; rich life, abundant life, zestful life, spacious sparkling life, overflowing life, victorious life, colorful life, and many-splendored life. There will be nothing tame and dull when the Spirit works. It will mean goodbye to deadness, to dullness, to boredom, to complacency, to sophistication, and all the other features of second-rateness.”

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