Revival

I see a lot of people who want to qualify, quantify, analyze, downplay and/ or debunk what is being called revival in our country right now. Technically the word revive means to bring something to life that died. Has the church died? Sadly there is lots of evidence to suggest that while physical buildings and attendance may be increasing, there has long been a death to the tenets of true Christian faith in our churches. Most churches don’t preach repentance. Most people who call themselves believers don’t really read their bibles, fast, or pray. Most of the people who attend church are not really worshipping in spirit and in truth. Most people who go to church don’t understand holiness or sanctification. Most people who go to church are actually quite comfortable calling evil good, and good evil. So yeah, in a sense the church has been dying if you want to look at it that way. Another way to look at it is just that false doctrine has been spread intentionally for decades to pollute and water down the gospel to keep people from finding the true faith that comes from hearing the true word of God. A despicable place we find ourselves isn’t it? Even this was prophesied. We know in the end there will be/ is an apostasy where wolves in sheep’s clothing tickle the ears of the wicked and promote “another Jesus”.

BUT…

The real Jesus is still on His throne! His real church will not die completely. In fact, although there is an end time apostasy, there is also an end time revival coming that will breath life into dry bones. A true end time harvest, greater than any revival before awaits us!

I’ve not gone to Asbury or any of the other places where God is moving right now. I was about to load up the truck and head that way and felt the Lord tell me to stay put and keep working on some assignments that I’m working on for Him. Obedience is greater than sacrifice right? So I can’t refute or confirm what is happening at these locations with much integrity because I haven’t placed myself there. But I have a little experience with revival personally.

In the summer of 1995 I went to a Christian youth summer camp called “Centrifuge”. At this camp, in corporate worship, was the first time that I felt the undeniable, incorruptible, all powerful, perfect, holy, and true hand of God Almighty touch me. When He touched me, I knew I was wicked. I knew I needed to repent. I knew everything in the Bible was/ is true. That real moment has been an anchor in my life. He has revealed Himself to me in many deeper and more glorious ways, privately and corporately since, but that moment will never be forgotten. Life was breathed into my dry bones. That memory is cherished vividly and is one that pulls me through moments of fear, and any attempts of the enemy to create doubt. I found out more than 20 years later that this same summer I went to camp was at the same time that the Brownsville Revival was kicking off in Pensacola Fl.

I understand skepticism. I understand testing all things and holding fast to that which is true. I challenge and encourage you to really inspect all of the spirits that may be present with you now though. Is there a mocking spirit present? Is the spirit of a Pharisee with you? Is there a spirit of doubt or disbelief present? Or are you hungry and thirsty and hopeful that God IS doing a new thing? Are you adding prayers of blessing and encouragement to a group of people who are diligently seeking God, in the most sincere and fervent way they know how right now? Or are you cursing what could be a move of God and therefore cursing yourself and hardening your heart toward Him? You need to be filled with His presence to face the days that are coming with any degree of courage. One thing I know… He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Don’t quench the spirit. Travel if you can or want to. Pray about it. Go. Or don’t. But if you don’t, you don’t have much authority from which to criticize. And whether you go to one of these places or not, your participation in sincere worship from a genuine starvation level of hunger for true revival will determine whether or not you experience revival personally, wherever you are. Whatever degree of revival you personally experience, if it is true revival, it won’t matter to you what anyone else says. You will KNOW with certainty that you had an encounter with the one true God, the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, and you will never be the same. Pray for this to be real for you. Open your heart to true revival. If anyone is faking or being deceptive, they will reap what they have sown. Don’t concern yourself with this. Position your heart to be ripe. Ask Him to make you sensitive. Seek Him. Seek Him diligently. Seek Him desperately. Worship Him passionately, abandoning everything else. He needs to be your treasure. Fill yourself with His word. Repent of your sins. Personal revival can happen with or without corporate revival if you are one who will make Him truly 1st in your life. If this is true for you, then He will demonstrate His power and His presence to you in mighty ways. Unless you don’t want Him to…

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Mark 6:5-6

Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? Shew us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation. I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.

Psalm 85:6-9