My Thoughts On Revival

Today we listened to a man with revival on his heart. He shared that in 1735, a revival cycle began. Every ½ century or so, a large revival movement broke out in the world. After 1735 there was one in 1800, the 1850s, and again in 1904 – then they stopped.

By this ‘schedule’, we were to have had a revival in the 1950s or 1960s – Why didn’t we? What was happening that squelched the revival movement at that period of time?

As the ‘young’ of today in the midst of the next cyclical revival season, my observations may seem very accusatory, but I feel they are true and in response to the accusations I feel are coming from the previous generations.

In the 50s and 60s, it seems that the focus was no longer on following CHRIST, but on living by the rules. The idea being that if we, as Christians, would just complete the correct checklist, the people would come pouring into the church.
The correct clothes
The correct decorations
The correct music
The correct programs
The correct building
The correct ground keeping
The correct activities

Now I hear (from this older generation) how a new generation is making changes. They aren’t playing the correct music – not wearing the correct clothes – not putting the correct emphasis on correct behavior.

Where is Jesus in all this?

The Jesus I know hung out with the lowest of the low in society… those people the Jewish leaders would not come near. (Luke 5:27-32; Matthew 9:10-13; Mark 2:13-17;

The Jesus I know did not spend time building up ‘security in the future.’ Jesus lived doing what God asked him to do each day – trusting God to provide for the needs of tomorrow. (Matthew 6:19-34)

The Jesus I know went OUTSIDE the temple to preach – to share – to heal – to serve.

Today’s church spends most - to all - of its time inside the building they meet within. Serving is cleaning, teaching, board meetings, and building work… all within the meeting hall, not the community.

Revival?
Needs prayer
LOTS of prayer

Giving that prayer toward revival means sacrifice of time and comfort. Too many are not willing to give up their time other than Sundays.

Revival?
Needs hearts that hear the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit will guide us even in little ways if we allow Him to take over. Some of my favorite times with God is when He sends me a message that helps me in seemingly little ways. – Reminders to pick up an item at the store that I hadn’t even thought about, but would find I would need when I got home. An idea to pick up an item that someone was craving at home – An inkling to bring something home and then be surprised that I needed it – Sometimes simply comfort to calm my heart.
But if the Holy Spirit is not heard in the little things, he will never be followed in the big things: stopping to help the man whose trailer load fell – giving a hug to an acquaintance when you didn’t know it was needed so badly – speaking to a young one ripe for harvest for the Lord. The opportunities are lost! What a revival there could be if we all heard – AND FOLLOWED – the Holy Spirit!

Revival?
It’s God’s, not ours.
It’s from God through us – not from rules, but from daily obedience.

Until we let go of our beliefs that following the rules is following God –
Until we let go of the formulas of faith, the formulas of a follower of Christ –
Until we give up our ideas of what true followers of Christ look like, act like, or do,
There will be no Revival!


Gal 3:1-5
3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?


Gal 3:19-25

19 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Gal 5:1-10
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be.


Gal 5:13-18

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

We have created a new set of LAW to live by – laws that create a burden of bondage in the church. (Luke 11:46) Christ came to lift that burden, not bring a new one! Christ sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us.

Only by following the Holy Spirit will be ever have another revival movement across this land.

Are we ready for revival?
Is it time?
Who will pray?