I’ve been contemplating revival, the need for it and the prerequisites for obtaining it. There are many scripture passages that speak of restoration, whole-heartedly going after God, and seeking His face and from what I’ve gathered they all have two things in common. True revival only comes from God and only to truly repentant hearts. “A broken and contrite heart you will not despise, O God.” I cannot expect to see a sovereign move of God in our cities and churches unless I first seek a true move of God in my own heart and home. Revival requires a turning back to God from wickedness (the heart of man is eternally wicked). You say you have not turned away from God? How can anyone know if they have turned from God? Who am I to say that we have turned our hearts from seeking after Him? There is evidence of the presence of God found in personal and corporate revival. It’s not falling out in the spirit, speaking in tongues, prophesying, healing, deliverance, salvations, etc., although these things may take place as a result of revival. The evidence of true revival is a holy response to the physical presence and awareness of the holiness of God. No man can stand in the presence of a holy God without becoming immediately aware of the spiritual condition of their heart and becoming aware of the spiritual condition of those around us. Isaiah, Ezekiel, John, Legion were all aware they were in the midst of the presence of a holy God. Do we fear God? Are we in awe as we stand (not literally) in His presence? Are we genuinely afraid to sin for fear of being separated from Him? How do we respond when others take the name of the Lord in vain or blaspheme His Holy Spirit or make the things of God common? Does it make us cringe? Do we have a strong desire to cleanse and remove ourselves from the midst of the corruption found in movies, music, intimate gatherings, even those found in the house of God? Do gossip, back-biting, arguments, course jesting and wrong teaching make us fear immediate and long-term consequences? I do not believe God is standing in heaven waiting for us to mess up (not that He’d have to wait long) so that He can punish us, but long-suffering is not an eternal attribute; it will eventually come to an end. Sin demands payment! Jesus paid that debt, but if we continue to sin, crucifying Him over and over in favor of following after our own lusts and desires, then our actions will inevitably bring about the consequence which sin demands; the payment of death.
Revival means to revive. You cannot re-vive something if it was never alive to begin with. Revival is for the saved; those saints who have grown cold, lukewarm, complacent, apathetic, separated from their relationship with a Holy Father. The only way to receive a reviving is to realize our condition and turn to Father God with godly sorrow which leads to repentance, ask for and receive His forgiveness and restoration into a right relationship with Him. “Search me and know me and see if there be any wicked way in me.” I cannot place judgment on those around me as to whether or not they have been truly revived in their hearts, but I can’t judge the fruit of their labors; their works; their speech. Do we edify? Even in correction; is the motive to restore right relationship with the Father? Do we honor God in every deed? Is there a reverential fear/awe of God when we come together? These determine our spiritual atmosphere. We are not ignorant creatures by design; by choice we ignore the evidence of our spiritual condition. God states, “Be ye holy, for I Am Holy”. We must set ourselves apart from the world and flee every appearance of evil. How will we be distinguished from the rest of the world if we look just like them, act just like them, sound just like them, smell just like them? There is nothing in us that should resemble this temporary, dying world except for the dying part. We must die to ourselves, crucifying the flesh that is corrupt, and walk in a new, revived life of Christ through whom we can do all things.
Revival means to revive. You cannot re-vive something if it was never alive to begin with. Revival is for the saved; those saints who have grown cold, lukewarm, complacent, apathetic, separated from their relationship with a Holy Father. The only way to receive a reviving is to realize our condition and turn to Father God with godly sorrow which leads to repentance, ask for and receive His forgiveness and restoration into a right relationship with Him. “Search me and know me and see if there be any wicked way in me.” I cannot place judgment on those around me as to whether or not they have been truly revived in their hearts, but I can’t judge the fruit of their labors; their works; their speech. Do we edify? Even in correction; is the motive to restore right relationship with the Father? Do we honor God in every deed? Is there a reverential fear/awe of God when we come together? These determine our spiritual atmosphere. We are not ignorant creatures by design; by choice we ignore the evidence of our spiritual condition. God states, “Be ye holy, for I Am Holy”. We must set ourselves apart from the world and flee every appearance of evil. How will we be distinguished from the rest of the world if we look just like them, act just like them, sound just like them, smell just like them? There is nothing in us that should resemble this temporary, dying world except for the dying part. We must die to ourselves, crucifying the flesh that is corrupt, and walk in a new, revived life of Christ through whom we can do all things.
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