We are in desperate need of a Heaven-sent revival
in our churches, community and country. But the blessing of revival is
conditional. Without obedience to God’s precepts and standards there is very
little chance of experiencing a visitation of the Lord in our generation.
Here we will look at six conditions of revival.
They are not steps to revival for they must equally exist at the same time.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These
things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the
creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would
thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor
hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and
increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art
wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy
of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that
thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and
anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the
door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant
to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my
Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches” (Revelation 3:14-22).
The Laodicean church failed to see their need of
revival. They had become complacent, comfortable and Christless. They considered
themselves to be abundantly blessed by God, but in reality they were spiritual
paupers, spiritually blind, and weak in the eyes of God. The church of our day
is no different for the same shallowness and self-satisfaction is evident
everywhere. The “rebuke” ought to
have led to repentance (:19), but Jesus’ words fell on deaf ears while He
remained locked out of the church (:20). There is a desperate and urgent need
for revival today.
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye
shall receive” (Matthew 21:22).
Revival is not worked-up by emotion or worked-out
by committees, but prayed-down from Heaven. Surely the “all
things” of the text includes everything that is in accordance with the
perfect will of God! Therefore, since He does not delight in lukewarmness,
revival is possible for those who pray and believe. Sometimes even receiving is
difficult for us, but we must remind ourselves that God is more willing to give
than we are to receive. “With men this
is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hosea
14:4).
God desires to restore Christ’s church to the
glory it once enjoyed in Him. Even now, at this late stage, He is willing to
pour out His blessing upon all who turn to Him in repentance … “Take
with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and
receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips” (Hosea
14:2). Those who do so will live by God’s word in holiness and righteousness
… “Who is wise, and he shall
understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the
LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall
fall therein” (Hosea 14:9). If only we would listen to His voice? “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my
ways!” is the cry of God as He watches us stumbling from one powerless day
to the next. (Psalm 81:13).
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is
the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine
enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war
should rise against me, in this will I be confident. One thing have I desired of
the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all
the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His
temple” (Psalm 27:1-4).
Revival is personal in that it starts with each
individual responding to the call of God. We may desire to experience the joy
and excitement of revival, but do we desire the Lord of revival and to be
governed by His Holy Spirit? The desire for revival must include the
determination to be dedicated to God’s service all the days of our lives.
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but
whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Luke
9:23-24).
Are we willing to pay the highest cost of revival?
How many want Heaven but are unwilling to lose their lives for Christ’s sake?
How many desire revival yet not at the cost of the flesh? Commitment to the Lord
entails daily taking up the cross and following Him wherever He leads. The cross
speaks of sacrifice, separation, sanctification and service. The cost of
following Jesus is extremely high, for He demands everything. Revival does not
come on the cheap and at a price few are willing to pay. Obedience and holiness
is something few want to consider.
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and
it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that
seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Luke
11:9-10).
We may have prayed, believed and desired. We may
have even laid down our lives for the cause of revival, yet nothing appears to
have changed. All the conditions have been met, but it seems that God is
unmoved. What next? Should we give up, throw in the towel, and return to the
mundane and insipid form of religion that the majority are happy with? Should we
press on regardless?
Persistent prayer is a sign of sincerity. God does
not mind if we continue to hammer at His door and plead for revival … “And
he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not
to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither
regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying,
Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said
within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow
troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And
the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his
own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I
tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man
cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:1-8). This kind of
enduring faith is always hard to find.
This faithful and persistent prayer brings us
full-circle. We recognise the urgent need of revival and continue to pray until
we receive a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit. Revival must be pursued until
we find it.
“If
my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and
seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and
will forgive their sin, and will heal their land”
(2 Chronicles 7:14).
Knowing the conditions will not produce revival.
It needs faith and action on our part. How desperately do we desire a move of
God in our generation? Do we desire it to fill our church or for God’s glory?
What do we expect God to do amongst us? Are we willing to soften our hearts and
allow Him to work? Until we do revival will remain on the pages of history.
“Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns” (Jeremiah
4:3).
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12).
Page created 14 February 2006