Make Revival Happen (part two)

Good morning to another wonderful day the Lord has made.

We are just like Israel of old, aren’t we? They started to drift away from the Lord pursuing more visible excitement, not realising that real excitement is actually the Lord’s presence, until the Lord sent a prophet or judge to jerk them back to the reality of His power, only to gradually move away from Him again.

One of the key characteristics of past revivals was the presence of the Lord with His power and love. Some of the first things that happened during past revivals were repentance from sins of believers and salvation of unbelievers. (http://sureword.faithweb.com/characteristicsofrevival.html) To come into His presence we need to be clean. For His anointing to flow through us we need to be pure. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8). Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false (Psalm 24:3, 4).”

The early church moved in power, didn’t they? Right through the book of Acts we see recounts of the signs and miracles done by not only the apostles, but also men like Stephen. We read that Stephen was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, full of God’s grace and power (Acts 6:8) and that his opposition could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke (Acts 6:10).

Why was the early church so much different from the church today? Why did they move in God’s power and saw many miracles and salvations? It is because they became like Jesus. Jesus owned nothing, the disciples left everything to follow Him, Jesus told the rich young man to get rid of his possessions in order to follow Him and “all the believers (the first 3000) were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need (Acts 2:44, 45).” The great men of God through the centuries were not concerned about owning things, but rather giving it away.

We haven’t seen a revival for a long time in the western world. What has happened in the last hundred years in the west though? Wealth has become available to the common man, hasn’t it? Medicine and technology became excellent. Man doesn’t need God anymore. “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money Matthew 6:24).”

The church shouldn’t need to look out for revival. We should stay alive, powerful and seeing God in action all the time. Individuals just need to become like Stephen – full of faith, the Holy Spirit and power – and when we then regularly get together without the hindrance of material distractions and busy schedules, we’ll stand in awe as to what God can do through pure hearts.

Father, please speak to us about the reality of your power and love. We, your church, would like to be what you intended us to be.