Revival and Reformation Part 3: Pray and Move!

We have examined the meaning of revival, and last week we learned that revival is something that we should thirst for like the parched desert soil thirsts for the evening dew. This week’s message will deal with some of the more practical aspects of revival.  Jesus said in Mk 11:24 that whatsoever things you desire, when you pray believe you have received them and they shall be yours. Obviously, they won’t be yours if you ask contrary to God’s Will, but as long as you ask according to His Will, you will receive what you ask for. This is the promise of God to all those who believe in Him.

“How am I to know God’s Will?” you may ask. One thing is certain. Asking for revival is ALWAYS in accordance with God’s Will. Asking for His Holy Spirit is ALWAYS according to His Will, for He desires to fill everyone who believes in Him with His overcoming, powerful Spirit so that they may work His works in this world, bringing glory to the Father.  Read Luke 11:11-13; it clearly says so. So then, are we asking for revival? When we ask, do we BELIEVE that we have received what we ask for? That is the essence of faith. If we do not ask in faith, we ask amiss. Our prayers hit the ceiling and fall unanswered to the ground and we are not revived.

What does it mean to ask in faith? What does it mean to believe you have received what you ask for? It means that when you come out of your prayer closet having earnestly sought the Lord for spiritual revival, do not walk as those who are spiritually dying. Walk in newness of life, with a newfound purpose, with renewed vigour for the mission God has in store for you. Walk like those on the road to Emmaus whose hearts burned with spiritual revival as Jesus opened to them the Holy Scriptures. Walk as if you have something to offer the world, because you do! You have work to do. You have Gospel Truth to share. With God on your side, it is not a “mission impossible.”

When I first started driving, my mother would yell to me as I reversed out of the driveway. “Move and turn!” she would yell. “Move and turn!” Why? It was because I had a car without a power-assisted steering so if I didn’t let out the clutch a little and give the car a bit of throttle to allow it to move while I maneuvered the steering wheel, it made it that much harder to turn. When I allowed the car to move and turned the wheel simultaneously, it was easier to turn. So it is with our prayers too. God does not want us on our knees forever asking, but doing nothing. He wants us to demonstrate our faith in His power to answer by believing in Him, and what better way to do that than to start acting like a bunch of revived people? Pray and move! That is one of the secrets to starting a revival. If everyone did this, very soon, the whole Church would be revived and the effects would spill over into the wider community. If we spent half the time we normally spend on bickering, complaining and judging others on earnest prayer and fasting and then started working the works of the revived, we wouldn’t need the thrill of sporadic revivals any longer.

We would be like the tree planted by the rivers of living water!

"Therefore I say unto you, what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them."-Mark 11:24

"If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? "-Luke 11:11-13


"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 Chron 7:14

Revival & Reformation Part 2-Are you THIRSTY for revival?

Last week we focused on what it means to be revived. Now we can explore our readiness for revival. Is the church of God ready for revival? Are we just throwing around the word casually? What are the conditions necessary for a revival?

Taking an earnest look at the state of affairs in Christendom reveals that many churches are not ready for revival. The members do not seek it with all their hearts. They are too preoccupied with the cares of this world: the socials, the parties, work and family affairs. There is precious little time devoted to prayer, fasting and asking God for revival. We are currently in a spiritual drought, yet we do not realize it. The deer pants for streams of water in the dry places, but God’s children do not thirst for the living water only He is able to supply.  (Ps 42:1)

The theme of our Church is Revival & Reformation. We have started the 777 Initiative. How many of us have taken this seriously? It’s one thing to outwardly proclaim that we desire revival and reformation; it’s quite another to demonstrate that we REALLY are thirsty for it. How many of us have taken the quarterly times designated by our Conference for fasting and prayer seriously? I was dismayed to read a recent article by a member of our worldwide church, which revealed that this condition of spiritual lethargy is a worldwide phenomenon. She wrote that in her church, most of the church members had forgotten that they should be heeding the call to fast, pray, and earnestly ask the Lord for the latter rain.  Instead, the church held a luncheon on the designated days and became a place of temptation and a snare to those who had remembered and wished to seek God with all their hearts.

What has happened to us? We seem to have grown cold and lost our first love. We no longer possess the zeal of the early church to embrace revival and submit to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. The Bible predicted that in the last days, this would happen.  The question is, are we going to let ourselves continue to drift in this condition or are we going to seek the Lord and beg of His mercy so that He may lift us out of the spiritual quagmire that we have fallen into? This phenomenon is not seen in countries where persecution is at its zenith; perhaps we who enjoy religious liberty have taken this precious gift for granted. The Lord does not approve of our “lukewarm”, comfortable, self-focused Christianity. It is time to go on our knees and seek the Lord with all our hearts.

“On the other hand, there are some who, instead of wisely improving present opportunities, are idly waiting for some special season of spiritual refreshing by which their ability to enlighten others will be greatly increased. They neglect present duties and privileges, and allow their light to burn dim, while they look forward to a time when, without any effort on their part, they will be made the recipients of special blessing, by which they will be transformed and fitted for service.”—The Acts of the Apostles, 54. {ChS 43.4} 

References: Christ’s Object Lessons 303-304; Rev 3:14-20; Ps 42; The Acts of the Apostles 54

Revival & Reformation Part 1-What is a Revival?

In the times we live in, churches around the world are focusing on revival and reformation. Since we are praying for revival, let us explore the significance of what it means to be revived.

The word “revive” means to quicken, awaken or revitalize something that is close to death. He who is spiritually dead can therefore not benefit from a revival. Revivals are for the house of God, for His children who have become estranged from Him and whose hearts no longer burn with fervent love for the Lord. For those outside the house of God, more than a revival is necessary i.e. something more akin to a spiritual resurrection. Only Christ can take the spiritually dead and make them live again; that is the miracle of being “born again.”

Charles H Spurgeon wrote in his sermon entitled, “What is a revival?” that revivals should be the exception rather than the norm in a healthy church environment. He wrote as follows: “The tree planted by the rivers of water loaded with fruit needs not excite our anxiety for its revival, for its fruitfulness and beauty charm every one. Such should be the constant condition of the sons of God. Feeding and lying down in green pastures and led by the still waters they ought not always to be crying, "My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me." Sustained by gracious promises and enriched out of the fullness which God has treasured up in his dear Son, their souls should prosper and be in health, and their piety ought to need no reviving. They should aspire to a higher blessing, a richer mercy, than a mere revival. They have the nether springs already; they should earnestly covet the upper springs. They should be asking for growth in grace, for increase of strength, for greater success; they should have out-climbed and out-soared the period in which they need to be constantly crying, "Wilt thou not revive us again?" For a church to be constantly needing revival is the indication of much sin, for if it were sound before the Lord it would remain in the condition into which a revival would uplift its members.”

In Jer 17:8, we find the condition of one who trusts in the Lord and not in men. “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. 

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." -Psalms 1:1-3

Scripture & other refs: Jeremiah 17:8, Psalms 1:1-3, Excerpts taken from"What is a Revival?" by C H Spurgeon, Dec 1866 edition of The Sword & Trowel.

God's Royal Law of Liberty

Jesus said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4) It is the Word of God that created us and it is still the Word of God that sustains us each and every day of our lives. Therefore the Word of God should be the focal point of  our lives. It has many functions.

It serves as a moral compass to us to help us avoid the darker aspect of our human natures. “It is a lamp unto our feet, and a Light unto our paths.” (Ps 119:105) When the Word of God is eliminated from a society, moral decay soon follows.

In every Word of God is wrapped up His constant love for us and His desire to protect us. I like to imagine that God had each of us specifically in mind when He wrote His Royal Law. Isaiah 49:16 says He has our names engraved on the palms of His hands. When the Word of God  is practiced in the daily life of a believer, it serves as a happy liberation to the soul and leads others to admire God, our King.

The Law of God reflects His justice and points us to Christ, in whom is revealed His mercy. Like the blood of Christ represented “the sorrow and love that flowed mingled down”, so the Word of God represents His heart and thoughts to us.

We should follow the Word of God not through grudging or legalistic obedience as slaves to it, but rather because we love God. Jesus said: “If you love Me, You will keep my commandments.” We are sons, not slaves and we should behave as such. (Romans 8:15)

Shakespeare wrote that: “love is a star to every wandering bark, whose worth is not known though its height be taken.”

The Word of God as revealed in the Holy Scriptures is our “star of gladness gleaming”, for there is no greater love than the love of our Heavenly Father who has promised to “write His Law within our hearts.” (Romans 2:15). Keep your thoughts pure-reflect on God’s Law! (Phil 4:8)

"So speak and do as those who shall be judged by the Law of liberty." -James 2:12

satan will admit that GOD is the Creator

Have you ever wondered about the intricate design of God’s Creation? Just how intricate can it be, you may ask as you take everything for granted. You sit at your dining table, admiring a vase full of freshly cut, fragrant roses. Whilst sitting in silent reverie, a petal falls from a stem onto the table.

Your mind races and you think of the structure of this one petal and then you ponder on this fact. No one assigned to the task, using all this universe’s resources, could ever recreate this petal. It would be an exercise in futility to even try. It is just simply impossible!

Can you therefore measure the unrivalled creative power of God? The fallen rose petal is alive and no one can recreate one identical in every respect. Your only sacred option is to surrender to God’s will. Even satan will one day, after being chained to a desolate earth for a thousand years, have no choice but to admit that only God is the Creator. 

"In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth."-Gen 1:1  

God's Thoughts toward You

What does God think of me? It’s a question that we seldom ponder upon, yet it is one of the most important questions of our lives.

This answer to this question should override the fears that so often plague us and hold us back from our true potential in Christ which, more often than not, comprise other people’s expectations of us i.e. our family, friends and those closest to us.

Not knowing our identity in Christ causes myriads of problems in our lives. These include uncertainty, lack of confidence, depression and instability. Mankind is fickle and if we are to base our worth on others’ estimation of us, we will be miserable because people often do not admire us for who we are, but rather what we can do or what we possess. It is only God that looks at us from above and with all our faults and failures, still pronounces us as “good” and the pinnacle of his Creation.

Christ also experienced this when He walked the earth; one minute the crowds shouted “Hosanna!” but very soon thereafter, the same people shouted “Crucify Him!”(Matt 21:7-9; 27:20-25)

Basically, it comes down to this. We would live happier, healthier and more fulfilled lives if we focused on what God thought of us instead of worrying about what others think of us. Consult God when making important decisions-make Him your number one “go-to person” and when in doubt about how to behave in a particular circumstance, always think: “Will what I am about to do please God?” We seek the approval of our earthly parents so much; why not crave the approval of our Heavenly Father?

When you feel depressed and worthless, remember that the cross is what keeps us balanced. It shows us the horror of our sinfulness, but also how much God loves us despite ourselves.

Don’t make important decisions based on what others will think of you, especially when it concerns your own salvation. There are some matters that should be kept between you and God.

“How precious are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” Ps 139:17

God's Delegation of Authority-use it wisely!

As Jesus stood in the judgment hall, Pilate interrogated him saying, “Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?”

Jesus answered, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above…” (John 19:10-11)

God made man in His image. His purpose was to rule the earth like God rules the Heavens. However, God would still be all-powerful because the created can never be greater than the Creator. God made us “a little lower than the angels and crowned us with glory and honour.” (Ps 8:5)

Since then mankind’s concept of true power has been distorted. We have forgotten that it is God who puts us in positions of influence so that we can make good decisions to benefit others, and represent the grace and nobility of God to them. We have forgotten that true power is authority exercised responsibly.

Slavery occurs when leaders become power-hungry and want prestige and wealth for themselves, but refuse to work for it. Instead they make others suffer so that they can live life in the lap of luxury. We would do well to remember that we are put in a position of power to serve, not to be a cruel taskmaster to others.

A person of true power does not boast because of his power, but recognizes that only God is all-powerful. It is this false concept of fame, position and power that is destroying our world. Business leaders look past the people, and look only for profits. When they do study how to manage people, they do it with the ulterior motive of increasing profitability! We no longer walk in truth.

We have a choice to make. Are we going to join satan’s rebellion and keep “playing god” or are we going to let God reign in our hearts, and transform us into true leaders for Him?

The novelist George Orwell wrote as follows in his satirical novel, Animal Farm: “All power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely.” It doesn’t have to be this way. It is absolute power in the wrong hands, that causes absolute corruption. Let us not let power in our hands be like a weapon in the hands of an untrained fool, which puts everyone around us in danger.

God has given each of us a certain amount of power and influence. Pray for wisdom to rule your affairs justly. King Solomon did this and as long as He obeyed God, he was the richest and wisest king that ever lived. As soon as he started focusing on himself and letting his desires have free reign over him, his life came to ruin. The story of King Solomon has a powerful lesson for all of us. 

" And God said to Solomon, Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, nor honor, nor the life of your enemies, nor yet have asked for long life but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may judge My people, over whom I have made you king;wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. And I will give you riches and wealth and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before you, nor shall any after you have the like."-2 Chron 1:10-12

Scripture Readings: Matt 16:26, 2 Chron 1:10-12, Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, 1 Kings 11:1-12 (Solomon's downfall)

A heart like Jesus'

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

To seek and save the lost

By bringing them to Calvary,

To the foot of the Cross…

Their burdens will fall

As they surrender all!

Give me a heart like Jesus’...

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

To lift the downtrodden and weak;

A heart of compassion and mercy,

A heart that for sinners weeps…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

Who was moved by the multitudes;

Like a  lost flock of sheep

A shepherd they needed

So the Good Shepherd followed them all…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

Who, perspiring in the garden, prayed;

Great drops of blood from His tired brow fell

As on Him the world’s sins were laid…

Lord, give me a heart like Jesus’

As on Calvary’s Cross He hung;

God’s Love displayed to the Universe

While the death knell of sin He rung…