Written on April 13, 2016 by admin in Collide Blog
I’ve found myself frustrated in this last season of my life, because I’m realizing that many Christians who pray, fast, and believe for revival, don’t really even want it or even know what it is. Our typical idea of revival is a self-centered church where worship, preaching, and services are improved. Not to say that I’m old or anything, but as I get older, and hopefully wiser, I’m realizing that revival is way more than what I’ve been praying for. Let me preface this by saying I am a church boy all the way. I love church. I’d go to church every day if I could. However, the definition of revival has got to be more than just more improved services.
When I look at the book of Acts, and see thousands getting saved and the early church flourishing in the midst of persecution, I have to believe that Paul, Silas, Peter, and the rest of the apostles must’ve kept close to their hearts the desire of Jesus as it concerned this new move called The Church. What the apostles experienced in building up the early church is what I imagine revival should and can look like for us today. The disciples were seeing miracles. Souls were being saved. People were being delivered. But the greatest mark of this new move was that whole regions were being shaken up and flipped upside down for the Kingdom.
In reality our idea of revival should be that God would first awaken the church, but then out of that awakening we would see a movement of God that effects our cities, states, and country.
I believe that Jesus wants out of the pews. He wants to be released from the constraints of Sunday morning.
As a pentecostal believer, I believe that God is going to release miracles, and better church services. But as a pentecostal believer I have also got to believe, that like the city of Ephesus, God desires to flip our secular societies upside down for His name’s sake.
With that being said, do we really want revival? Do we really want to be used for revival? That might cost us our lives. And if we don’t becoming willing to even give up 10% of our income for the kingdom, how do we expect to be like the apostles and lose our lives. It’s funny how we want apostolic power with no apostolic responsibilities.
I pray that we would begin to search our hearts and ask God to make us ready and available for this coming revival. God is looking for people who will lay down ALL, not some. People who are willing to be stretched out of their comfort zone.
My simple prayer is that I’d be willing and counted worthy to join in building up His Kingdom for His glory throughout the earth. I’ve paid a big price so far, but I have a feeling that it’s nothing in comparison to what God is requiring for revival. Lord please make me ready