Thoughts on Revival!

Revival! Revival! Revival! Is there any doubt to the need for personal revival? We know as Christians that true Revival can only come to those who are Alive in the first place! We also know Him who said; “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” So I would like to ask a few questions and then share a few thoughts. Do you really want revival? Are you willing to do what is required? What is stopping you from being Revived in the first place? Are you willing to Stand in the Fire of Almighty God?

Most of my Christian life I have heard preachers, laymen and Pastors say the Church need revival. Many have said revival will only come through prayer. Some have said sing and Praise your way to revival! I am not going to debate their thoughts about revival. However, I would like to share my answers to the previous questions and hope you too will find yourself in a revival as I have found myself! I am a firm believer in the Transforming Power of Jesus Christ and the Fire He gives through the Holy Spirit. If I just pray for revival it will never come, because it has already been made available! You see the Holy Spirit is the Fire of God within the believer and He is Always Present. Do you really want revival? Then you are going to have crucify that which suppresses the Fire! Self, entertainment, pleasures, time, work, family and even Church can actually quench the Holy Spirit's fire in your life! These things listed above are not evil but distract us from the Pursuit Holy Fire Revival! Most are not ready to give these things up to seek true revival. “We are dust and dust settles” is a quote from A.W. Tozer and speaks volumes about our comfort and complacency. If you want revival then you must be stirred up.
Are you willing to do what may be required to receive revival? I can assure you with all the authority of God's Word that revival can and will never come without repentance! We can pray, fast, preach, teach, work in the Church etc. and revival will still not come. Repentance is a prerequisite for revival, just as Salvation. We must turn away from doing the same things over and over and expecting God to revive our mess! Listen to Jeremiah about this topic. Lamentation 3:16 “He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. 17 And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. 18 And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: 19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Are you willing to be broken and contrite? Revival is always here! Renewal can be new every morning because of the Faithfulness of God!
So what hinders us from being revived in the first place? No time for contrition? Too busy? Fire of God too hot? Some of my hindrances from the past came from my selfish fear of surrender. God may require something from me. He might want me to do something I don't want. Revival will never come until we are surrendered to the Spirit's Fire! Yes, the surrender and contrition do come from much hard prayer and fasting but Revival will not arrive until I Surrender to the Spirit's call. Which leads to the next question.
Are you willing to stand the the Fire of God and not just stand by the fire? The story of Moses has a lot to say about this. Remember when he went to God? He was called by God and had many objections. He had a confidence problem amongst many other self issues like we deal with everyday. He was standing in front of the fire of God as represented by the burning bush. He went to deliver Israel as instructed and came back to the Holy mountain. After much contrition and hardships Moses goes back to meet with God. The Lord gives the Commandments and then Moses spends time with the Lord. Then a really bad thing happened; Ex 32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him." Ex 32:6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
7 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.” Moses then intercession for Israel and pleads for Mercy. Then Moses did something that we must do if we truly want Revival. We must not stand by the fire but go into the Fire! Ex 33:12 Moses said to the LORD, "You have been telling me, 'Lead these people,' but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, 'I know you by name and you have found favor with me.'
13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." 14 The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." 15 Then Moses said to him, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?" 17 And the LORD said to Moses, "I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name." 18 Then Moses said, "Now show me your glory." 19 And the LORD said, "I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
21 Then the LORD said, "There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock.
22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen." Moses , like us, stood on the edge of the Fire of God. But we, like Moses must jump into the Fire and see the Glory of the LORD! True Revival comes from a God who is like a Fire. Hebrews 12:28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, 29 for our "God is a consuming fire." We need Revival, Yes. But are we willing to pay the price?