Dale Garris came and addressed our assembly last week and delivered a number of powerful messages about revival. I believe most of us will agree our church is in great need for a revival but I have heard several comments and concerns from people I have met with this week and I want to open the discussion for us to chat about them after I review the main points Dale spoke to. I urge you to join in the discussion here.
I had intended on doing this this morning (Sunday, January 26th) during the Youth Sunday School and the English service. I will plan on doing this the next time we meet as well.
I am
going to begin with the specific steps of Revival that Dale brought us. First is for us to acknowledge that we don’t
have revival in our church and we need one desperately! We need God to light a fire of revival for
Jesus in our own lives and we need to be fully about winning souls to Jesus!
Second
is a call to Repentance. Repentance from
what? Repentance from the sin
in our lives. Attitudes and actions that
we willingly entangle ourselves with. It
can be anything from a man lusting after a pretty woman to murder of someone
you are angry at. It can be lethargy and complacency.
This
repentance has to be a deep breaking repentance that leads us to holiness.
Third
is we must have the fire of Jesus in our own lives before we go out to reach the world
around us. That means that God’s Word,
the Bible, must have a central place in our lives. We need to be looking into it, spending time
with it and asking God to show us what we need and how does He want to lead us! It must be a daily hunger in us.
Fourth
is prayer. Nothing happens without
prayer. Every revival in history was
preceded by a time of deep prevailing prayer.
The battle must be won in the prayer room on our knees first if we want
a move of God.
From
these four steps of acknowledgement, repentance, spending time in God’s Word,
the Bible, and asking Him to show us what we need to do, and prayer, God gives
us the vision. Someone has to start the process
and these are the ones who answer the call of God!
I have heard a number of specific comments about Dales messages like: “The miracles stopped with Jesus.” Or “We have to be alert for Charismatic teachings.”
I want to answer these two questions at least before any other questions are presented: "Why are some fearful of charismatic Christians?" When you come in this building to worship, are
you simply singing the words and the notes of the worship songs or are you
proclaiming these truths with all the energy and passion you can muster?
When
you read scripture, are you simply reading the words or are you reading the Word of God with your full measure of attention of hearing from God?
Much of the fear of Charismatic Christians is how emotional they are. The question really needs to be asked is why aren't we more charismatic if we love and serve THE Great God! We have much to stand and proclaim with shouts and praise!!! Jesus is alive! Jesus is my Lord!
Are we fearful of displaying our emotions? I must ask 'Why?' God is very emotional! I preached on this last year. John 11: 35 tells us Jesus wept at the death of Lazarus. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus's prayer was one of deep emotion as was His cry out on His cross to His Father! God the Father shows His frustration and anger toward the people of Noah's time, or the Israelites when they made the calf of gold while Moses was on the mountain.
We also know that God and all the heavenly hosts rejoice at the salvation of another person.
As Christians, we should be greatly emotional when we worship the Lord or hear of another salvation or great miracle of God. Our Lord wants us to be free to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, and there is no better way than to do so without inhibition.
And that leads me to miracles today. If miracles are not available to us today, then we might as well tear out about half of the New Testament promises made to the church. Just tear it out and throw it in the fireplace to be burned. If the promises of God are not 'Yes and Amen!' today for us Christians, they were not promises of God at all. Yet we know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes.
Does He sometimes answer differently than we would like, yes! But the biggest reason we fail to experience miracles today is that we do not ask for them. As a pastor, the number of times I have asked people if they have prayed for their healing, and they have said no, is beyond my comprehension. When our God promises so much and we fail to go to Him is like a gift we refuse to accept.
God calls us His children. If He does miracles in Africa and in other places around the world that have little, that we do not experience miracles is because we have need of nothing in our minds and trust the world rather than God.
Revival begins in each one of our lives and hearts. The fire of the Holy Spirit drives us into the streets rejoicing and proclaiming the risen Christ!! Let each and everyone of us seek the Holy Spirit and His power and leading!
Pastor Kevin
