“Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:
Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?
Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.” (Joel 2:15-18)
Some time ago, I was asked to bring a series of revival messages to a church that was hungry for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God. They wanted revival but didn’t know how to go about getting one. They had heard about the incredible things that were happening in Africa when I brought these messages over there and hoped that the same thing might happen here.
But wishful thinking and good intentions only work when they are backed up by action. It is not the hearers of the Word…
The secret to revival lies in understanding that revival is all about winning souls. While that may seem elementary, in order for that to work, it must be established by serious corporate prayer. Nothing happens without prayer. Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing”. But how do we put that into play so that the wheels of revival can start turning?
Most modern Christians (notice I said “modern”?) have their little “quiet time with Jesus”. Some have it almost every morning. Some just say they do. Or they wander through the day tossing up casual requests every now and then. But is this the kind of laid-back prayer that God calls for? Does He not call for a passion like Elijah and a determined desperation like the widow with the unjust judge? Have we forgotten how to “storm the Throne of God” like our grandparents did? Does not the Throne of God suffer violence, and the violent take it by force? Have we allowed our comforts to cast a spirit of slumber upon us, easing us into a lukewarm Gospel which is no Gospel at all?
Regardless of the issues about passionate personal prayer, God calls for whole church – EVERYBODY – to come together to pray in a serious, solemn assembly of desperate corporate prayer. We’re talking about prayer meetings that will lift the roof off the foundations! You want revival? You gotta come get it! Those are the rules. As I have always said, God is a Jew. He makes deals and this is the deal. Take it or leave it.
And yet months later, there is still no strong drive in this church to come together as a body to cry out to God for revival. The church’s prayer meeting consists of a small handful of people relegated to a back room so that is out of the way of all the other things that are going on at that same time – things that are much more fun and exciting – and they sit and speak their prayers for a half hour or so, and go home.
The desperation is not there … yet. It may still come, but the manner in which it will come may not be pretty. Remember, when the Children of Israel got comfortable with their slavery in Egypt, God made them cry out by raising up a Pharaoh who murdered their children. Like it not, agree with it or not, that is what God can and will do to bring us to repentance so that a full Holy Ghost revival can ignite.
God is not fooling around. I have noticed that God will give you a certain space of time to do what He has commanded you. And then He will move on and find someone else who will.
“And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.
And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.” (Ezekiel 33:31-32)
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