Revival Has Finally Come

A.W. Tozer wrote, "Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going of late - and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience."

The words of this quote have hung upon the walls of my office for a very long time. Recently we have been drawn to this truth in our church that Tozer taught so well. Often times we try to schedule revival in the church with a set of services. Often these services are the once a year evangelistic outreach of the church, at least in the south where I Pastor at! But what if the plain precept laid down in scripture isn't a set schedule of services with a gifted evangelist. Services are good, and evangelism is much needed, but is revival really bringing new people into the Kingdom? Perhaps revival isn't outreach, perhaps revival is in-reach!

A familiar scripture to many Christians says these words:
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

It is funny that scripture clearly points out that God's people should humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and repent from their wickedness and then God will heal our land. We seek the lost for the Kingdom of God, yet our actions are the same as those who are "lost." Perhaps what Tozer meant is that we should obey God and repent and that in and of itself is revival. Well that is exactly what happened at Crossroads on May 3rd, 2009 at 6:30pm.

The worship music was going fine, the people were singing, the instruments were playing, and heard the quiet voice of the LORD say to me, "Jerry you have been praying for revival as though it is my choice. But it has never been my choice, it has always been your choice, and the people's choice." As I pondered these words teachings flooded back, the quote came to mind, and I shared with the people what the Lord had shared with me. What ensued was something so miraculous that it overwhelmed the very soul of almost everyone in attendance.

Person after person came forward and publicly confessed and renounced sin. People were broken before the LORD, the tears flowed, and it was good. As people did this the LORD again pointed out to me in His quiet soothing voice every revival in scripture started with a public confession of the people's sin and open repentance before the LORD. Hundreds have not been saved, because revival isn't new converts - it is old disciples being restored to life and consciousness.

———————
re•vive \ri-ˈvīv\ vb
re•vived; re•viv•ing [ME, fr. AF revivre, fr. L revivere to live again, fr. re- + vivere to live — more at quick] vi 15c : to return to consciousness or life : become active or flourishing again vt
1 : to restore to consciousness or life
2 : to restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused state : bring back
3 : to renew in the mind or memory — re•viv•able \-ˈvī-və-bəl\ adj — re•viv•er nMerriam-Webster, I. (2003). Merriam-Webster's collegiate dictionary. (Eleventh ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc.

Evangelism will come as a result of this revival as God stirs our hearts towards Himself! The next services that were held were even more powerful than the first. The weekend teaching of Pastor Jerry was strong, and effective. Even more awesome was that on May 10, 2009 elder Keith Morris stood and delivered his first ever sermon to a very full sanctuary during the Sunday evening service. God again moved in the hearts of the people, and we are drawing ever closer to our LORD. Keith's sermon was polished and powerful - as though he had been preaching for years. It appears that the LORD has given him a gift of Prophecy in the forth telling sense!

Revival is your choice! You can return to the LORD or you can stay away - it is all up to you - but coming back is so much better!