05 Mar THE REVIVAL EQUATION

Revival. It’s the word of the hour.  A longing from God’s people for Him to come near and move in unfathomable ways.  Revival seems to be the “call to arms” of the church in 2021, and rightfully so.  Have you seen the news lately?  The world is being shocked and awed by so many things that it feels like we’re up against the ropes and one knockdown away from a TKO.  Historically, when the world is sick, Revival (awakening, renewal, etc.) seems to be the heavenly prescription.  It’s a great prescription that has been administered by heaven to a hurting world, with health eventually being restored.

We want Revival, Revival, Revival!!!

That’s what we want, what we are hungry for, but have you ever stopped in the midst of your “revival wanting” to ask God if there is anything that He hungers for?

I know, it sounds like a dumb question.  Of course God wants revival, duh.  After all, we can’t make revival happen, He has to sovereignly initiate it, right? So if that’s the case, then He hungers after revival just like the rest of us.

Well, yes and no.

The Lord desires pour out His Spirit on us in deep and powerful, unexplainable ways, but I believe He desires other things even more than the pouring out of His precious spirit.

In the equation of revival, He gives what we want….revival.  We give what He wants. What is that?  I’ll tell you:

1. A Praying People: Our prayer life can’t be a liturgical chant of “God send revival.” That’s not prayer, that’s begging.  What He wants is a people that see prayer not as a chore or checklist, but as a place of deep communion and conversation between best friends.  You can’t receive the revival of God if you don’t intimately know the God of revival.

1. A Transparent People:  He wants sons and daughters that are quick to repent, quick to forgive and quick to let go.  Why?  Because when He gives the promise of revival, it will stretch and test you to the very core of your being.  Revival is amazing, but it can ruin people if they hide stuff.  Don’t hide stuff, be a glass house before the Lord.

1. A Giving People:  Revival turns into reformation when God’s kids refuse to stay in the church getting fat off “the glory” and freely give of what they have been giving outside of the four walls of the gathering place.  When God touches you deeply, you should have no other thought than to share what you received with others.  In doing so, those outside of the church will be radially changed ass well.

1. A Unified People:  If we don’t seek God on a united front, we will never see revival.  It’s as simple as that.  The body was never meant to be segmented into different pieces, but it seems that way at times.  When you move forward and diligently seek Him in unity He has no choice but to respond with fire on that sacrifice.

At the end of the day, God will only pour Himself out of a people that have poured themselves out at His feet in prayer, humility, sacrifice and unity.  Follow that prescription and watch how He responds in power.