I want to be revived and become a leader in the Kingdom of God …but I’m afraid! This thought might be familiar to you, and it’s certainly familiar to God.
Fear serves as not only a major obstacle to overcome in our personal lives. Fear is a huge enemy to the move of God. It opposes revival. We get set in our old familiar ways and become resistant to following God’s lead and getting His power and presence working in our lives.
The spirit of fear opposes revival and renewal.
Steve Gray
In Steve’s experience, some pastors and leaders will say, “I want revival for my church, but I’m afraid that…”
We will lose people.
The people just won’t go for revival.
My church will lose money.
A move of God will split my church.
Revival will consume everything, and we won’t have time for anything else.
God wants to bring revival to His people and the Church, but we must not disqualify ourselves. If we want God more than anything else—if we are truly desperate for Him—we will let God be God and do what He wants to do in us and through us. Stop being afraid of God. Stop being comfortable will everything not of God, and run to God so that He can revive us!
1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.
3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain.
4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him.
5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.
7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!”
8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”
9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”
10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.
11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside.
12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.”
13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.
14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid.
16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.
17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.
18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him.
19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”
20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolishow much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
Questions:
Is there anything you are afraid to let go?
Can you identify any areas in your life that need a radical change so that you pursue God and revival?
Episode Notes:
01:38The spirit of fear opposes revival and renewal.
03:50Fear is an enemy of the move of God. We’re comfortable in our old ways.
06:12We’re afraid that people might leave church [because of revival]. Well, I’m afraid that God will leave the church! I want a church that God attends.
07:00People aren’t as anti-God as we think. They’re anti-…
16:44We’ve got to quit being so comfortable with things not of God and turn to God and let Him revive us!
