What is REVIVAL? It’s not an evangelistic campaign. Nor is it just inspirational moments or inspired sermons. Revival is not even having better church, longer church, and louder church.
Millions of Christians in church have already accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior but are now “half-dead.” Life’s circumstances and struggles have gotten them off track. God wants to bring renewed life to His people, transforming us with His power, presence and glory. We can’t even imagine all that God wants to do and accomplish in us and through us! It’s simply beyond our scope as humans; we just have to run with Him and run for revival!
How do we get REVIVAL?
Desire. Be strongly determined. If you want the presence and power of God–revival–more than anything else, God will give it to you.
Destination. Give God a place to land. Churches must have leaders that are willing to be revived and lead their churches to and through revival.
“Revival is renewed life coming to the half-dead.” Steve Gray
Further Bible reading:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Revelations 2:4-5 (NIV)
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.
The Rich Young Ruler – Mark 10:17-31 (also found in Matthew 19:16-28 and Luke 18:18-29)
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.” 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” 28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
Questions:
Why do I need revival? Why does my church need revival?
How much do I desire revival? Rate yourself 1 to 10.
What can I do to help ignite desire and determination for revival in my church and/or my community?
Life to the Half-Dead
0:48“A great opportunity is before us to see God move in our lifetime.”
3:26“God struck me, energized me. My whole life of my past was lifted off me. I became another person—a new creation.”
6:18“Revival is renewed life coming to the half-dead.”
6:40“We’ve got millions of people sitting in church every week, and they need to experience the presence and power of God.”
8:44“If Christianity is going to survive, we’ve got to have God attending our churches.”
10:55“A revival is the presence that is beyond humanity. Something not of me happened in me, and then through me, and it began to pour out.”
22:30“You need to be a leader and lead…let whatever you want to happen in your church happen to you.”
