Revival On Our Terms
“I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15-16
Are we positioning our lives as if we are expecting a downpour of God’s Spirit or a trickledown of God’s Spirit? Is it time to break up the hard hearts and seek the Lord while He still may be found?
I heard something a long time ago that is so true, “We provide the sacrifice; God provides the fire.” And the sacrifice is our lives, just like the believers in the upper room 2000 years ago. And the fire is the same power that impacted the church at Pentecost 2000 years ago.
From the above verse, we find that holiness plays a role in revival and renewal. Holiness is desiring what God desires. While we realize that God is love, but His name is holy. He is referred to as the “Holy One” over 30 times in the Bible. God abides, revives, and renews those who have a humble spirit. Why? Because holiness is often a mark of humility.
To be clear, holiness involves salvation as well as sanctification. Salvation positions us in a holy God forever, and sanctification is the power of the Holy Spirit moving through our lives on a daily basis!
As you know, we are called to live holy lives that honor God. Our everyday decisions either fuel the fires of revival or quench the Spirit — we either rejoice in God and walk in His Word or we grieve the Spirit by disobeying. The choice is ours. Americans are so used to doing life on their terms, and this includes revival. This will never work with God! Revival is always on His terms!
There is nothing more beautiful than to see someone running to God looking for either renewal or revival. God’s call to the prodigal is, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). His call to the exhausted is, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). His call to the brokenhearted is, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). His call to the anxious is, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). His call to the barren is, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).
The prophet Isaiah said these important words, “God acts for the one who waits for Him” (Is. 64:4). Sometimes we can get ahead of God and try to manufacture the next move of God. If we don’t wait on Him for true renewal that changes His church and true revival that changes a sinner’s life then we are looking for revival on our terms. When we wait, anger doesn’t influence us, impatience doesn’t drive us, impulse doesn’t ruin us, fear doesn’t stop us, and our flesh doesn’t control us.
The disciples waited in the upper room until heaven opened, and the Spirit came down. That experience changed them and the world forever!
God bless you,
Pastor Dave
Are we positioning our lives as if we are expecting a downpour of God’s Spirit or a trickledown of God’s Spirit? Is it time to break up the hard hearts and seek the Lord while He still may be found?
I heard something a long time ago that is so true, “We provide the sacrifice; God provides the fire.” And the sacrifice is our lives, just like the believers in the upper room 2000 years ago. And the fire is the same power that impacted the church at Pentecost 2000 years ago.
From the above verse, we find that holiness plays a role in revival and renewal. Holiness is desiring what God desires. While we realize that God is love, but His name is holy. He is referred to as the “Holy One” over 30 times in the Bible. God abides, revives, and renews those who have a humble spirit. Why? Because holiness is often a mark of humility.
To be clear, holiness involves salvation as well as sanctification. Salvation positions us in a holy God forever, and sanctification is the power of the Holy Spirit moving through our lives on a daily basis!
As you know, we are called to live holy lives that honor God. Our everyday decisions either fuel the fires of revival or quench the Spirit — we either rejoice in God and walk in His Word or we grieve the Spirit by disobeying. The choice is ours. Americans are so used to doing life on their terms, and this includes revival. This will never work with God! Revival is always on His terms!
There is nothing more beautiful than to see someone running to God looking for either renewal or revival. God’s call to the prodigal is, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). His call to the exhausted is, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). His call to the brokenhearted is, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). His call to the anxious is, “The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7). His call to the barren is, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).
The prophet Isaiah said these important words, “God acts for the one who waits for Him” (Is. 64:4). Sometimes we can get ahead of God and try to manufacture the next move of God. If we don’t wait on Him for true renewal that changes His church and true revival that changes a sinner’s life then we are looking for revival on our terms. When we wait, anger doesn’t influence us, impatience doesn’t drive us, impulse doesn’t ruin us, fear doesn’t stop us, and our flesh doesn’t control us.
The disciples waited in the upper room until heaven opened, and the Spirit came down. That experience changed them and the world forever!
God bless you,
Pastor Dave
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