- Repent
- Pray
- Call out to Him with a Humble heart
- Call for a Solemn Assembly on your knees pleading for mercy
- Sanctify a fast among the people
Last month I heard a great preacher, Richard Owens Roberts, speak on revival. He described revival as a pebble being thrown into a pond. The rippling effect from that one action continued on and on and that is how it is in revival. The Holy Spirit moves and soon the rippling effect goes out beyond ourselves, beyond our churches reaching out to the unsaved and the lost. It’s going beyond those of us sitting safely in our churches. It reaches the lost, the hurting, the lonely and all God’s people.
I saw revival when I was young and I’ll never forget it. People were on fire for Jesus. A small bible study of 5 people turned to 10, then 100’s and soon neighborhoods were gathering together studying the word. In my family, it started with one person…soon my aunts, cousins, parents, grandparents, neighbors and friends were soon on fire for Jesus, learning scripture and leading bible study groups. The good news had spread like wildfire. Today my family (cousins, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters) are Christians, teaching their children and grandchildren God’s ways. It all started with that one revival- now my family, as if it were a rippling effect through the generations, teaches the next generation and on and on this goes, reaching out still to those around us.
In revival, repentance is vital. We need repentance on a personal level, as we each search our hearts, and repentance together as a group or entity. I wonder how many of us really repent as we should? It’s important to ask the Lord to search our heart and see if there is any sin lurking in there that needs to be removed. There have been many times I thought myself sin-free until I stopped and asked the Lord. He is gentle and kind but it’s never fun to admit you’re wrong. Unforgiveness , bitterness, anger, and hurting others are sins that can hide from our view if we aren’t looking closely within ourselves.
Three things accompany revival when God is near:
- Prayer
- Repentance
- Humbleness
3 things proceed revival in our churches
- Terrible seasons (so be ready and prepared- don’t be shocked at the terrible time you may be going through)
- Moral and spiritual decline (sounds like today)
- Righteous judgment from God
Gather together and pray: Raise up our churches and don’t let God go! Keep seeking His face and glorifying the Lord. Be so close to God that what troubles Him, should trouble you. Commit yourself to seek Him. See what He sees, feel what He feels.
But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace 2 Thessalonians 3 :13-16
There is a measure of sin- and we have reached the overflowing limit
There seems, according to history and scripture, to be a measure of sin. God has allotted to every person and entity a measure of sin. When the measure of sin is full, the wrath of God is upon that entity to the full. God has left some churches and it is too late to repent – TOO LATE, they never listened.
Is there hope for America? Is our measure of sin about to bring God’s wrath on us?
There is still time for America, but our measure is almost full…but… by God’s grace we still have some time. We must face the sin in every one of us and in every entity, we must repent before it is too late.
Now is the time to call for a Solemn assembly and fast
Joel 1:14 Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord,
Joel 2:15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly
Zephaniah 3:18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden
“And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved;
for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem
there will be deliverance,
as the Lord has said,
even among the survivors
whom the Lord calls (Joel 2)
We must:
1- Cry out to the Lord, for the day of the Lord is near
2- Return to God with all your heart with fasting, crying out to Him. Turn back to Him for He is compassionate and abounds in loving-kindness
3- Proclaim a Solemn Assembly on your knees pleading for mercy
4- Seek God and revival
If we want revival, we must take extraordinary action It can all start with you. Come before Him with fasting, weeping, prayer, repentance and humbleness.
“How will the people of the world know we are your people if you, O Lord, are not with us?” Ex 33:15
Refined in the fire
ISAIAH 48:10-11 I have refined you, but not as silver is refined.
Rather, I have refined you in the furnace of suffering.
11 I will rescue you for my sake—
yes, for my own sake!
I will not let my reputation be tarnished,
and I will not share my glory with idols!
The bride are those who are willing to suffer for Christ, suffer for Christ’s kingdom. God’s people must suffer hardships to enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22) Persecution, suffering and hardships make us worthy of His kingdom. Remember that God will provide rest for you, just as he gave rest to Elijah.
Psalm 71:21 You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth. You will restore me to even greater honor and comfort me once again.
Psalm 119:107-112 I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised. Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations.
My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments.
Your laws are my treasure;they are my heart’s delight. I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.
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Isaiah 26: 16-19 Lord, in distress we searched for you.
We prayed beneath the burden of your discipline.
17 Just as a pregnant woman
writhes and cries out in pain as she gives birth,
so were we in your presence, Lord.
18 We, too, writhe in agony,
but nothing comes of our suffering.
We have not given salvation to the earth,
nor brought life into the world.
19 But those who die in the Lord will live;
their bodies will rise again!
Those who sleep in the earth
will rise up and sing for joy!
For your life-giving light will fall like dew
on your people in the place of the dead!
Scripture to study and read: the Book of Joel, Psalm 58
Ancient Paths 