Blogs

Secrets Revealed in Revival

Too renew and re-kindle the flames of passion in our hearts is to be in personal first-love with Jesus. First-love is revival! And it is obedience to the “now” word of Jesus! His Heavenly Father; becomes our Father, and is drawing us into the heart of Jesus. We mirror the likeness of Jesus…’as He is, so are we in this world.’

 “Glory and strength to Christ, who loves us, who blood-washed our sins from our lives, 6 Who made us a Kingdom, Priests for his Father, forever - and yes, he's on his way!” (Revelation 1:5b-6 Msg)

"I see what you've done, your hard, hard work, your refusal to quit… I know your persistence, your courage in my cause that you never wear out. 4 "But you walked away from your first love - why? What's going on with you, anyway? 5 Do you have any idea how far you've fallen? A Lucifer fall! "Turn back! Recover your dear early love.” (Revelation 2: 3b-5 Msg)

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If any of you hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with you. And you will eat with me. 21 'I'll give those who overcome the right to sit with me on my throne. In the same way, I overcame. Then I sat down with my Father on his throne. 22’those who have ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.’” (Revelation 3:20-22, NIRV)

Following are the evidences of ‘revived’ first-love.

1.     True revival calls us into a pure and simple devotion for The Lamb of God!   “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ”… (2 Cor. 11:3)

2.     True revival exposes the folly of trying to please God by “our” religious works!  Paul contrasts the futility of the law of works in its clumsy effort to improve human behavior. And he reveals the ‘mystery’ hidden for ages; which is the amazing revelation of the life of our design redeemed in us, in Christ!  He uses the words, “law,” “flesh” and “works” vs. “grace,” “spirit, “truth” and “faith” to give reference to the dynamic of the success of the cross.

 Religion says "go and sin no more, and then God won't condemn you", but Jesus said "neither do I condemn you, now go and sin no more".

"Religion made half of us afraid to die, and the other half afraid to live."

3.     True revival brings the wonder and awe of our adoption into Sonship!  (Galatians 4:5)  “Jesus’ mandate was to rescue the human race from the regime of the law of performance and announce the revelation of their true sonship in God. 4:6 (Holy Spirit sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts and seals our sonship) God has commissioned the Spirit of sonship to resonate the Abba echo in our hearts; and now, in our innermost being we recognize him as our true and very dear Father (Galatians 1:16a) (Paul) This is the heart of the gospel that I proclaim; it begins with an unveiling of Sonship, and frees us to announce Sonship as Overcomer’s in Jesus Christ! .  

 (He then reveals our own Prodigal Story…)

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them. 13 "Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 "When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' 20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. ‘22 "But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate. (Luke 15: 11-24 NIV)

4.     True revival welcomes the Divine balance between ‘gifted leaders’ and the facilitation of the ‘Body of Christ’ “But now you are the Body of Christ and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:11)

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (Revelation 12: 11-12 NIV)

5.     True revival releases faith and freedom! (Galatians 5:1&5:6) Christ defines your faith; he is your freedom from anything the law could never free you from! Find your firm footing in this freedom. Do not let religion trip you up again and harness you to a system of rules and obligations! 5:6 Love sets faith in motion. (It is easy for love to believe!)

20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” (Galatians 2: 20-21 KJV)

6.     True revival makes way for true Overcomer’s in Jesus to burst onto the Kingdom scene  Revelation 2:4-7 (Ephesus), 10-11 (Smyrna), 14-17 (Pergamum), 20-29 (Thyatira), And 3:2-6 (Sardis), 7b-13 (Philadelphia), 14b-22 (Laodicea).

The secret of true revival is to be “hidden in Christ” within Father’s Heart. “For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3 NIV) Revival is about where He is! He has to move on the inside of you. You have to feel His heart before you will have anything to offer anyone else. Then when you have rested your very head against His chest like John the beloved, you will then begin to respond and move according to His heartbeat. You will then be in Revival and you will discover a new well of Worship bubbling up from the inside of you.

 “Worship is the strategy by which we interrupt our preoccupation with ourselves and attend to the presence of God. “ And these things only come by and through the secret places of intercession.

7.     True Revival is not about what we say or do ‘correct enough times’ to somehow warrant an outpouring from God! Neither is it contingent upon our personal piety and rightness!

There is not a more pleasurable or exhilarating human experience than loving and worshiping God by the power of God’s love energizing your heart! But you must learn the art of listening from your heart and spirit.

a.     This will require lowering the ambient noise (ambient-the area immediately around you) of your life and listening expectantly for the whispers of God’s love language. Soon those whispers will become unique to your relationship with Him! And the ears of your heart will become tuned to His voice over all other sounds or life-noise.

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, TLB)

“The words that I speak to you aren’t mere words. I don’t just make them up on my own. The Father who resides in me crafts each word into a divine act…If you love me; show it by doing what I’ve told you. I will talk to the Father, and he will provide another Friend (Counselor) so that you will always have someone with you. This friend is the Spirit of Truth.” (John 14:10, 15, 16 Msg)

“The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you.” (John 14: 26, Msg)

Jesus Christ has been drawing you to himself your entire life. It’s called “prevenient grace”. “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper (personal relationship and daily fellowship.  (Rev. 3: 20 Msg)

b.     Listening on the inside to the Spirit of Jesus will begin to reveal the path to His presence. Next, Jesus will teach you the difference between the “mind of your flesh” and the “sanctuary of your soul”. He will take you by the hand and lead you gently away from the carousel of your busy mind and excessive life noise to His “peaceful presence” in the sanctuary of your soul.

The Bible calls this place the “Kardia” or the “New Covenant Heart”. It is not the organ that pumps the life giving blood to our bodies but the sanctuary of our souls. That very special place the Lord has designed in us for the dwelling place of the “HAGIOS PNEUMA”; (the Spirit of the Holy One) to dwell.

“The one thing I want from God, the thing I seek most of all, is the privilege of meditating in his Temple (we who are ‘born again’ are ‘now’ his Temple), living in his presence every day of my life, delighting in his incomparable perfections and glory. There I’ll be when troubles come. He will hide me. He will set me on a high rock out of reach of all my enemies. Then I will bring him sacrifices and sing his praises with much joy. Listen to my pleading, Lord! Be merciful and send the help I need. My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me, O my people.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” (Psalm 27: 4-8, TLB)

“The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will. ⁵ The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away. (Isaiah 50:4-5 NLV)

c.       The greatest benefit of “Revived” listening prayer is that you learn to freely receive the spontaneous flow of thoughts God has toward you at all times. They come in the form of ideas, truth, direction, comfort, correction and encouragement; coming from His heart to your heart and mind (impressions). In faith, you will begin to know and believe they are from Jesus. You will learn to express your impressions.

As a result; you will also sort through the natural tendency of short-circuiting His regular flow of thoughts toward you by “leaning on your own understanding” and doubt.

11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek me and find Me, when you search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NKJV)

2 "This is God's Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: 3 'Call to me and I will answer you. I'll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” (Jeremiah 33:2-3 Msg)

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him (get to know him intimately), and he shall direct your paths (everyday).”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“But the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Daniel 11:32NKJV)

d.     Practicing His Presence “Who would, after seeking the King’s palace, be content to stand in the door, when he is invited to dwell in the King’s presence and share with Him in all the glory of His royal life? Certainly, all would assume that no one would so foolishly give up a royal life to merely stand in the doorway, separated from all the pleasures of living in the King’s presence,” adapted from the wisdom of Andrew Murray, from his classic “Abide in Christ.”

Tragically, many who come to Jesus as Savior and Redeemer never go beyond the doorway to abide in Him. They fail to learn the simple spiritual discipline of “Abiding in Christ” and practicing the presence of God. Experiencing the unspeakable joy of dwelling in the presence of God is the birthright of every follower of Jesus and every Son or Daughter of “Heavenly Daddy.”

“Take care to live in me (practice my presence daily/hourly), and let me live in you. For a branch can’t produce fruit when severed from the vine. Nor can you be fruitful apart from me…For apart from me you can’t do a thing…But if you stay in me and obey my commands, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted...I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Live within my love.” (John 15: 4, 5b, 7, 9, The Living Bible)

Life lived in the presence of Jesus is fruitful, powerful, joyful and secure. When we learn to practice His presence we stay connected to the source of all we will ever need. A relationship can’t be maintained in a healthy functional way apart from regular dialogue and fellowship. We always have the choice; “Each moment we can choose to Practice His Presence or the Presence of Problems” Sarah Young.

As we learn the simple daily discipline of Practicing His Presence we not only hear him, but we can also be assured of being heard by him! Do you ever feel like you’re not being heard?

We cannot live without air to breathe or water to drink or sustenance for the body. But, also our true self, our identity, can’t live without being heard. If you experience a deaf ear for too long, your soul will shrivel up to a distortion of your potential.

e.     It’s been said that being heard is the better part of communication. Something almost magical-certainly mystical happens when we feel safe enough in His presence to become gut level honest and transparent with God. Maybe you’ve known Jesus for years; but, your inner core--the heart Jesus gave you has shut down.

When we feel heard, we start listening better as well—we hear the Love of God and risk opening up again! When we are confident of being heard; no matter what is happening to, in, or around us—we come to ‘a silence of listening’. When heard, we hear! This is one of the reasons God called David, ‘a man after his own heart’. Seemingly; every day, he poured out his heart to God. It took real faith to do that.

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray. In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” (Psalm 5: 1-3 NIV)

“As you keep your focus on Me, I form you into the one I desire you to be. Your part is to yield to my creative work in you, neither resisting it nor trying to speed it up. Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting me set the pace. Hold My hand in childlike trust, and the way before you will open up step by step.” Jesus Calling, pg, 26-Sarah Young

f.      The further He leads me into shared Sonship in Him the more I lose my way back to the past! And the only begotten Son of God-Jesus, leads me into His certain and eternally secured future. "Behold, I make all things new!"

E. Stanley Jones said something like this, 'Jesus did not walk on water to 'do' a miracle! All of creation (wind, water and wave) came rushing to support The Creator as He walked in perfect Sonship. Creation will rush to support us the more we walk in Sonship!
Signs will follow and we will wonder why we waited so long to become fully alive in Sonship!

"All of creation waits in eager anticipation for the manifestation of the Sons of God!" "Father, it's time, display the bright splendor of your Son." (John 17:1) Will you join the revolution of the Jesus movement?

Revival is as simple as learning to flow with, where and when He is flowing! Ron Ross