I need a fresh word from the Lord. I need to actually feel the Lord’s presence again in my life. I hunger for a revival in our Church. I want to be passionately involved in worshipping God. When I’m in a crowd of people that are experiencing God I want to feel what they are feeling. I have heard these things from so many people, and have said them myself. What we cry out for in the body of Christ is somewhat similar to what the lost world cries out for. The lost world is crying out for purpose in life. They long for meaning in life. They search for peace by any means necessary. The body of Christ knows the substance of these things can only be found in Jesus Christ. So, we cry out to the Lord for more of Him. When we cry out for more of the Lord, or revival, or more passion in worship, it is all centered in the person of Jesus Christ. The lost world must replace Christ with something that can be the source of their peace, purpose and meaning. Intellectualism seems to be the replacement the world is using for Christ.
Jesus teaches us that the just shall live by faith. Therefore, intellectualism cannot be the key element to meaning or purpose in life. Understanding cannot precede faith in our journey toward completion in Christ. Faith is the key element of experiencing God. Understanding seems to be the only thing the world can reach out for. Education can only provide information outside of the realm of faith. When faith is engaged then understanding and wisdom are opened up.
Are you weary of a mundane existence being drug around from circumstance to circumstance? Do you think it’s time to get up out of the pit and fly into the Holy Spirit of God? Don’t be caught in the same trap the world is in and try understanding or intellectualism as your source for real purpose and meaning. We are still the people of God regardless of what’s going on in the world. We have authority and benefits as children of God. We can begin to engage in the truth of His word and let the transformation process take place in our life.
I’m convinced that through a careful look at the book of Revelation we find a strategic plan of action that will lead us through the times we are facing with power. I remember preaching to people that when revival happens it probably want look like what we have pictured in our minds. I now say to those of us who chase after revival, it’s probably not going to look like what we think in our minds. The real truth is, when God moves it never looks like what we think. It seems that even a manifestation of His presence has greater purpose than just for us to be elevated in His glory. In my lifetime we have been blessed with so many outpourings of the Holy Spirit. We’ve seen many come to know the Lord in salvation. We’ve seen many healing's that could only be explained by a touch from God. We’ve seen deliverance take place in miraculous ways. But when the tide of revival begins to pull back what do we do then?
The way the book of Revelation is constructed is relative to our times today. I believe in this writing it teaches us truth that can lead us into action when the waves of revival pull back from our grasp. Some of the principles seem simplistic that we learned early in our journey of faith, but we have forgotten them. The revival we need now needs to be characterized by truth. The revival that God is and will pour out is a revival of truth. God still heals. God still delivers. God still anoints with His presence. However, for the times we are now living in and the darkness we face we must be equipped in truth. I’ve watched people in the body of Christ take truth and use it to manipulate people into sensationalism. I’ve seen people twist and pervert truth to try and bring people to a result for their own gain. We have all seen people pervert truth for the purpose of their own power. Manipulation has replaced anointing in many circles. I believe it is time to go back to the truth without denying any of the power of Christ and march on to victory. Journey with me through the book of Revelation and take the truth the Holy Spirit gives us and apply it to these days. We can see a strategic plan of action unfold of how we can relate to man’s government, the darkness of Satan, and the precious, wonderful Lord Jesus.
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