Why Does Revival Tarry?
We talk of “revival” but do we really want it? What do we expect when we pray for revival? Are we only saying that to make ourselves feel better? Maybe speaking about it and publicly agreeing to pray about it is no more than a spiritual pat on the back.
Maybe we see that as a means to live a victorious, fruitful Christian life. Will experiencing a revival in our church enable me to live victoriously?Is always looking for it as in a future time (not now) an excuse to not be totally surrendered, totally obedient to God now?
I think we dabble with revival. We want crowds, the personal blessing, the feelings, but don’t want to pay the personal cost. Only real repentance followed by real obedience will bring real revival.
Fake Revival
We might have strobing lights, worship leaders (that we are close to worshiping), and nice sounding sermons that make us feel good. We have lots of rhetoric. A lot of rah rah rah. We don’t even have what we are talking about, but if we talk about it enough maybe it will come to pass. But where is the real spiritual life? It can only come through real rebirth where we no longer live for ourselves (2 Corinthians 5:14) and (Romans 6:10,11).
Spiritually transforming personal revival is for the few that will settle for nothing less. All the rest of the people are along for the ride warming their feet from the fire that is in someone else. Then they are disappointed when it ends. We don’t get too close or else we might get burned.
Real Revival
Jesus promised to baptize His followers with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Holy Spirit is a fire. Burning, purifying fire. He wants to purify us by burning away what is not of Him, the flesh. That sounds nice, but it hurts. Burning is painful. But…resurrection life comes after death.
He will want to take something away from us, something dear to us. So we cling tightly to what is ours. It will hurt terribly if we let it go. We don’t see it as something spiritual or nice. We only see the pain. Well, really, when you think about it this crucifying the flesh is no less painful in a nonphysical way than the crucifixion Jesus went through. Afterward, He had a glorious resurrection.
We are like a toddler when we insist they give up their prized object in their hand. They don’t understand that it is for the best. They only see what they want they can’t have. So like believers that God is trying to grow up to be mature believers. We cry and holler when the purifying fire touches us.
Maybe we don’t recognize what God is doing. Instead of submitting to God’s work in our lives through very ordinary circumstances and people, we see it as from the enemy and rebuke him. Who really are we rebuking?
This may not make most believers smile. But to those whose heart is breaking for the longing for God and His manifest presence it will bring a responding ‘yes’! And a smile to their spirits.
Our responsibility
Is it our responsibility or is it something God gives in answer to our prayers? Jeremiah tells us in 29:13 that you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. Also found in Deut. 4:29. And James tells us in 4:8 to draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
So who draws near first? Who takes the first step? He was speaking to believers. This is to differentiate from the unbelievers who must be drawn by God before they can come to Him. This admonition in James is to believers.
Personal revival
God is not waiting for a ‘move of the Spirit’. There is nothing preventing a personal revival now. Jesus promised us an abundant life that is not contingent on outside circumstances.
Beware. Real revival is personal. It is a private awakening. It is the Holy Spirit touching our flesh, wounding us where it hurts the most, tearing it away, ripping it to shreds until our very soulish breath is sucked out of us. Leaving us dead. Then and only then can we begin to experience the resurrected life. Then there is real joy!
So to return to the main question, why does revival tarry? Why does it delay? Maybe we are the reason. Something to ponder and pray about.
Words to light your path this week
Deuteronomy 4:29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.
James 4:8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
