Revival: The How & Why of It

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How do Christians experience revival? What happens in them that causes such a need? I was presented these questions in a conversation yesterday. The first question’s answer is “faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.” The second question’s answer is “sin.” We are all born in need of spiritual rebirth. Spiritual revival occurs through faith.

The first question requires some personal identification to our “REVIVAL” experiences. I know what it is to be an ACTIVE participant in sin which directly supports a spirit in need of revival. Sin separates us from God eternally. Salvation revives our spirits and attaches us to the Holy Spirit. This attachment is a Divine characteristic of Christianity. ACTIVE participation in Christianity keeps the spirit revived in three ways:

HOLY SPIRIT - FOIX

  1. Prayer to God,through Christ and reading God’s Word, experiencing new life in us through the Holy Spirit.
  2. Regular fellowship with other Christians via worship service, Bible study and various gatherings.
  3. Consistent service to both Christians and non-Christians via ACTIVE participation in various ministries.

The condition of our spirits is well-maintained when these three ACTivities are in place in our weekly routines. Revival denotes a need for a “life source” to infuse its life into lifelessness.  When it is done properly, revival works. Otherwise, the lifelessness continues and the need for revival gradually becomes eliminated by death.   Spiritual revival is solely dependent on Spiritual Life.

The second question reminds me to review the Psalmist’s situation in Psalms 85. This chapter, worth reading, gives us clarity on what happens when sin and disobedience to God’s Word are at hand. But it is REALLY important to notice the element of HOPE in God for restoration. That is key. Hopelessness is a subtle foe. It is a derivative of a sinful lifestyle.

The Old Testament Israelites were notorious for getting deliverance from God and then falling away from God and into the ways active sin.  The natural human condition is to run away from God. Adam and Eve depict this in Genesis 3:8.  New Testament Jews revoked the opportunity to develop faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Therefore, their spiritual revival has not been established and they are waiting for their human, earthly promise of the millennial Kingdom to be instituted by the coming Messiah aka Jesus Christ. There is a Divine divide between the Heavenly promises and the Earthly promises that is necessary to apply to Psalm 85. 

THIS IS TRUE FOR MANKIND: SIN SEPARATES US FROM THE LIFE SOURCE. REVIVAL RESTORES US TO THE LIFE SOURCE. 

JESUS CHRIST IS THE LIFE SOURCE

Faith in His death is the source of the forgiveness of our sin – through prayer on a regular basis. Faith in His burial and resurrection signifies the absolute “new life” experience Christians can experience over the course of their lifetime “in the faith.” We transition from spiritual “death” to spiritual “life” through faith IN HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION.

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What A Mighty God We Serve

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Can your heart identify to these words? “He is so good to me, oh yes. He gives me victory, oh yes! Oh what a mighty God we serve…….He opens doors for me, oh yes. Doors I’m unable to see, oh yes. Oh what a mighty God we serve.” I woke up with this song of my youth. This tune is not the popular version we know today but one that seems to have vanished from the archives. I learned it in the 70’s.

Hope is the principle we are focused on this month. Yesterday I had a belief in the Giants victory that was fueled by hope. I am sure many of you did as well. At half time they were behind and the Patriots seemed to be gaining momentum going into the third quarter. I remember tweeting after a failed drive that “it was clobbering time” in the Giants camp. (I am a Fantastic 4 fan too!) To my surprise I was right. The game shifted and the Giants went on to win in the last 2 minutes of the game. What an exciting game but it also serves as a lesson in the benefits of HOPE.

My statement was fueled in hope. I hoped that the defense would prevail because of their history. I hoped in Eli being the better leader because of his history. I hoped in the receivers being in sync with Eli and running the field because of their history. The Giants did not start out the season on top but the history of the season yielded significant evidence to fuel my HOPE. We got to see the Giants, in all their splendor, win the game, the trophy, the rings and the celebration began. OH WHAT A TIME!!

Mighty Mighty (song)
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Romans 5:2 reminds us “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” HOPE is vital because of the process of justification at work in my life. It is necessary to do a daily assessment of the HOPE in my life. There may be times when I have nothing “going on” to hope in. If my heart and mind is not settled in “rejoicing in HOPE of the glory of God” I could find myself hopeless in certain situations. Hopelessness is a direct result of a conquered lifestyle.

I continue to WAKE UP  to the fact that “WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS”  in all my affairs. You have a best friend in Jesus that has affixed you into the Body of Christ so perfectly that you are victorious from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep.  All you need is a heart and mind that is settled in “rejoicing in Hope of the glory of God.” My HOPE in the Giants winning the super bowl was realized and lasted for one day and it was AWESOME!!!!

OUR HOPE IN THE GLORY OF GOD REVEALED TO MANKIND AND THE WORLD IS GOING TO LAST THROUGHOUT ETERNITY – IT WILL NEVER END!!!!!!!!!!

Can u hear me shouting????????  SHOUT WITH ME!

We are all CONQUERORS in Christ.

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I Have Hope

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A Polish made Unitra turntable atop an Electro...
vinyl productions burned music on my soul permanently

Growing up I heard this classic Roberta Martin song “I Have Hope.” In addition to hearing it from the choir on Sunday mornings, I can recall the 33 playing on the record player ringing out the lyrics from the speakers in our living room on Aspen Place, Columbia Ave and Pennington Ave:

“I have hope, I have hope when trouble comes my way

I have hope, I have hope since Jesus has come to stay

I have hope, oh yes when things are not well with me

I have hope, it’s a beutiful hope and it sets me free

If your distressed , Jesus says come unto me. If your depresed I know he’ll give you liberty

Time may find you at the end of your line, but keep the faith its not too late the Lord will be on time.

I have hope, I have hope when darkness fills the sky

I have hope, I have hope since Jesus is ever nigh

I have hope, oh yes through dangers I can not see

I have hope its a beautiful hope that sets me free.”

http://www.last.fm/listen/artist/Roberta%2BMartin/similarartists is a link to this genre of music that features the Roberta Martin classics.

It was written in 1968 but the melody and message is timeless. Hope is a life principle that fuels my daily pace. It puts pep in my step and glide in my stride. Most of all it keeps a smile on my face that springs from true joy in my heart. The goodness of God is constantly present. Thank you Lord for saving me at Calvary. It gives me Hope, a beautiful Hope that sets me free one day at a time.

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tweet with GUSTO!

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image
Hymns that minister

The character you show when you’re at your lowest determines how high you go when you bounce back. #FB — ConquerorShots  No matter what your going through God is up to something Good!

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