photo #8274565

TRUE REVIVAL Beware of event-driven people who live from one event to the next and never seem to find a way to stay right with God on a personal level. Some people are always looking for the next event, the next "movement of God" that they can run and dive into like kids at a pool party. When this happens, the word of God always takes a back seat to the emotional spasms of carnal believers who wouldn't know a "revival" if they tripped over one.Did you know, for instance, that the word "revival" is not even a Bible word? It is found nowhere in the Book! The words "revive" and "reviving" are found nine times, but not once in the New Testament. Not once! Paul does use the word "revived" a couple times in Romans, but neither occurrence has anything to do with religious events that Christians needed to flock to like Muslims racing off to Mecca."Well, what about Pentecost? Wasn't that an event where God moved mightily among His people?" Yes, but that was a one-time thing and the people were ALREADY THERE in observance of a Jewish feast. No one loaded up their camels and donkeys and charged off to the movement of God at Jerusalem. The people were "all with one accord in one place" (Acts 2:1), and none of them were born-again, Spirit-sealed believers in Christ like you and I are today. The idea of Christians waiting on or running to a "movement of God" is not sound doctrine.In fact, it is contrary to sound doctrine. Paul stressed this truth in Romans 10 when he said, ". . . Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach." (Rom. 10:6-8) The relationship that Christ has with the believer is personal and it begins in the heart, not in an emotional frenzy at someone's religious event. Furthermore, when stressing the need for believers to be spiritually "renewed," Paul says that this is to happen "day by day" (II Cor. 4:16), not just when the next revival train passes your way. Every Christian should experience revival daily WITHOUT having to rely on pilgrimages to this or that church or camp meeting. Such events are largely for lost people and spiritual babies. Serious believers have better sense.This notion that revival is only something that God SENDS is very dangerous because it removes personal responsibility from the believer. The thinking is sort of like, "I didn't have revival because God didn't send one. It's God's fault, not mine." That's the devil's hiss in this whole "revival" business, and most Christians never even give it a thought.If you want to experience true revival, STOP FOLLOWING OTHER PEOPLE and start getting serious about personal Bible reading and prayer. Confess and forsake any known sin and make a personal effort to walk with God daily in accordance with His words. Stop looking for a "movement" and start moving yourself. Anything less amounts to religious child's play, not revival.