September 2022: Maybe we don't want revival after all...

Lord send revival. Lord send it now

A move of Your Spirit. Heaven break out

Come now in power. Cover this land

Like You've done it before

Would You do it (Oh come on) again - Lord Send Revival, Hillsong Young and Free

We sing songs like this in church passionately pleading with the Lord to send revival to our churches, to our cities, and our nation.  We pray loudly for God to move among us and we exhort one another to believe for the NEXT MOVE OF GOD.

Yet I wonder if we understand what true revival would require of us.  It would mean canceling most of our church busywork and event planning. 

This alone would devastate many churches, but what if something more serious happened than just our events being canceled?

 

Revivals cause much disruption and radical change to the church and the world around them.

Are we willing to pay the price of revival?

Revival and Moves of God in the scriptures 

Old Testament Revivals 

In the Old Testament, there is a pattern with the Kings of Ancient Israel . A bad king would lead God's people astray by allowing idolatry and other practices. God would be angry with the King and His people until a good King came to the throne.

The first thing a Good King would do was clean house. The King would tear down all the shrines of idol worship and stop the people from worshiping other gods.  He would lead the people back into worshipping the Lord until another bad King came along to start the cycle all over again.

In the book of 2 Kings, Chapter 22, we see the reign of King Josiah who not only tears down the altars to the other gods, he banishes psychics, mediums, and every other "detestable practice" (verse 24). During King Josiah's reign, the Book of the Law is rediscovered, and the covenant is renewed between God and His people. There was complete religious reform and revival but it did not last.  After the death of King Josiah, his son did evil in the sight of the Lord and started the bad King cycle all over again.

What if part of our revival process would be to clean house in the church?  What if we had to get rid of even  "good things," like programs and events in order to focus on prayer and study of the word?  What if God began to expose the truth of what was going on behind closed doors in our churches?  What if as a consequence that meant beloved leaders were forced to step down from ministry?

Would we still want revival?

Maybe we don't want revival after all: Ananias and Sapphira.

In his book, "Is God too nice"? RT Kendall recalls that as a move of God began to hit the congregation where he pastored, some leaders started questioning whether or not they wanted revival

The deacon candidly implied he wasn’t so sure he wanted [revival] after all. He could see the cost: overcoming pride, fear, and tradition. True revival is so disruptive. Things were starting to happen in those days. It got messy

According to RT Kendall, a full-blown revival never came to Westminster Chapel while he was the pastor. Still, Kendall reflected that had revival come in the measure he had dreamed of, it might have meant that people were found out and moved on like Ananias and Sapphira.

The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 is one of the most disturbing stories in the New Testament. This couple was exposed for lying to the Holy Spirit about how much they gave to the church, which had devastating consequences for both.  

Acts 5:3-11

3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, why have you let Satan fill your heart? You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. 4 The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!”

5 As soon as Ananias heard these words, he fell to the floor and died. Everyone who heard about it was terrified 

7 About three hours later, his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.8 Peter asked her, “Was this the price you and your husband received for your land?” 

“Yes,” she replied, “that was the price.”

9 And Peter said, “How could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out, too.”

10 Instantly, she fell to the floor and died. When the young men came in and saw that she was dead, they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 

11 Great fear gripped the entire church and everyone else who heard what had happened.

The Fear and Terror were the points

In Verse 5 and 11, we read that great fear and terror came upon the people who heard about what happened to  Ananias and Sapphira.  

The fear and terror were the points. The early church got the message: God is still serious about hating sin, and He is not to be taken lightly.

Before dismissing that this could not happen today, remember this happened in the New Testament after Jesus died on the cross.  This wasn't Old Testament Angry God.  This is New Testament Grace and Mercy God. For the record, they are both the same God.

What would happen if we started seeing incidents like this with Ananias and Sapphira in the church today?

Many of us self-professing Christians would have to accept that God is real, and we would have to start acting like it!

Practical Application

I have been troubled at the unserious nature of the modern church and her members. We say we want revival but do we understand what that requires?

When I read about the history of revivals such as the American Great Awakenings,  Wales, Azusa Street, and others, the people had entire seasons of sustained prayer and fasting.  

Services during the revivals were serious affairs. Often there was much weeping, wailing, and conviction as people realized they were living sinful lives and came to Jesus.  

There wasn't a need for entertainment or hype to lure people in because the power of God was at work, and that was enough!

Our practical application is to ask God to "make ready a people beginning with me" for revival!  We are in desperate need of it!

Prayer

Lord, Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You? - Psalm 85:6 (NKJV) 

In Jesus' name, Amen!