SUNDAY SERVICE, March 13, 2022
(2nd Service)
Psalm 85: 6
Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
If I want to rejoice what do I need? Revival! This means that the key to rejoicing is not in the bottle or something I can sniff; it is in revival. You can’t even sleep into rejoicing, the singular source is revival. During the first series, we talked about how Lester Sumral went on a visit to Smith Wigglesworth and how Wigglesworth prophesied about the healing revival, the charismatic revival and what is known as the word of faith revival. He also prophesied about a fourth wave of revival which we are living in. We are about to see the move of God and miracles like never before. The beautiful thing about it is that God is about to use just ordinary people. God is about to use people who will be willing to be used. He is about to use people without titles, but are hungry to be used.
If you ask me for what currency of this fourth wave and what qualifies you to be a part of it, I will tell you that it is the hunger. Because in the time of Jesus, the Synagogues were not used. When Jesus came to fulfil prophecy, it happened outside the church and the Rabbi and the zealots were passed over. Who did God use? Peter with no title.
God is about to take up ordinary people and do extraordinary things with them. And what is the requirement? Hunger! You are hungry for more of God. You are not satisfied with religion, you are not satisfied with money, men, materials, breakthrough or open doors. These things in themselves are good, but only to the extent that it keeps you from being distracted from the master.
You have to understand that the material manifestation of the blessings of God in your life should be taken as a way to keep you from being distracted from your walk and time with God. It should be a means to an end and not the end in itself. So, a breakthrough is not the end; it is to help you stay focused on Him. The challenge in our present day is that people have willingly substituted the means to an end to the end in itself. Reprioritise your values.
Who needs revival?
Anyone who is Joyless- (Psalms 51:12 ) Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
David said, “In your presence, there is fulness of Joy.” (Psalms 16:11b). We live in a world that is out to take your joy by every means necessary. They would show you pictures of what they think you should look like. That is why the Bible is clear in directing us to the source of limitless joy. Run back to God’s presence; you can’t find lasting joy outside His presence. Ministry cannot replace His presence, material success would not give you; it is not even in any religion. In fact, let me shock you, you cannot find joy in Christianity; the only place you can find lasting joy is in the presence of God. To surprise you, your spouse would not give you Joy, only God can. Both of you cannot give each other joy, the presence of God is the only source of Joy both limitless and lasting in its fullness.
If you are passionless- (Matt 24:12) [TPT] There will be such an increase of the sin of lawlessness that those whose hearts once burned with passion for God and others will grow cold. If we are to measure the temperature of your passion, what would it feel like? Rev 2:4 (TPP) But I have this against you: you have abandoned the passionate love you had for me at the beginning. Think about how far you have fallen! Any maturity that steals your passion is no maturity. Any activity that steals your passion for God is not a good activity even if it’s a church activity. Any relationship that tows with your passion for God is not a good relationship.
Lukewarmness-Rev 3:15-17 (TPT) I know all that you do, and I know that you are neither frozen in apathy nor fervent with passion. How I wish you were either one or the other! But because you are neither cold nor hot, but lukewarm, I am about to spit you from my mouth. You are not like a sinner, but you are not exactly like a Christian too, you’re the one the Bible is describing here. You are required to be fervent with passion. How do you know you need revival? When worldliness has started creeping into your life. What is worldliness? 2nd Timothy 4:9-10 (AMP) Make every effort to come to me soon; for Demas, having loved [the pleasures of] this present]world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica; Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. The love for the pleasures of this life qualifies is what is known as worldliness because it squeezes the love for the father out of your life. You can’t carry the word and carry the world because one will displace the other.
What do you need to do in order to be revived?
Return to God’s presence
Repent in God’s presence
Remain in God’s presence
Reject every distraction.
Rediscover your purpose in God’s presence.
Rededicate yourself to God’s purpose for your life.
I need to let you know that the days are only going to get darker. Before it was Covid, now it is the possibility of nuclear bomb being deployed by Putin. The days may come when you may not be able to gather in churches, if you can’t attend church for six months, can you pastor yourself? With coming every week, you know your struggles. Can you decide today and pray for revival? Will you choose to deliberately spend more time in God’s presence to strengthen yourself for the times ahead? Pray now; say, “Father, give me the grace to stay in your presence, revive me again Lord.”