Revival: More of Jesus
You may remember the Brownsville Revival which began June 18, 1995 at Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida. And you may remember a very similar Toronto Blessing which began in January, 1994 in Toronto, Canada. And the IHOP revival which was centered not at the International House of Pancakes, but the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri.
Wednesday, February 10, 2023 a revival sprang out from Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky. College students in particular from various universities in America are flocking to Asbury University to experience Christ firsthand. A similar revival at that same university happened fifty- three years ago, in 1970. Despite many events reported on TV, America is not totally given over to Satan. There is hope for us yet!
God is omniscient, “all knowing:” God knows everything. God is omnipotent, “all powerful:” there is nothing that God cannot do. God is omnipresent: he’s a Spirit who is everywhere at any given time in history. God is not limited as we human beings are to finite knowledge at any one given time and place.
We don’t have to travel to Pensacola, Toronto, Kansas City, or Wilmore, Kentucky to experience the love and presence of Jesus Christ. Not that anything is wrong in doing so. People travel all across the globe for things far less important.
How can we convince the Spirit of God to bring revival to our city of Malvern? And into our church? And into our own lives? Is there a formula, a method, a guaranteed procedure for bringing that kind of revival: something a person could DO to get that kind of results?
Pastors of the churches where those big revivals occurred tell us what they and their congregations were doing when the revivals began. It’s something that doesn’t come natural to most pastors and church members.
They changed their priorities. Competition against other churches in their area took the backseat: Who has the most attenders? Who is baptizing the most souls in town? How much money can we raise? How many more missionaries can we send to foreign lands? Who has the best- looking buildings in town? The most cars in the parking lot?
Don’t take me wrong! I realize that without meeting those goals of attendance, money, missions, and a nice building there would be no church buildings to hold revival in. Jesus knows that, too. But suppose the most important number one goal is for as many as possible to really get Jesus deep down in their souls. To not just wade into Him, to get just enough of Him to call themselves, “Saved.” But to completely surrender themselves. To lose “Self” and be “Christian,” “Christ in me.”
Suppose denominational barriers were tossed aside. Fear that a lady’s makeup will smear if she gets so lost in Christ that she cries uncontrollably. Concern that a man’s suit will wrinkle if he falls to the floor like Paul did when the power of Jesus Christ knocked him off his horse ( Acts 9: 4). Or fear of getting so full of the Holy Ghost that you might speak out in tongues like Christians in other churches do ( Acts 1: 5; 2: 2; 10: 45- 46; 19: 6). Mussedup appearance resulting from Christ’s presence is no shame. The shame is in letting personal pride and denominational dogmatic church doctrine prevent Jesus Christ from manifesting himself in you to the fullest. Giving your all, and receiving likewise.
Revival stems from a desire to show God and Christ the utmost love you have for him, and a desire to receive him to the fullest level humanly possible. Long prayer vigils accompanied with fasting may convince God that you are ready to receive revival. If enough Malvernites get serious about it, our city might just experience that blessing.