Introduction: In all of the years of my ministry most of the churches I served held two revivals a year. I had some reservations about trying to schedule revival for the church because it is NOT man that brings revival, but God that gives it to us. A lot of those scheduled revival services turned out to be just that, scheduled services. It was only on the occasions that the Spirit of God spoke to His children that real revival broke out, and people had changed lives. There are sixsteps that I believe God tells us that bring true revival to Gods people.
1. The first thing is TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! John 13:34 says: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. NKJV
The first power that we feel as Children of God is His Love, and Jesus gave us a new commandment here in verse 34. We are told to LOVE ONE ANOTHER! 1 John 4:8 says: 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love NKJV
Gods love is a powerful Agape Love. Mankind has put so many different meanings for love that often we are confused about what real love is. Real love is GODS LOVE, and when we accept Jesus as our Savior this Agape Love is indwelled within us. The most amazing part of my salvation wasthe new love that filled my soul.So the first thing we need for true revival is to LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
2. The secondstepis that we, PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER, and is found in
James 5:15-16: 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. NKJV
No Christian can make it without prayer, and praying for one another. We pray for the sick, and the sin-sick. Verse 16 tells us to confess our sins to one another and pray for each other, we can be healed, and the last part of verse is Gods promise to us when it says that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. So second, we need to PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER!
3. The thirdstep that we need to do to experience revival is to FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER! Eph 4:32 says 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. NKJV
Sin is what separates us from God and if we CANNOT FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER, we cant expect God to forgive us. The thing that makes a church cold and ungodly is unforgiving sin. So thirdly, we need to FORGIVE ONE ANOTHER!
4. The fourth thing we need for revival is to FOREBEAR ONE ANOTHER!
Col 3:12-13 says: Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. NKJV
Did you know that if you, as a Christian, sins, it effects the whole congregation of the church? We have to Bear (or Forebear) one another, and as we have already said forgive one another. So the fourth thing we need for revival is to FOREBEAR ONE ANOTHER!
5. The filthstepneeded for revival is to BEAR ONE ANOTHERS BURDENS! Gal 6:2 says: 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. NKJV
It is so hard to be burdened down by ourselves, but when our brothers and sisters in Christ share in our burdens, it is NOT as heavy as when we were alone facing this burden. So Filth, we need to BEAR ONE ANOTHERS BURDENS!
6. Sixth and last, we are to REJOICE AND CRY WITH ONE ANOTHER!
Rom 12:15 tells us : 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. NKJV So the sixth step is REJOICE AND CRY WITH ONE ANOTHER!
Conclusion: Now with all of these STEPS, a Christian is as close to God as is possible and revival is ALREADY IN HIS LIFE. Now the Holy Spirit can interact with us, and we can interact with the Godhead, as well as our brothers and sisters is Christ Jesus.
Rev. Zack Martin
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In His Name,
Rev. Zack martin Sr.
updated by @zack-martin: 03/05/15 08:45:50AM
