Released September 26, 2012 – Download PDF:  09.26.12.Revival & Change

From cover to cover the Bible proclaims a message of change.  When the Lord stepped in and revealed Himself to those He had chosen, they were forever changed.  You cannot encounter the Lord and not be changed.  The first words that the Mark records in his Gospel that Jesus uttered were, “The kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent and believe the Gospel.”  In short, Jesus said, “Change! A new heavenly order is being established on earth.  Believe Me and My message.”

When Jesus called the disciples, their lives were radically changed forever.  When Moses encountered the Lord in the burning bush, the course of his life was changed forever.  When Paul met the Lord on the road to Damascus, he was dramatically changed from one who persecuted the Church to one that would work to establish it.  When Jesus rose from the grave, He forever changed the course of history by making a path for us to have fellowship with God when we ask Him for forgiveness of our sin.  Again, and again the Bible records the Lord bringing radical change.  He is the God who brings change!

Revival, that is available to anyone and any Church at any time, requires aligning with His plan and His purpose.  It will not come any other way.  We are sheep prone to wander and similar to a piano that is calibrated to a tuning fork, so our hearts must be re-tuned by the Gospel and by the Spirit.

If the Spirit is not moving in your Church, there is a reason.  If the Spirit is not moving in your home, there is a reason.  If the Spirit is not moving in your life there is a reason.  If you have problems with the water not flowing in your house, there is a reason.  When you call the plumber and he investigates the problem he will find the reason for the water not flowing.  Somewhere along the way between the source of the water and your kitchen faucet, a change must be made to get the water flowing again.  If the river of God is not flowing in your life, there is a reason and the reason is simply that a change is required with your walk with God.

There are a number of reasons why you and your family are not experiencing revival.  Do any of the following describe you?

1. You see habitual sin in your life that you don’t think is a big deal to God.  The truth is that it is a big deal.  Go after sin like you are on fire and you will be on fire for God.
2. You lack hunger for the Scripture.  If you don’t have a hunger the Word of God, your fire is dying.
3. You read books rather than hungering and thirsting for revelation from the Spirit and the Scripture.  You enjoy ‘processed’ and regurgitated insights that others have received instead of the meat of the Word and revelation from the Holy Spirit.
4. You have no desire for revelation from the Spirit.
5. You have no desire for a fresh encounter with Christ.
6. When you evaluate your life, you feel like you are doing pretty well.  You don’t see anything that needs change.  That is your problem, you can’t see.  You are spiritually blind.
7. You haven’t heard from the Lord in months, or you can’t remember the last time the Lord spoke to you.  You’ve become dull of hearing.  You can’t hear His voice.
8. You enjoy great ideas more than God ideas.  If you were honest you would have to confess you don’t know the difference.  Ideas get you excited more than seeing the Spirit moving in your life or the lives of others.
9. You rely on books to feed you ideas instead of the Spirit and the Scripture.  Bottom-line, you dwell in the thoughts of men rather than the thoughts of God.  You have long since forgotten that His ways are above our ways.
10. You consistently fellowship with people who walk in compromise.
11. You read the Gospel and don’t see a difference between your life and what you read.  Either you are walking in the fullness of the ministry of Jesus or you are blind to what the Bible describes as basic Christianity.
12. You have established a strategic plan for your ministry without the Spirit of God revealing His plan for your ministry and you are ok with that.  The truth is that you have become independent from God verses dependent upon Him.  You have forgotten that you can do nothing without Him.
13. You strive for the approval of man instead of desiring the approval of God.
14. You fight for your position in the Church pecking order rather than surrender your position.  You move in strife.  You make decisions not for the good of the Church, but for your own good.
15. You have no desire to give to the work of the ministry.  You readily buy material things such as hunting equipment, tools, televisions, computer equipment, mobile phones and counter tops, never once praying before making purchases.  But when it comes to giving to the work of the Lord you must pray to find out what the Lord would have you give.  The truth is you are consumed by spirit of materialism that has quenched your ability to walk with God.

If any of these apply to you, you have discovered why revival has not come to your life.  It’s time to allow the Lord to change you.  It is time to repent.  You do your part—Jesus will do His part.

Mark C. Biteler