WHAT
IS THE KEY TO
EARTH SHAKING
REVIVAL?
By
Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.
For
years, pundits from the Religious world as well as those from the
press, have written about the phenomena called variously ‘A
Religious Awakening’ or ‘Revival
in the Church’.
The Bible says, "Wilt
thou not Revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee? Show
us Thy mercy, O Lord and grant us Thy Salvation." (Psalm
85: 6, 7)
The most vital thing we
need in Canada and elsewhere in this 'Midnight
Hour',
is a return to Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible! And that,
necessitates a deep conviction of SIN and sorrow for our cavalier and
insulting attitude toward our Lord and His Word!
Repentance toward
God and Faith in
our Lord Jesus Christ are the two pillars of the Christian Faith.
They are necessary for receiving His forgiveness, peace and the
assurance of eternal salvation! Without repentance there is no saving
faith and without faith there would be no salvation.
The Bible says: For by grace are
ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: It is the gift of
God; not
of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8, 9)
“And
the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men
to Repent: Because
He hath appointed a day, in which He will judge the world in
righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath
given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised him from the
dead." (Acts
17: 30, 31)
"Testifying
both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, Repentance toward
God, and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts
20: 21)
Before
his death in an alleged terrorist plane crash in 1956, Dag
Hammarsjold, the First Secretary General of the United Nations and a
Swedish diplomat stated: "Unless
the world in the very near future returns to the old time Evangelical
Religion it is irredeemably lost."
PRAYER
IS ANOTHER KEY!
Here is another
powerful Key to Revival: "A
prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet upon Shigionoth. O Lord, I have heard
Thy Speech, and was afraid: O Lord REVIVE Thy
Work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known;
in wrath remember mercy." (Habakkuk
3: 12)
The prophet was concerned about
Israel and his people. While in prayer God warned him about coming
judgment upon His people because of their sinfulness. The prophet was
afraid and cried out for mercy. He asked for a revival of
righteousness. Instead of judgment he craved a spiritual awakening.
And he wanted it immediately in the midst of the years!
He was saying, “O Lord, don’t
wait until it is too late. Make Yourself known to us while there is
still mercy to be had. And it You must
judge us, O Lord, in Your great
WRATH, please show mercy!”
The Bible gives us the key: “If
My people which are called by My people shall humble themselves and
PRAY, and seek MY face, and turn from their wicked way, then will I
hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2
Chron.7:14).
There are four things we
must do if we are to see a gracious REVIVAL. They are: Repentance,
Prayer, Seeking God and Forsaking Sins. We
call this verse, 'The
Blueprint for Revival'. When
God's people are willing to repent, pray and seek God's face in
sincerity and faith and forsake their sins, He is ready and willing
to forgive, receive us and fill us with His Holy Spirit and bless our
land!
Rev. Charles
Spurgeon
was a powerful Baptist preacher in London, England in the 19th
Century. He pastored a large church seating several thousand people.
One day a group of Ministers came to visit his great Church. They
wanted to know the source of his spiritual power. Spurgeon took them
to the basement of the church and opened the door to a room with 300
praying parishioners. He said, “Gentlemen,
this is the source of my power!”
THEY
OBEYED GOD TOTALLY!
Nothing could stop the early
Church apostles, disciples, deacons and other believers. They refused
to compromise! They counted it a joy to be persecuted for Jesus’
sake. Here is their defense:
“And
when they had set them in the midst, they asked: By what power, or by
what name, have ye done this? Then Peter filled with the Holy
Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and the elders of
Israel,
“If we this day be examined
of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made
whole: Be it known unto you all. And to the people of Israel, that by
the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, Who God
raised Him from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before
you whole.
“This is the stone which
was set at naught of you builders, which is become the Head of the
Corner (Chief
Corner Stone). Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under
Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts
4: 7-12)
The
Early Church leaders were so filled with God’s power and holy
boldness that the Jewish Sanhedrin were taken aback when they
witnessed the miracles performed under their hands, in Jesus’ name.
They beat them, imprisoned them and warned them not to spread the
Good News about Jesus the crucified and risen SAVIOUR around
Jerusalem, however the disciples said:
“Whether it be right in
the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and
heard.” (Acts
4: 19, 20)
MIRACLES
WAS ANOTHER KEY!
“And by the hands of
the apostles were many Signs and Wonders wrought among the people…And
believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and
women. Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets,
and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of
peter passing by might overshadow some of them.
“There came also a
multitude out of the cities round about Jerusalem, bringing sick
folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were
healed everyone.” (Acts
5: 12-16)
Here
is another KEY to Revival. After they had been warned repeatedly that
they MUST NOT use the name of Jesus of Nazareth anymore in preaching
or praying, they rejected their commands and became even more engaged
in spreading Jesus’ gospel!
“And being let go, they
went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests
and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted
up their voice with one accord, and said, Lord, Thou art God, which
made Heaven and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is …
“And now, Lord, behold
their threatenings; and grant unto Thy servants, that with all
boldness they may speak Thy Word, by stretching forth Thine hand
to HEAL;
and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of Thy holy child
JESUS. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and
they spoke the Word of God with boldness.” (Acts
4: 23-31)
The Holy Record shows that these
men of God didn’t buckle or cave in to the demands of God’s
enemies but stood firm and true to the commands of Jesus the Head of
the Church, and were led constantly by the blessed Holy Spirit.
They
prayed for more miracles, not less! The modern church of today
believes for less miracles in total opposition to the commands of
Jesus, the ability of the Holy Spirit to produce those miracles in
Jesus’ name and the example of the Early Church.
I stand with
Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Word of God in opposition to the weakling
compromisers of today who are making the Word of God of none effect
by their refusal to obey God rather than man! Amen.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A SAFE AND SECURE CHARITABLE DONATION THROUGH PAYPAL please go to:
Send the donation to: [email protected]
