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Online! | | You Dont Want Revival. Do You? by Shane Idleman | |
I begin by quoting a powerful book written by Duncan Campbell who was born in 1898. The title is, The Price and Power of Revival. Mr. Campbell makes this powerful declaration: How is it that while we make such great claims for the power of the Gospel, we see so little of the supernatural in operation? Is there any reason why the Church today cannot everywhere equal the Church at Pentecost? I feel this is a question we ought to face with an open mind and an honest heart. What did the early Church have that we do not possess today? Nothing but the Holy Spirit, nothing but the power of God. Here I would suggest that one of the main secrets of success in the early Church lay in the fact that the early believers believed in unction from on high and not entertainment from men...How did the early Church get the people? By publicity projects, by bills, by posters, by parades, by pictures? No! The people were arrested and drawn together and brought into vital relationship with God, not by sounds from men, but by sounds from heaven...The early Church cried for unction and not for entertainment. Unction is the dire and desperate need of the ministry today.
Duncan Campbell is right. We must preach and proclaim Gods Word with the power of the Holy Spirit if we are to experience true revival. Without authority and power from on high, words are lifeless.
Where are men with uncompromising power and authority in the pulpits today? The one thing that all of the great revivals in church history had is the one thing that we are lackingthe power of the Holy Spirit. The problem is that many of us dont truly want revival, or the power of the Holy Spirit.
This month, as I was praying for revival for our nation, my prayer suddenly shifted to revival for our church. I prayed, Lord, bring revival to our church. But I was not ready for the response that followed. I felt as if God was saying loudly, and clearly, You dont want revivalit will ruin your schedule, your dignity, your image, and your reputation as a person who is well balanced. Men will weep throughout the congregation. Women will wail because of the travail of their own souls. Young adults will cry like children at the magnitude of their sin. My presence will be so strong that the worship team will cease playing. Time will seem to stand still.
You wont be able to preach because of the flood of emotions entering your own soul. Youll struggle to find words, but only find tears. Even the most dignified and reserved among you will be broken and humbled as little children. The proud and self righteous will not be able to stand in My presence. The doubter and unbeliever will either run for fear, or fall on their knees and worship Methere can be no middle ground. The church will never be the same again. YOU DONT WANT REVIVAL!
The very thing we need is the very thing were afraid of. The Church must first repent; then the world will break! The Church must first weep; then our altars will be filled with weeping penitents (Leonard Ravenhill).
Shane Idleman is the pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship. KTLW (88.9FM in Lancaster) features his radio program at 7am on Saturdays, and Sundays at 6:30pm. Westside Christian Fellowship meets Saturdays at 5:30pm at 6015 W Ave. J-8. For more info., visit WCFAV.org, or call (661) 524-6610. Shanes books, articles, & radio program can be found at ShaneIdleman.com.
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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon
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|  2011/4/22 12:24 | Profile | rufnrust
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| | Re: You Dont Want Revival. Do You? by Shane Idleman | | What a great word here!
If the lame man at the "beautiful gate" came running in to our services today, he would be told to sit down because he is disturbing the "service".
No, we do not want revival. We will just sit and wait for the next one so we can sit back and scrutinize, and criticize,and say " Lord I thank you that I am not like those bad people"
Ruf
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Russell
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| | 2011/4/22 14:50 | Profile | UntoBabes
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| | Re: You Dont Want Revival. Do You? by Shane Idleman | | "Quote" I felt as if God was saying loudly, and clearly, You dont want revival "Quote"
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I am beginning to believe that those who claim they want revival do not know what they are asking for.
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Fifi
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| | 2011/8/3 12:18 | Profile | savedtoserve
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| | Re: | | "I am beginning to believe that those who claim they want revival do not know what they are asking for."
But we don't have to know exactly what revival means to ask for it, right? I agree that it needs to begin in our own hearts and lives before we go on and ask for it in others, but still, do we have to know or understand exactly what it will bring?
I can remember when I asked the Lord for brokenness. I wouldn't let Him go until He gave it to me. When He gave me brokenness, I was --broken-- and at the same time overwhelmed but I knew what it was. And yet I hadn't known what I was asking for; I had a small idea of what it meant, but it was so far beyond what I had imagined.
In this way, I believe that God gives us what we ask for even if we don't understand it as long as our hearts are right before Him and we desire it with all our heart.
But of course this leads to Greg's post: DO WE REALLY DESIRE REVIVAL??
Is there anyone who can say with me, "Let what happens will, Lord, let me be a fool for You, anything, Lord! Just bring revival!!"
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| | 2011/8/3 14:23 | Profile |
| | Re | | Let us be honest with God and ourselves. We really do not want revival. We want a movement of God on our terms. We do not want to see anything of the Spirit that would offend our Calvinistic sensabilities. None of that weeping and wailing stuff. Oh yes. No passionate prayers. No groaning under the Spirit's coviction. Oh and no shouts of joy. Can't have that. Might upset some folks. Might think we are charismatics. Oh my goodness can't have that. We must be respectable. Let's not get excited about Jesus. Might upset someone. Yup a revival in our church might get pretty messy. Better not pray for it. Oh and don't ask for signs and wonders that really would be messy. |
| | 2011/8/3 15:06 | |
| | Re: Re | | I was told by someone we should be as the Quakers and be silent in our churches. That certainly would rule out praying for a revival. Ok. Maybe we can pray for a quiet revival. |
| | 2011/8/3 15:11 | | savedtoserve
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| | Re: Re | | Martyr, I say this gently. The people you know and the churches you've visited may be like that. But the people I know and the churches I've visited, it's a totally different story. What you've described is just what they want. And it's just what I want. Yes, weeping and wailing! Upset people! Don't be respectable! Let things get messy! I've seen it and I know people that want it. Let it be!! |
| | 2011/8/3 17:50 | Profile |
| | Re: Sara | | Sister I should have qualified my last post was written with a bit of cynical humor. For that I apologize. It's just I hear people speak of revival. They claim they want it. Yet these are the very ones who complain when a movement of God shoes up. They want revival but a respectable revival if there is such a thing. I have been in revival conferences. I love to worship Jesus with expressions of joy. Yet I have been told this is offensive. I have been told lifting of hands is offensive. It is a good thing I was not speaking in tongues, which I believe in, then I would have been thrown out of the conference or church.
Sara I am all for a movement of God and I say bring it on. But be prepared that revival will come on his terms and not ours. If we truly desire to see pentacost repeated then let pentacost come with pentacost power. Is that speaking in other tongues? Yes. Is that healing and deliverance from demonic spirits? Yes. Is that the manifestation of dreams and visions? Yrs. Is that gospel preaching and conviction of sins? Yes. Is that the book of Acts? Yes. Do I believe all the above? Yes. Was it messy in Acts 2? Yes. Will the next revival be messy? If God shoes up, yes. It surely will not be respectable. |
| | 2011/8/3 20:03 | | savedtoserve
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| | Re: | | I knew you were being cynical and I'm glad for the clarification. However, I would go back and say that since God is not the author of confusion, revivals aren't "messy" but rather an "organized disorder." :) |
| | 2011/8/3 20:31 | Profile |
| | Re: Sara | | Organized disorder? Oookaay. I guess we can go with that. By the way do you know of Eritrea?
Blaine |
| | 2011/8/3 21:29 | |
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