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Discussion Forum : Articles and Sermons : Why are Some Revivals Short-lived?

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Immanuel
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Joined: 2005/8/2
Posts: 86


 Why are Some Revivals Short-lived?

Why are Some Revivals Short-lived?

Many years ago, I tracked Arthur Wallis, the author of the book, "In
the Day of Thy Power", to his small dwelling somewhere near Exeter in
England. Here was a godly brother intent on discovering what is the
kind of church that can retain revival and continue the revival fire.
The Lord greatly blessed the week-end that I had with Bro. Arthur
Wallis. The next time I met him was at Killadeas Convention in
Northern Ireland where both of us were speakers at that convention.
Bro. Duncan Campbell also joined us there.

Then again, when I preached in Wales, I was rather taken aback and
pained when I discovered that Evan Roberts who was greatly used in the
revival in Wales, had just died only a few years earlier. The revival
in Wales was largely confined to the years between 1901 and 1904. The
painful question haunted me, "Why did the revival cease after so short
a span of time when thousands were added to the Kingdom of God and the
aftershocks of this revival were experienced around the world?"

As a pilgrim and a learner, I wanted to know in what areas I
personally needed to arm myself against the loss of God's power and
how to preserve those conditions which were required for sustaining
the holy flame of revival. The decline and demise of great movements
were very painful to me. Hence I am putting down a few jottings of
those truths which I have learned.

First, the earthen vessel does not generate the glory. Many wonderful
changes take place in the earthen vessels, but it is still the earthen
vessel. The glory belongs to the Lord and we should never touch His
glory.

Secondly, when a preacher climbs into the pulpit, it should be his
firm resolve that only Christ should be seen. As men we have our
foibles and frailties and even queer mannerisms. We often tend to
crowd out the Holy Spirit with our wonderful flourishes of oratory
(and foolishness).

It is pathetic to see men with a great past lean heavily on
cold-storage sermons. Under the Spirit, each sermon is tailor-made for
the congregation in front of the preacher. Thus when a preacher loses
touch with God and becomes a poor conductor of His power and a mere
automaton, then revival will cease.

It is a pathetic fall in any preacher when finance, filthy lucre and
money-needs begin to play an important part in a preacher's thinking.
Today it is all about money. Money is not the currency of heaven—it is
faith! When a preacher does not grow in faith, the needs of his family
and other needs can befog him completely. Then a preacher becomes a
blind watchman and soon this blindness develops dumbness besides. Thus
God speaks of "blind watchmen" and "dumb dogs." I have never seen a
dumb dog, but many preachers deserve this title. "Come unto me, I will
give you a featherbed," may be the cry of our modern prosperity
preachers, but Jesus says, "I have no place to rest my head."

When a team of brothers who have prayed and labored together, no
longer do so, due to a variety of reasons or no reason, revival
ceases. When the Spirit of prayer is gone, then revival ceases.

I cannot see how it is possible to walk with God without becoming
continually small in your own eyes. Many preachers don't grow in
humility. That proves to be their Waterloo. Then there is the
temptation to exalt one's own favourites or children. A preacher has
to lift his own family in faith. Otherwise, his own family becomes a
deadweight and a hindrance to revival.

Just now we are having revival meetings in numerous places before the
Annual Retreat of May 2012. Teams of our evangelists are sent out to
these places. I have just heard that even the core group of preachers
who are designated to preach in a particular place, do not gather
together or pray. Citing pressure of work as the excuse, they just
come in, preach and leave after hardly a day's stay. Such men are
killing God's work rather than building it.

At one conference where my dad was the main speaker, when he saw an
important speaker was to come for a single sermon and depart
immediately, he took the unusual step of sending a telegram to him not
to come. My dad zealously guarded the platform. He did not want
performers there, but only people who lifted Jesus and just
disappeared themselves.

We had better take heed and humble ourselves before the manifestations
and the outpourings of revival recede and cease and pay heed to these
few red flags which I have just put before you.

If these red flags do not make you repent and change course, I fear
nothing will! You have bought your own coffins.

---Joshua Daniel

 2012/3/14 11:37Profile





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