10 Things Keeping Us from Revival (Part 1)

God is always seeking our attention, beginning with His church! And no one wants revival in the church more than He Who died to purchase her and make her His very own precious, Holy Bride! So, what are some of the attitudes and thinking that hinder God's people from experiencing heaven-sent revival?

The Psalmist writes, “Restore us, God; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved. Lord God of Armies, how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers? You fed them the bread of tears and gave them a full measure of tears to drink. You put us at odds with our neighbors; our enemies mock us. Restore us, God of Armies; make your face

shine on us, so that we may be saved.”

(Psalm 80:3-7) and “Return to us, God of our salvation, and abandon your displeasure with us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger for all generations? Will you not revive us again so that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your faithful love, Lord, and give us your salvation. I will listen to what God will say; surely the LORD will declare peace to his people, his faithful ones, and not let them go back to foolish ways. His salvation is very near those who fear him, so that glory may dwell in our land.” (Psalm 85:4-9) The following are the first five (5) attitudes and actions that are hindering us from experiencing God’s revival.

Loving comfortable truth: The Bible warns us that in the last days, men will have itching ears. Therefore, it is necessary that preachers do not scratch them. Our culture (and often our members) say, "Preach love to us, not all that stuff about self-denial and suffering." Or "We don't want to offend anyone." "You're making people feel guilty; people won't come back, and we won't grow." "You'll drive people away if you keep preaching against sin." Sin is the great hindrance to the mighty outpouring of God's Spirit. It is far better to drive men away by faithful preaching than to drive the Holy Spirit away by unfaithful preaching! There is no comfortable way to get to the place of genuine revival blessing! Light is the only answer to darkness.

Prejudice (misconceived notions about revival): We say that we are "open to God," but we mean as long as He works within our expectations or preconceived terms of reference. We want God’s revival to be on

our terms (traditional, respectable, rational) with no display of emotions. We want to superimpose our 

need for preconceived order. The mysterious, irrational, or supernatural has always tended to make the carnal mind nervous. "Lord, revive us, but do it this much, and no more, and do it this way and with these people. Thank you. Praise you." We often believe God right up to the point of discomfort, inconvenience, or before it costs us something dear, and then we back off!

If we are unopen to change, then we are not (or rarely) open to revival. There can be no revival until we are willing to change. Psalm 110:3a says, "Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power."

So we must ask the question, “Am I willing to give up my ideas and/or traditions?” We see Jesus’ challenge

by the Pharisees and scribes in Mark 7: “O, the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why don’t your

disciples live according to the tradition of the elders, instead of eating bread with ceremonially unclean hands?’ He answered them, ‘Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines human commands. Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.’ He also said to them, “You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition!” (Mark 7:5-9)

Resignation: Some Christians say, "If God wants to send revival, He will." This negates our responsibility as a church to seek His face! Others say, "We already have revival, just claim it." This self-deceived approach hardly bears comment. "The church is so subnormal, if we became normal, it would amaze us." The well-meaning say, "There's nothing that we can do; it's up to God to send revival." We then end up blaming God's sovereignty for the sad state of the church. If there is no revival in the church, we can be certain that the lack lies on our part, not God's. This must start with each of us, as individuals, taking responsibility before God for becoming pleasing to God, and then a "channel of revival."

Complacency: Complacency is that state in which we are self-satisfied and have a casual approach to God. The church of Laodicea, as described in Revelation 3:15-17, reveals the attitude of those who become content with "lukewarm living" and become blinded to their true condition. “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. For you say, ‘I’m rich; I have become wealthy and need nothing,’ and you don’t realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”

(Rev 3:15-17) In complacency, we ask in ignorance, "Why do we need revival? After all, God is blessing us!" Revival will come only to a desperate church, not a contented one. He is ever the Rewarder of those who "diligently seek Him," not the mere casual inquirer. Maybe the reason for so little real hunger and thirst today for the genuine things of God is because we have gorged ourselves on the things of this world.

Wrong priorities: Until we have a renewed mind, we have no real sense of what is important. John, to the church at Ephesus, said, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.” Revelation 2:4-5 makes it clear that the Lord desires that loving intimacy with Him be the center of everything. Most people are so worn out by their work and play that they have nothing left for Jesus. "Most Americans worship their work, work at their play, and play at their worship." (Al Whittinghill)

Some who cannot bear a long worship service feel cheated if the sports match is short. Perhaps no sin is greater than a long sermon! We keep trying to fit God into our worldly schedule when He is waiting for us to be willing to fit into His Heavenly one. How do others perceive your priorities and that which gives you purpose on this Earth? What will we say at the end of life when we leave behind all that is material and face eternity? “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

God is faithful to His word. And no one wants a revived church more than He does. If we remove the hindrances to real fellowship with Him and seek Him as He longs to be sought and found, then He will surely pour out His glorious Life-giving Spirit on us. Why is there no revival? It is only because His church has been content to try to live without it. "Restore us, God; make your face shine on us, so that we may be saved.” (Psalm 80:3)

 

In His Service

 

Bro. James