One group of people, more than any other, should be profoundly concerned with time: that is, Christians. Not only for our own sake should we be marking the time until the Rapture (we are motivated to purify ourselves, by knowing that we have a limited time to prepare ourselves for Christ's coming). But also for the love of Christ which dwells in us, we should care deeply that we may be part of an End-time Revival which shall result in a great harvest of souls. At least, that ought to be the desire and the goal of every true Christian.
Studies consistently have shown that something like 8 out of every 10 Americans believe themselves to be Christians. Yet, those who truly know the Lord have a very different perspective of the reality. The ratio is probably closer to 3 out of every 100 persons, who actually are born-again Christians. How is it, then, that about three-fourths of the population of America is so greatly deceived? Who led them to believe they are Christians, when, in fact, they are not? How did more than 260 Million Americans come to think of themselves as being something (Christians) which they are not?
America's apostate churches have deceived them, by means of a false gospel and a false christ; that's who, and that's how.
Now we have very little time left to do anything about that horrific situation. Not only do 3 out of every 4 Americans wrongly suppose themselves to be Christians. But the remaining one-quarter of America's population (another 90 Million souls) ~ which don't even identify themselves with Christ, are also lost.
If I am even close in my estimate ~ that is, that perhaps 3 out of every 100 Americans are true Christians: then, there may be at least 10,500,000 real Christians in America. What could that many Christians do ~ if they would set their faces to seek God for a great End-time Revival including a great harvest of souls?
Yet, in my experience ~ as one in whom God has long been working to teach me concerning the principles and means of Revival, I perceive that, even amongst sincere Christians, there are exceedingly few who seem to have a vision for Revival; much less do many have faith for that; less still do many appear to have any depth of understanding regarding those principles and means which are necessary to Revival: all of which results in a gross sense of impotence (if not apathy) among the Body of Christ, concerning Revival! The real tragedy is not even that that is so. But the real tragedy is that it need not be so: for, the answers may be had for the asking, and the promises of God are available to the seeking soul.
The Apostasy in America has had devastating effects even for the true Church. The flock of God has been scattered upon every hill, as it were. "[T]ruth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey" (Isaiah 59:14-15). Anointed teachers have for a long season been "removed into a corner" out of sight, as it were (Isaiah 30:20). Meanwhile boisterous companies of false prophets have expended prodigious resources and energies promoting a pseudo-gospel and pseudo-revival. Thus confusion, ignorance, and hopelessness seem to have all but extinguished the light of truth in the Church.
But God....
God's grace and power shine the brightest when things seem the darkest. God's not done with the Church in America. Nor has God forsaken His faithful flock. The Holy Ghost is working mightily to rebuild the walls upon the old foundations, in the hearts of Christ's true disciples. In the days of Nehemiah, the walls of Jerusalem ~ which had been violently torn down and lay in ruin, were rebuilt in a mere 52 days; a preternaturally short time.
God is preparing for Revival.
But Revival doesn't come willy-nilly nor arbitrarily. Everything God does is in strict accordance with the eternal principles of His Word. "If my people will:" is the first door to the outer court of Revival. God is ever ready and willing to deliver on His promises. But His promises are conditional. And in a very real sense, God has already done all that He is going to do for Revival ~ until we begin to move ourselves in the direction of seeking God more earnestly. In order as we sincerely seek to understand the times in which we are living, and to know and to do God's will, God will supply the answers. But if we allow ourselves to be preoccupied with the world ~ or with our own circumstances; if we succumb to weariness of the flesh or to unbelief; if we do not strive to keep the fire of God burning upon the altar of our own heart; if we do not seek for knowledge, understanding, and wisdom ~ more than for the treasures of this world: then, we cannot have a vision of Revival.
And what we do not see, we will not ask for. And what we do not ask for, we cannot hope to receive. And where we have neither vision nor hope, there can be no real faith to believe. And if we do not believe, then we will not do those things that are needful in order to receive.
"Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my [God's] soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition [destruction]; but of them which believe to the saving of the soul" (Hebrews 10:38-9).What do you believe? The answer to that question is all-important. Many years ago, I had an awful experience ~ which I will very briefly relate. As a very young Christian, I suffered a prolonged attack upon my mind, by demon forces. Confusion, fear, and condemnation gripped me until that I had no rest nor peace of mind. No one understood my misery. I could find no solace in anything ~ not even in the Word of God. After about two months, I finally laid hold of one verse of Scripture which, though it gave me no sense of peace or security for my soul, yet I perceived that it at least gave me hope for that. I repeated that verse of Scripture literally dozens of times each day. Then it seemed that I began to hear in my mind this series of questions:
"What do you believe? Do you believe what you see with your eyes, or hear with your ears? Do you believe your own thoughts, or what others tell you? Do you believe your feelings or your imaginations? Do you believe what things appear in your circumstances? Or ~ do you believe My Word? What is true? What do you believe?"I knew I did have a choice, and that I had to choose what I would believe. It was one of the most valuable lessons I have ever learned. (And God did miraculously deliver me.)
My dear Christian friend, what do you believe? Specifically, what do you believe God wants to do in you, and then through you, in these last-of-the-last days? Are your beliefs about that based upon Scripture? Do you have any insight into what God wants in these last days? Are you convinced ~ from your knowledge of Scripture ~ that Revival is God's will? Then, do you also understand that there is much which God requires of YOU, in order that you may be a vessel and a channel for the Holy Ghost to use you for Revival? Finally, are you willing to go all the way with God? Do you daily present your body as a living sacrifice to the will and to the service of the Holy Ghost?
If you say that you believe that Revival is God's will for you and for the Church; then, what are you doing about that? How are you seeking the Lord for Revival? Do you not believe that God wants you to find like-minded believers with whom you can pray and work together with them for Revival? Revival is much bigger than any one person; although, every single Christian who will pray and who will work, is vitally important to receive Revival from the Lord.
There are no shortcuts to Revival. And there are no substitutes for Revival. There are two, and only two, options FOR EACH OF US, namely: 1) Revival; or, 2) no Revival. If you want Revival, then you are going to have to work for it. Revival is not cheap, and it certainly is not free; it is the most costly thing we can hope to obtain from God. But if you suppose that God is going to let someone else "dig for the gold" of Revival while you do other things: that is proof enough that your heart is not right with God.
What do you believe? What do you believe God wants: for the Church? for your city? for your family? What do you believe God wants you to do about it? Have you made a real effort to learn what God has said about that in His Word?
Why have we NOT had real Revival during at least the past 30-40 years in America? The fact that we have been willing to go as long as we have without Revival, is the most disgraceful thing I can imagine. Especially that is so, because, all the while God has been more than willing to pour out His Spirit ~ if only we would have met the conditions.
As a dear Brother often says: "It's late. It's very late. But it's not too late." I pray to God with all my soul that it's not too late.
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