Truth and Revival (part 1)

I first thought about titling this post, "The Power of Right Believing."  But when I went searching for a suitable image and I entered that phrase in the search-bar, I came across a large number of images featuring Joseph Prince and his "The Power of Right Believing Tour 2016."  The above image is reportedly from one of his gigs in Dallas.  Evidently many thousands of people came out to see the show.  And what a show it must have been!  All in the name of Je$us.  Prince has become fabulously rich from playing to apostates in America and elsewhere.  Actually, his tremendous success ~ along with the similar success of a host of Satan's ministers, demonstrates the power of wrong believing.

I just had to post this image (at right) before moving on.  If I had to choose just one of Prince's quotes to represent his message, that would be it: his "Holy Spirit" never convicts of sin.  I don't doubt that for a moment.  That's why the apostates love Joseph Prince.

But this essay is not about what the apostates are doing.  Rather, I want to discuss the necessity of restoring Truth to the Church, in order that we may receive the outpouring of God's Spirit in real Revival power.  The Bible informs us that Satan's destructive power lies in his skill to deceive.  Deception leads people away from God; truth leads people toward God.  Every Christian understands that most basic of truths.

Although I've said it many times before, yet it bears repeating: that is, that the Apostasy has tremendously hindered the Church.  It has caused so much confusion, because, it was (and still is) a Satanic attack against the Church ~ from within the Church itself!  Thus many within the Church have been led astray, especially by means of many apostate "Christian" leaders who became famous personalities on television, radio, and more recently, on the Internet.  Tragically, many pastors and church leaders have also gone a whoring after those famous personalities, and they have thereby infected their own churches with the poison of hell.

But all of that is changing.  No, I don't mean that the Apostasy is changing; except, that it is lately becoming more and more overtly demonic in nature.  But I mean that the relationship between the true Church and the Apostate Church is changing.  Here are the reasons why that is so, and why that is also important.

We are told, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, that the Apostasy (of multitudes of professing Christians) would be one of the last and most important signs of the return of Jesus Christ.  We have witnessed the fulfillment of that sign; notwithstanding, the Apostasy will of course continue even after the Rapture of the Church.  And now that the Apostasy is lately becoming more radical and more overtly antichrist in nature, it is at least easier to discern that for what it is.  Thus an increasing number of true Christians are recognizing (and willing to admit) that they have been duped by so many false prophets.  Moreover, God is stirring up true Christians to prepare themselves for the soon-coming Rapture.

Those two factors, just identified, both serve, albeit in different ways, to motivate the Church to return to seek the Truth as it is in Christ.  Oh! what a happy day, when the Church will once again hunger and thirst for Truth!

I have some surprisingly good news to tell (fasten your seat-belts).  Are you ready for this?  There is a good side to the Apostasy.  You heard me right.  The Apostasy ~ though horrifying for the myriads who are thereby deceived and who are thus perishing, yet there is a bright side to the effect that is lately beginning to have upon the true Church.  Here's what I mean.

In my recent post titled, "Final Countdown" (here), I said that, notwithstanding that 80% (8 out of 10) of Americans profess to be Christians; in fact, the reality is that perhaps only 3% (3 out of every 100 people) of Americans are faithful, born-again Christians.  And for a very long time now, that 3%, representing true Christians, has been mingled together with the 80%, of apostates ~ in the same body amongst the churches.

However, it is not the 3%, that is apostatizing!  But it is the other 77% of Americans ~ who are pseudo-Christians, who are willing to be led astray in the Apostasy.

And now that so many apostates have been exposed for what they really are; and, now that the Apostasy is becoming so extreme as to be "in-your-face," as it were: now, maybe, just maybe, the other 2.99% of true Christians ~ who are just beginning to wake up and rub the sleep from their eyes, will realize that ~ if they intend to be ready and counted worthy to be taken in the Rapture (as one of the "wise Virgins"), then they must separate themselves not only from the apostate churches but from apostates themselves.

But separating oneself from the Apostasy is not alone enough; though that is first of all necessary in order, then, to return to seek the Truth.

In other words, the Apostasy ~ by reason of its gross excesses and offensiveness, may actually be helping to purify the true Church, by making it impossible for every sincere Christian person to continue in careless indifference to the Truth.

When the 3% is fully awakened; and, then with all their heart they will separate themselves and, so, stand against the Apostasy; and, when that 3% will repent and turn to God, to be restored in the Truth of the Word and in the power of the Holy Ghost: then, that hoped-for End-time Revival may come at last.

Then, that 3% will have the power of God needful actually to reach a portion of the 77% of Americans who falsely suppose themselves to be Christians ~ as well as then to reach the remaining 20% of Americans who make no profession of Christianity whatsoever.

Let me put that in real numbers.  Out of 350Million Americans, roughly 280Million believe they are Christians.  In fact, only about 10.5Million are born-again followers of Christ.  But if even a small fraction of that 10.5Million will earnestly seek God for true Revival, then scores of millions of Americans could be reached for Christ ~ both from among the false professors of religion, as well as from among those who are not at all religious.

Thus a great End-time harvest of souls can yet be won, in America, by means of real Revival.

But....

Revival is not free, and it is not cheap.  It comes at a high cost.  That cost has everything to do with a serious commitment to labor in prayer, in the Word, and in personal work involving evangelism and discipleship.  I've said, before, that most professing Christians don't want Revival ~ because of what that entails in terms of personal holiness and effort.

But I'm not writing to "most professing Christians."  I'm writing to a holy remnant.

I know that God is working mightily to bring real Revival ~ to those who will cooperate with His Spirit.  I must also warn, again, those who are spiritually lazy: you are in grave danger of being discovered as being one of those "foolish Virgins," none of whom was welcomed to enter where the Bridegroom (Christ) was.

In part 2 of this series, I will address the need to restore doctrinal truth to the Body of Christ, as being essential to, and in preparation for, Revival.