The Only Way Revival Can Happen!

Individual, Marital, Household, Church, Community

Let me start here: Father, forgive us for we have sinned. We, your people, called by Your name have not been living according to our "identity in Christ." We have believed a lie. We went to work for money, instead of for you. We sent our wives into the workplace, instead of raising our children at home. We sent our children into public education which denies God. We went to universities which deny God. We did not lead our families as men of God. We did not lead spiritually but instead we focused on academics and athletics regarding our children. We did not lead our wives spiritually, but we let them lead us. We did not "protect" them from the lies of the world as commanded. We did not "cover" them spiritually as commanded. We did not love them as Christ loved the Church, meaning we did not do what we could to advance their sanctification in Christ. We did not model spiritual maturity to our wives or children. We have been distracted with "work" which was to "provide" but not in reliance upon You as the provider. We did our jobs in our "own strength." We did not put You above work, family, or fun. We did not put You first. We promoted the idea of "woman in the workforce" and the "womans power suit" of the eighties and nineties. Woman took the place of man in the home and the workplace. Men were to raise the children in the Lord. Woman was to support the raising of the children in the Lord. Woman was to follow the man and the children were to follow the parents. We have sinned Lord. We have allowed women to teach and preach in the pulpits over men. We have not stood firm on Your Word according to Your commands for the family and the Church. We have switched roles in America and all hell has broken loose. We are in chaos, confusion, and contradiction because we did not obey and follow the eternal Word of God ... and so much more ever since we chose feelings, opinions, self, and "new" unbiblical interpretations over the authoritative Word of the LORD ... TRUTH

Revival starts with us individually, then in our household:

If you are still with me, here is our solution: It begins with personal examination before the Lord of our motives and lives, confessing where we have strayed from the Lord and His Word. And being willing to turn from those ways. Next, we need to look at our marriages. Are we loving our wives “biblically” meaning, are we shepherding them in the Lord? Are we leading or following? Are we spending more time in prayer and the Word than they are? Because we should be! Are we submitting to Christ as our Head in the same way that we are asking our wives to submit to us!? Are we living “authentically” before our wives and children? This takes humility to acknowledge when we screw up and willing to seek forgiveness. Are we leading our wives in growing deeper in the Lord? Because we should be. Are we modeling repentance, forgiveness, prayer, and sanctification? Are we training our children in the Lord, by word and deed? We need to let them see our hearts before the Lord. Hearts which seek Christ continually. Are we “protecting” our children from the enemy?

After revival has happened in the heart and the house it needs to flood the Church:

When individuals are walking with God and those individuals have influenced their households to walk with God. Then those households come fellowship with other individuals and households in the House of God, the Church. And when the Church is in order from top to bottom meaning, from the pastor, elders, and congregation then the Holy Spirit can freely move and work in that Body of believers. Blessing, revelation, healing, freedom, joy, love, peace, hope, comfort, life, and the Word can flow. And it will “naturally” affect the community in the city. According to scripture, it is the individuals and families who will “lead others to the Lord” and then bring them to church. We don’t bring people to church to “get saved” we allow the Spirit to use us to lead individuals to Christ, then disciple them at church and elsewhere. The Church is and always has been one thing: the community of saints; The Body-of-Christ. The Church is not for sinners to get saved. It is where saved sinners go to grow.

Once the Church (Body-of-Christ) has revival it can then bring Salt and Light to the World:

When a community of believers (Church) are “walking with the Lord” wonderful things happen in that community of believers, and in the community in which the believers move about in. The Church is a “city on a hill” and it cannot be hidden when it is shining the hope which the World so desperately longs for. We preserve righteousness in the land as “salt” and we bring life and hope in the form of “light.” The World does not want anything from the “Church” that it can get naturally from itself. We must offer something with flavor and great taste, and it must be something outside of this world. This world is fading and perishing according to the Bible. If we are fearful, hopeless, confused, conflicted, argumentative, unforgiving, selfish Christians, WHY would the world want what we have?? We must demonstrate to the World our faith, hope, and love. Faith, because we are “children of God”. Hope, because we have a faithful Savior coming soon. Love, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit so that we can “love one another, forgive one another, extend mercy, grace, compassion, etc.” and reflect this kind of community of “faith, hope, and love” to the World.

So, I am convinced that if we start from the “ground up” and from the “inside out” uprooting false foundations, tearing down idols of the heart, building up the Church, and planting seeds of hope … then, and only then, could revival happen.