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I share this post with the acknowledgement that I, like all of us, so often fall short of the ideals that Jesus calls us towards. There is always grace, and there is always forgiveness, but there must also be repentance. I think that is part of what it means to ‘consecrate yourselves’.<\/p>\n
This longer piece represents the script of a talk my wife Amy and I gave at our local church, South West London Vineyard, early in 2019 at a theology-themed evening service. You may find it helpful to have read the previous instalments, one locating the Vineyard<\/a> in relation to what different churches believe about the Holy Spirit, and the second looking at the gifts of the Holy Spirit<\/a>. This considers what it means to say that the Spirit is\u00a0Holy<\/strong>, and how that influences how we might talk about (And prepare for) revival…<\/p>\n Over the years I have been intrigued by this topic of revival. I was desperate to see this revival in my teens, but over time I wondered if it was just a popular Christian fad that people of my age had. Is it something God desires and does in this world? Are we to be praying for a revival?\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Over the last few years, God has been really stirring my heart around this area. He has completely turned upside down how I view revival, and how we pray and pursue one. For so long I thought to give space for a revival, it involved just pursuing Gods tools, his spiritual gifts, and having extra time to welcome Jesus in our midst and give him space to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Now this is absolutely right and what God calls us to do. This is a significant part of it.<\/em><\/p>\n However, when we look at the history of Revival in the church and who God uses, his primary will is to use the most sacrificial, Jesus-loving, all-in people. People who are expectant. Not perfect people, or people who can prophecy particularly well or have a particular glossy gift. He brings revival to people and churches who pursue holiness. Who, collectively, decide to put Jesus first in every area of their lives at whatever cost.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n Pursuing holiness is pursuing a life that glorifies God.<\/em><\/p>\n He blesses and comes to those who choose to spend time with the Lord, who give up things they don\u2019t want to give up… for God. It\u2019s a hard message to give, but we are called to sacrifice everything. Everything. There is not one part of our lives we can hold to ourselves if we want God to powerfully work. If, as a church, we keep checking ourselves, our motives, and giving to God what is His, our money, relationships, family, career, history, pride, fear, hurts, offence, lack of forgiveness… if we give every part to Jesus, He will do big things.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n He uses those who mess up all the time, but run back to Jesus and ask for forgiveness.<\/em><\/p>\n We see this not only in church history, but in the Bible. David was a prayer warrior, he passionately loved Jesus, pursued him and put him first. God blessed this and he became King. But God knows he is human… and David messed up! He wimped out of things, he had an affair, he acted selfishly on numerous occasions. But God still used him… why? Because David always ran back to God and consecrated himself. His life direction was always to glorify God, no matter how many times he stumbled. Look at Moses – he transformed Jewish history. Why? Because his heart was for the Lord, he sacrificed everything for him. He wasn\u2019t the most obvious person to lead the Jews it God saw his heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n I have found for myself, the more I give to God, the more I remember to spend time with him, give him things I find difficult, trust him with my decisions, the more His blessings come. The more he gives me hunger for the spirit to move. The more he makes me expectant for new things and God to move powerfully.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n The more we give to God, the more he plants in us these desires for more, for revival, for things to happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n So we don\u2019t need to force things. We don\u2019t need to feel like we should be doing anything. When we pursue holiness, everything else falls into place.<\/em><\/p>\n We found this video helpful in stirring a passion for revival.<\/p>\n