The present hour demands revival as the most urgent need. The Breath of God must revive the valley of dry bones. God is always willing to bring revival, as stated in Jeremiah 33:3: 'Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.' However, certain conditions must be met for revival to occur.
Repentance as the Starting Point
Revival begins with repentance. The first act of obedience to God is to repent and break with every known sin. Breaking with sin means abandoning any habit, lifestyle, or practice that dishonors the Lord. It involves ceasing to take pleasure in worldly friends and companions, as 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns: 'Evil communications corrupt good manners.' The old life must be surrendered to the Cross so that the life of Christ may be manifested in us. Scriptural breaking with sin requires a complete change of tastes, views, and aims. As 1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV) reminds us: 'Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.'
Obstacles to Revival
The only obstacle that can block God's power is sin. Sin is the great barrier that hinders the work of the Spirit and prevents revival. David declared in Psalm 66:18: 'If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear me.' Isaiah 59:12 further explains: 'Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: but your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear.' Sin must be put away without compromise. God will not work while iniquity is covered up. Nothing less than a broken heart over sin, full confession, and restitution will satisfy God. Sin must be utterly forsaken.
God's Promise and Conditions
In 2 Chronicles 7:14, the promise of blessing is given based on unalterable conditions: 'If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.' True revival is the greatest need of the church. A revival of genuine godliness among us is the most urgent of all needs. Seeking this should be our primary work. Satan fears nothing more than God's people clearing the way by removing every hindrance so that the Lord can pour out His Spirit upon a languishing church and an impenitent congregation.
Call to Action
Let the church arise and repent of her backslidings before God. Let the watchmen awake and give the trumpet a certain sound. God commands His servants in Isaiah 58:1: 'Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.' The church must arouse to action. The Spirit of God cannot come until she prepares the way. There must be earnest searching of heart and humility before God.
Today's nugget: Revival is the greatest church's need. Prayer: Lord, I repent from my wicked ways. Prayer lines: 08033299824. E-mail: [email protected], Rev. Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria.
