Do You Want to See Revival?

Do you want to see revival? It’s what I’ve heard my whole life. Everyone it seems is always praying for revival. And I get it. Of course, I want to see revival in our land. I want us to live through another Great Awakening, absolutely.

I can just imagine stadiums filled with people praying. Healings happening just like they did during the Azusa Street Revival. Wheel chairs and crutches left in piles reminiscent of Sister Aimee Semple McPhereson. Morality returning to our nation. Abortion completely abolished.

So, why haven’t we seen it? Every Christian I know can quote 2 Chronicles 7:14, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Isn’t that enough?

Friends, it’s not enough. It’s not enough to quote a verse or get on a high horse on Facebook. It’s not enough to go to church every week, drop a check, serve in the nursery, and take a meal to a widow.

We

have

missed

it.

We have glanced right over the idea of repentance. We will gather and we will pray, but will we repent? Will we turn from our wicked ways?

Revival doesn’t begin in a church or in a stadium. Revival begins in your prayer closet. Revival begins when your face is buried in the ground and you are so broken from your sin you can’t rise up. Revival begins when we hate our sin.

Not other people’s sin. Not our nation’s sin. No, it starts when we hate our sin. Have you ever asked God to teach you how to hate your sin?

The Father hates sin. It’s why Jesus cried out in anguish on the cross. He was covered in sin and the Father turned away. He can’t look upon sin. He is holy. In that moment, Christ’s righteousness was credited to us. An exchange happened. We traded our disgusting sin for His perfect righteousness. He took the full wrath of God so we can experience peace that passes all understanding.

Revival Starts with You

Do you want to see revival in America? Are you sure you do? Because it’s going to have to start with…YOU.

The verse tells us to humble ourselves. And turn from our wicked ways. James 4:7 says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Humbling ourselves looks like us submitting ourselves to the Lord and resisting the devil or temptation. I firmly believe the way we resist temptation is to hate the sin.

Right about now you’re probably thinking, this doesn’t sound like Louise’s typical blog post. Hang in there with me a little longer.

The beauty of repentance is freedom. And that’s what I usually write about in one way or another. Jesus came to set the captives free. You and me. We have been taken captive by the shiny sin in our lives. It seduces us with false hope or a false sense of security and once we take the bait, we are trapped.

The good news is that we can be free from the trappings of sin. We can walk in freedom. It starts with us humbling ourselves before the Lord, with us imploring Him to search us. Revelation 3:20 tells us that He is knocking at the door of our hearts.

Friends, repentance is a gift. I wrote about this in a recent post entitled, “I Am Free: A Recent Breakthrough in Freedom.” Click here to read it. I also wrote about this in my latest book, Stop the Lies: 30 Days to Freedom. Click here and buy a copy or two.

The gift of repentance is offered to us by a loving God. He is inviting us into a deeper relationship with Him. Simply put, it starts with repentance. So how do we do that? How do we repent? What do we say?

What Does Repentance Look Like?

Start with your posture. I find going face down is a great posture. Maybe for you it’s kneeling. Assume a posture of humility.

Confess your sin to God. Sin can be defined as missing the mark. I like to define it as anytime we think our ways are better than God’s ways. Remember you are speaking to a holy God. Don’t sugar coat it. Be authentic. Admit your sin to the Lord. Ask Him to fill you with a hate for your sin.

Receive His beautiful forgiveness. Sit in His presence. Allow His love and forgiveness to wash over your heart and mind. This is the best part because this is the gift. There is no condemnation. He’s not saying to you, “I can’t believe you did that!” No, He’s offering comfort and love with hands that have been pierced. The holes are still there. He washed His disciples feet right before He went to the cross. Today, He washes away your sin. He sets in you a new mind and a new heart. He transforms us.

Rejoice! You are forgiven. You have been made new. Your sins are forgotten. You are whole. You are free.

This is not a one and done sort of thing. It’s a daily act. Sin interrupts our relationship with the Lord. When we daily ask Him to search us, we stay connected. Sometimes I do this more than once a day. For example, if I’m going to preach or write, I will get on my face and ask Him if there is anything hindering me from receiving all He has to pour out on me. I ask Him to show me if there is any sin or open door that I have allowed the enemy to come in and try to get a foothold.

When we do that, He is so kind. Romans 2:4 tells us that it’s His kindness that leads us to repentance. He is a kind God seeking a relationship with you.

Back to my original question, do you want to see revival? Are you willing to do what it takes to bring revival? If we all humble ourselves, seek the Lord, and turn from our wicked ways, then I think revival is just around the corner. Let’s usher it in together. Let’s not waste this time of slowing down during this Covid-19 social distancing and isolation. Let’s get right with the Lord by repenting.

I’m excited to see what God will do with a people who are truly humbled. And to bring this full circle, I’m excited to see what God will do with you as you humble yourself before Him.

*Stop the Lies: 30 Days to Freedom, my latest book, is available on Amazon. Click here to purchase your copy and a copy for a friend.