Here at MCN, we are looking forward to our spiritual renewal week known as revival. If you are not familiar with the tradition, revival is a time we set aside for the renewal of our spirit. We will typically have a special preacher come and share the messages that God has specifically laid on his or her heart. We spend several services together listening for God to speak words of renewal into our beings.
The important thing to note is that the revivalist does not bring renewal with him or her in their luggage. Renewal is not guaranteed simply because we have spent the bigger part of a week in corporate worship services. There is no magic formula for revival. The only guarantee is that we do the hard work to prepare our hearts for revival.
Revival takes concerted, intentional, and intense prayer.
In the Old Testament, in the book of II Chronicles, the nation of Israel was gathered around the new temple in which they would worship. During that dedication ceremony, God shared the key to the renewal of the people in times of trouble, of darkness, and of crisis. "If my people whoa re called by My name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7.14, NASB)
Renewal necessitates humility, prayer, and repentance. In a word, if renewal is to come, we but intentionally come to see ourselves in a new light, in light of God's truth. We are frail people, prone to self-deception and failure. We desperately need the renewing grace of Jesus Christ which reorients our life. His power released in us, through prayer and confession, renews the thoughts and patterns of our minds so that we can seek the renewing relationship with God that he desires for us. Through prayer, we acknowledge that we cannot renew our inner being. We need to seek the presence of God will a single minded passion.
Here at MCN, I have challenged those who really hunger for revival to personally devote 14 hours of prayer, over the next two weeks, to intense prayer for revival to come first to their hearts, and then to the hearts of fellow disciples around them. I invite you to spend significant time with God over the next two weeks seeking His voice, and the renewal of His presence in you.
Listening for Him,
Pastor Art
