Update
aug.2006
Conditions on
Revival
And preparations
for revival
Vagn Rasmussen
There are many kinds of revival.
You get the kind of revival you pray
for, you get what you have faith for.
Revivals can be local or nation-wide.
Revivals can last short or long.
Revivals can be man organised or Holy
Ghost revivals.
Martin Luther’s translation of
Wesley caused a sanctification revival
and the rise of the Methodist church.
William Booth launched charity work and
the use of melodies of the day recomposed into good spiritual songs.
Baptist church rediscovered water
baptism.
Pentecostal movement rediscovered
Baptism in Holy Ghost and the speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Spirit
to the church
Apostolic church introduced more or less
the ministries, the evangelist, the pastor, the teacher, the prophet, and the
apostle.
Since then we saw churches emphasising
exorcism, holy laughter, slain of the Spirit, Toronto blessing, Faith movement,
Women in ministry, washing of feet, emphasise on worship etc.
All kinds of revivals have swept over
the world for 2000 years.
What kind of revival comes up in the end
time revival, the final harvest?
You reap as you sow! The kind of revival
we sow (preach) we shall reap!
Decide what kind of revival you want!
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God is willing to use any believing
person in promoting revival.
God is willing to send revival to any
church
God is always willing to send revival at
any time.
God’s promises are always conditional.
When right conditions are fulfilled God
will send revival, but very few will meet the conditions. Very few will pay the
price.
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Although there are a great variety of
churches and their spiritual and physical state, here are 28 elements that must
be present in a revival church, at least to some degree!
Coming up to the state of readiness for
revival:
I. Relational integrity.
Church
like a family.
The
people have trust in the pastor.
II. Pastoral love of people.
Even
down to the children.
In
touch with their pains and problems.
III. A new pastor. (Or rather a new
church – it is rare to have revival in old established churches!)
The
revival church pastor is not old, and is not a new comer. (Not newly born
again)
The
pastor has a true divine calling and a God given vision.
The
pastor will bring something new into the church.
IV. Release of the past.
The pastor in
the revival church will not follow the old members and traditions in church.
Release of “control”
on every level. (See lesson on CONTROL.)
V.
Define outreach.
Pastor
will define types of outreach.
Pastor has a
simple, effective plan for outreach
Different
types of outreach from church to church.
The church
supports the pastor and accepts his vision.
The visionary
pastors vision will be prominent.
VI. Equip the congregation.
Gifts
of the Spirit (the revival church must be a charismatic church.)
Infilling
of the Holy Spirit, change the heartbeat of the church.
VII. Spiritual practices.
Broken-hearted
and repentance
The presence
of the Spirit of prayer is of utmost importance, must be present at least in
some few church members. Absence of Spirit of prayer – no revival!
Prayer.
Fasting.
Set up prayer
schedules. Confessing of national sins. 2. Chronicles.7: 14. . Daniel
9:3-5 Luke 4: 18
Every
church member being a soul winner.
Compassion
for lost souls.
VIII. Quality sermons.
Fundamental
back to basic.
Full
gospel, not part of the word.
IX. Staff support. Essential.
X. A committed group.
Elder
council and staff.
XI. Worship quality.
The way you
can measure the spiritual state in the church is to listen to the worship.
New
and old songs in common.
Style
not to sophisticated.
Every
new revival brings in new revival songs.
XII. The role of money.
Money
is not crucial to have revival.
Money
cannot compensate for the absence of the Holy Spirit.
Money
cannot replace the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
Leaders
tamper and dishonesty in money matters are definitely hindrance to revival
Spirit.
XIII. Unity essential.
No
generation gab.
Unity
in elder council.
XIV. Readiness to accept changes in the
church.
XV. Reconciliation on every level.
Parents/children,
Young and old
generation in church,
Divorced
couples reconciled with former mate,
Reconciliation
with other churches, etc.
XV. Denominational strife and divisions
must be erased. Only one church in Gods sight.
XVI. Faith in revival must be widespread
in the church. Expectance for revival amongst members.
XVII. Compassion for sinners must be
present.
XVIII. Willingness to pay the price,
such as inviting many problems into the church in a revival situation. Much
tolerance is needed.
Eliminate spiritual inferiority as well
as spiritual pride.
XIX. Use of women’s potential and female
ministries is advisable.
XX.
Race problems eliminated. All ethnic groups welcomed in the church of
revival.
XXI. Conducting of revival.
1.Protracted
revival meetings 2-5 meetings
2.Altercall
in every revival meeting.
3.Intercessors
praying during meeting.
4.Anointed
preachers.
5.Anointed
worship.
6.Follow
up work is a must.
XXII. Personal devotion to revival,
(personal spiritual exercises)
Fasting
and praying is a must, at least some of the church members.
Readiness for
persecution. Those who lost the anointing will persecute those who have the
anointing. The “previous revival” will persecute and resist the ongoing
revival!
Revival begins in ME - what can I do to be a tool in God’s hand
for the coming revival?
1.Prayer. Spirit of prayer – Spiritual
housecleaning, sins of omission and commission.
Prayer
life must be changed.
Give
prayer highest priority.
Confession,
repentance, forsaking, sanctification.
Intercession,
standing in the gab
Closing
doorways, the occult etc.
More
of the fruits of the Spirit – ask for it.
Full
armour of God
Compassion
for sinners
Worship
in Spirit and truth.
The
Lords prayer.
The
10 commandments.
2.Fasting lifestyle
3.Spiritual Warfare
Cover
under the blood of Jesus.
Spiritual
housecleaning of the occult. (see special lesson)
Fasting (the consecration fast)
Prayer - sometimes direct encounter and battle.
Worship
in Spirit and in truth.
Remember you cannot produce or imitate
“birth pain” Only the Holy Spirit can do so.
If you tense up, it will only be “of the
flesh” and not of the Holy Spirit.
Unutterable groaning is fully of the
Spirit, do not think you can control or command the Holy Spirit. Or you will
grieve the Spirit away.
On the other hand, when the unction in
prayer is so mightily upon you and you have a very strong feeling of compassion
for lost souls do not loose it and do persevere. It is in such “holy moments”
you can have the greatest victory and do the best work for God.
Praying and interceding under the
unction of the “Spirit of Prayer” will make you incredible bold like a lion
when it comes to pleading with God for the salvation of sinners.
4.Motives. You must have right motives
in promoting revivals.
Ambitions.
Lay down every personal ambition.
Let
godfearing and loving The Father and the Son be your driving force.
Have
Love and compassion for sinners.
5.Family life and marriage.
Priority:
God first, secondly the family, thirdly your ministry for the Lord!
6.Economy. The art of exercising
self-discipline.
7.Honesty -- Girdle of truth, honesty in everything, money matters, in
speech, in deed, to your mate, children, brethren, employees
8.God’s word through:
Bible
reading
Christian
books and literature.
Media.
9.Obedience and fear of God.
10. Never take away the glory and honour
from God, but rather humble yourselves before God.
XXIII. Hindrance to revival.
A prevailing sectarian spirit, will
grieve the revival Spirit away.
Pastor’s wrong motives, ambitious
leaders not truly revived themselves.
Pastors transfer their prejudices to the
church will grieve the Spirit away.
Absence of the Spirit of prayer, decline
in prayer.
No follow up work, the converted sinners
left on their own.
No wholehearted church as a whole. We
cannot expect to succeed in promoting true revival any farther than we are
truly revived ourselves.
XXIV. Be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18
XXV. The Spirit of prayer. Zechariah
12:10 and Romans 8:26.
XXVI. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit
like as the day of Pentecost is necessary to have lasting revival, outpouring
of Holy Ghost and fire.
Jesus said: “You shall receive power,
after the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me both
in
Absence of revival fire, which is the
Holy Ghost fire, is absence of revival.
XXVII. Broken-hearted and the Spirit of
prayer, both are necessary to revival. In promoting revival, leaders must be
broken in heart and Spirit.
Psalm 51: 17. The sacrifices of God are
a broken Spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
XXVIII. “Programs” can cause you to
loose focus on revival – and the focus on Jesus.
Good organisers and strong leaders are
especially tempted.
Good “organisers” and strong leaders are
most commonly in opposition to the Holy Spirit, especially when it comes to
revival.
Good organisers will not depend on Holy
Spirit. A talented organiser tends to lean on his own abilities more than to
lean on the Holy Spirit.