It is impossible for revival to come unless people actually humble themselves before God almighty, and then call on him. Often times as they do, they are grovelling, pleading, rolling in the mud before he comes and heals them. Why must it seem like we need to roll in the mud and go through such “messy stuff”?
Is it that God likes drama or antics of people rolling in the mud to get his attention perhaps like the prophets of Baal in the epic with Elijah as I shared in a previous revival message.
No, it seems this “rolling in the mud” or humbling ourselves before him is for us, is such that it strips us of ourselves – our flesh and it pride, arrogance or self-importance which is so offensive to God. Instead, when we recognize who he is and appear naked before him, empty of ourselves then he comes in with his power - and clothes us with his righteousness and fills the empty void with his Holy Spirit for he says “my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12: 9).
This is the reason why humility is usually the door that brings God. Infact, without humility you can expect that there will NEVER BE a revival.
How can I be so sure? Well, the bible shows this, but I will come to that, but from looking at church history.
The history of revival seems to be that God’s power comes with those in “simple” or humble settings – those who are often weak, poor, in humble settings. For example:
·The twentieth century’s most extravagant outpouring of revival was hosted in an abandoned Methodist church used as a horse stable and warehouse on a street named Azusa. The leader of this Azusa Street revival, the one which birthed the modern-day Pentecostal movement and it’s 500m plus followers, well he was a humble one-eyed black man called Seymour used to hide his head in a milk crate while praying.
·In the beginning of the nineteenth century the primitive woods of Kentucky welcome God’s power in what became known as the Second Great Awakening. This is the revival that contribution to the abolition of slavery for example.
·Go all the way back to the sixteenth century, and a dilapidated chapel in Wittenberg contains the thunderstorm of God’s word and power for the Reformation led by Martin Luther.
Here are even more examples
The Lollards of Wycliffe in the 1300s were called “poor priests” - their poverty helped keep them humble and yet they were wrestling against kings and powerful bishops who put some in jail, killed others and threatened others.
The Moravians of Bohemia inspired the First Great Awakening led by known figures like Charles Wesley. They were a small band of religious refugees who settled in Saxony Germany but for generations, they had wandered from place to place to escape intense persecution. Many had died for their faith. Others had been imprisoned and tortured.
The reason revival comes to humble places is because they house humble people. Humility is the best conductor for God’s power. Humble people – who are usually poor, have given up depending on their own effort and ability and instead they depend on God.
What is humility?
Read the full message here. Alternatively, watch the video - part 1 and then part 2 here.
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