THE REVIVAL - Part 5

THE CRUSADE

     The national Crusade that took place a forty- night ago dubed, 'Healing the Nation of Kenya', was very timely. God had to wait to put the right government in place so that they could lay the right foundation in preparation to a world-wide revival. Our President and the First Lady have an apostolic mandate. They are forerunners. God has called them to join the many people He has anointed to initiate the process of preparing the way for the return of Jesus. Our President is a one-term president if He remains faithful to the call.

     The national altar headed by H. E. the First Lady of our Nation saw correctly. She is 'an Esther' in the Body of Christ. It is true that the fivefold has been blocking the promised world-wide revival. After I attended the first day of the crusade, that evening, I developed some severe back pains. I got home and headed to bed. When I woke up the following day, the Spirit of God gave me a vision: I was holding a small newborn baby. This means that the pains I experienced the previous night were labor pains. The Lord told me that this marked the beginning of my healing ministry. It took a father in faith, Pastor Benny Hinn's coming to our nation to activate a healing ministry in my life. Something spiritual has changed in the heaven's atmosphere. Something in this nation was activated and this 'something' is the revival everyone had been waiting for. And, as you will read down this blog, revival begins with one vessel chosen by the grace and will of God.

     On th 9th day of the month of March 2024, the Spirit of the Lord promised me a personal revival in four days. And to ascertain His promise, He gave me 'Deuteronomy 33:29 in a vision, NKJV... "Happy are you, O Israel, and blessing is yours! Who is like you, a people saved by the Lord, the Shield of your help, the Sword that exalts you! Your enemies shall come fawning and cringing, and submit feigned obedience to you, and you shall march on their high places".

     The meaning of revival is an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again. Revival literally means to 'come back to life'. A doctor might perform a revival of someone whose heart had stopped. We usually use it to mean "returned to glory, importance, or strength". Fresh paint and new flowerbeds might mean your neighborhood is experiencing a revival. The spiritual definition of revival is a spiritual awakening after being in a state of dormancy or stagnation and is usually characterized by a renewed appreciation of God's holiness and a renewed passion. 

     In the Bible, the word revival comes from the Hebrew word châyâh which means to live, to revive, to keep, leave, or make alive, to give life, quicken, recover, repair, restore to life, save, be whole. Notice the essence of staying alive once someone has been revived. The revival that has been ignited will no be quenched until Jesus is revealed. True revival is marked by a rediscovery of the word of God [presently, the message of the Kingdom of God... Matthew 24:14, "And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end". This involves a restored sense of the fear of God, a return to God through confession and repentance ["Repent [a change in the way we think], the Kingdom of God is here"... Matthew 4:17],  a renewed spiritual commitment as God's people, and, finally, a reformation of true piety.

     What is the purpose of this particular Revival? To restore the Church. To restore the truth that was lost. To further advance the Kingdom of God. Revival will always start with the Church. When there are dark times, revival breaks out because it begins when believers are obedient to God. When we think of revival we ask God to bring souls but that is not the foundation for the revival. Every revival begins with someone who consecrated themselves to the Lord and began the process to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. Then this will spread in the Church which will lead to receiving the harvest of souls at Christ's imminent return. 

     When there is a dark season whether it’s nationally or individually, you are on the verge of a revival. Remember you are a light, Jesus is upon you. It’s always dark before a revival breaks out. The Lord has given me a glimpse to this very last hour - the Church is at her darkest hour. Light will always be greater than darkness. The Church, though small because of the continuing apostasy, will shine the brightest. In the times we are living in we need revival. God is looking for those who are obedient and who want to seek Him like never before and spark revival for their nation and for their lives. How hungry are you for revival?

     Revival is needed when people have strayed from God... 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face [presence] and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land”. This verse carries the provisions, and conditions for God's forgiveness leading to revival - Kenya, the springboard of this revival, has already repented:

1. Humble yourself by admitting your sin. If we are to see revival that will not be quenched, we must admit that we are out of God's original intentions. Come out of religion to the Kingdom of God. This is kind of hard to do because it is hard to admit that we were wrong all our lives. Jesus warns us by telling us that the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like children... not longevity... Mark 10:14-15, "But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me–do not forbid or prevent or hinder them–for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all"... Luke 18:16, 17. 

     To illustrate the above verse, when I'm invited to Heaven, my spirit is always at 5 years. At one time I went to meet the Lord at His Throne only to find another girl my age sitting on my seat next to the Lord. I was not amused... and I headed right to Jesus' lap. I could not even look at her. I was halfway between sobs with my lips pulled down. At this time, I didn't even bother to say hallo or even check out her name. This happened twice and the 3rd time after she had left, I asked Jesus who she was. The Lord told me that it was His Bride and I was shocked. I was sorry that I had acted out foolishly. As a herald, I appreciate His Bride. After all, she is the reason I was called. To the Lord, His Bride has already inherited the Kingdom of God.

2. Pray to God asking for forgiveness. When I discovered the message of the Kingdom of God, I had to admit that I had been wrong. Then God would then trust me with the knowledge by revelation. He told me that many in His Body preach a lot about the Kingdom of Heaven and others preach the kingdom of darkness. But no one preaches the Kingdom of God. This is where the rubber meets the road. If the Holy Spirit said that we are wrong, He is God... we are wrong. He is the Governor of the Kingdom of God and He knows [intimate] the mind of the Father King.

3. Seek God Continually. Having known the will of God, continue to pursue the knowledge of the Kingdom of God. Enter by faith to the experience in the Kingdom. We have been in this Kingdom for a long time now, but have never experienced the benefits of the Kingdom... our lives are miserable. We are sick in the soul and body. We are bloke, unhappy etc. Because we have been seeking first other things that are supposed to be added into our lives... Matthew 6:33.

4. Turn from sinful behavior. Sin is deliberately doing anything against God's intention or will for you. Repentance is not a direct attack on your behavior. This has everything to do with how you think about the King and His Kingdom. Jesus was talking to religious people when He told them to repent. The word repent means to change the way you think. He was telling them, "before I was revealed by John the Baptist, your thinking was ok. Now that I Am here, to understand what I have to say, you must start all over again. You have to reboot your mind with all that you have known and start all over with me. What you know points to Me. I Am all that the prophets said and more. You must start with me on a blank mind, like a child"... My Emphasis. 

     Jesus began His ministry the same way John the Baptist started his ministry by saying [Matthew 3:2], "repent (change, turn about)...Matthew 4:17.  Then Jesus began to tell them, "come and follow me" from verse 16ff. And I will lead you to my Kingdom. This is all Jesus talked about. This is all the first Church talked about. But for us, there has been too much noise over the years that the message of the Kingdom has been watered down. I have showed you in a previous blog what this noise is...culture, level of education etc.

     We need a Revival now. We are on the verge of the greatest revival. Jesus spent three years teaching on the Kingdom of God then after His resurrection He spent 40 more days teaching on the kingdom... “To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” – Acts 1:3. Kingdom comes from kings and their dominion. When you make Jesus the King in your life you enter into His kingdom and you enjoy the fruits of the kingdom....“for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" – Romans 14:17. The Kingdom of God is not demonstrated with just words but with power. God has given you the power of the Holy Spirit, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” – Acts 1:8. When God’s glory and Kingdom are manifested that is when we see revival. Revival is heaven invading earth.

     The message of the Kingdom of God is about a King, His Kingdom and a royal family. The Kingdom of God is the Governing influence of the King over His territory or His domain earth, impacting it with His WILL, [PLAN, PURPOSE, and INTENT] and that is manifested in the CULTURE, LIFESTYLE, and quality of life of His citizens, the saints. The Kingdom of Heaven is a spiritual place while the Kingdom of God is the influence of that place. This is what Scriptures are all about. Jesus came to earth as King to make a way  for us to enter His Kingdom through calvary. Read your Bible with this concept and you will be changed.

Pray these Bible Verses and  let them Encourage and Challenge you to persue a personal revival:

• Isaiah 57:15 [Mattew 5:3] 
• Psalm 51:2,7,10
• Psalm 80:3,7,18-19
• Psalm 85:4-6
• Psalm 119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 156, 159,
• Lamentations 5:21
• Habakkuk 3:2

     In the Bible, the term 'revival' is not used explicitly. However, the concept of revival can be found throughout the Bible, and there are many reasons why revival is needed, according to the Scriptures:

1. To Return to God: Revival is needed when people have strayed from God as illustrated in Second Chronicles Chapter Seven Verse fourteen. Revival involves turning back to God and seeking Him with all our hearts.

2. To Restore Spiritual Passion: Revival is needed to ignite a new passion for God and His purposes. Revelation 2:4–5 says, “But I have this [one charge to make] against you: that you have left (abandoned) the love that you had at first [you have deserted Me, your first love]. Remember then from what heights you have fallen. Repent (change the inner man to meet God's will) and do the works you did previously [when first you knew the Lord], or else I will visit you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you change your mind and repent". Revival involves repenting of our spiritual dryness and pursuing God with new zeal.

3. To Bring Transformation: Revival might start as a personal renewal but can also transform churches and countries and spread worldwide. In Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, it resulted in the conversion of thousands of people and the birth of the Early Church. Revivals have been a significant part of Church history. Revival is needed because it brings us back to God and restores our spiritual passion. Over the past 300 years, we have heard about famous revivals such as the Great Awakening revivals, the Azusa Street revival, the Jesus Movement revival, and I thought, “I want a revival ignited in me, my nation, or better still, another Great Awakening revival worldwide”! 

Why Do We Need the Final Revival?

     Our spiritual walk at this time need a powerful spiritual jolt in preparation to the return of Christ at Rapture. The Church is at her darkest hour and there's a great multitude of God's people falling away from the Kingdom of God. The saints need an awakening because their Betrothed is right at the door. Like the parable of the Ten Bride's Maids, Revival then must start with each believer.

     The pattern of the world promotes ungodly lifestyles, redefines the biblical definition of marriage, and accepts children’s disrespect for their parents. Media subtly convinces us to receive the world’s patterns as normal behavior. Their underlying message is you don’t need to commit to a lifestyle pleasing to God. You are your own god. This is the deception of our time. Yes, we need a spiritual revival. The voices of believers proclaiming Jesus and His Kingdom as the answer to rediscovering true love, hope, and satisfaction should be louder than any other voice promising fulfillment and a solution to life’s problems. Revival is therefore, a Wake-Up call.

     In Revelations 3:1–6, Sardis was one of the seven churches that Jesus addressed. The Church of Sardis were religious and denied God’s power in their lives [2 Timothy 3:5]. Jesus had an issue with the Church of Sardis. He called them a dead church - there's no perfect Church. He told them to “Wake up.” They needed a revival to bring them back to life and to serve God with the right motives. I believe the clarion call to all blessed to be God’s scribes and speakers is to boldly share the good news of the Kingdom of God. So, let’s commit to using our books, speaking opportunities, and social media platforms like this one — a catalyst to build God’s Kingdom by igniting a new spiritual passion so that others are compelled to return to God.

These following queries can bring a better understanding to what the King of kings is about to do:

1. When does God brings revival?

Revival happens when God's people are prepared. It happens when we are ready for it with tender hearts and humble spirits. We can't orchestrate widespread far-reaching revivals, that's God's work by His Spirit. Revival often begins with people coming under deep conviction and crying out in confession and repentance for their sins.

2. What are the biblical principles of revival?

In comparison with other biblical revivals, the following six principles have been observed: a recognition of the need of revival, and God's Willingness to revive, a repentance as an essential condition of revival, the preaching of the Word of God, intercession, spiritual leadership, the activity of the Holy Spirit.

3. How does prayer brings revival?

Revival begins when people turn to God. It breaks forth from intercessory prayer and continues when people repent and no longer tolerate sin in their lives. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples returned to the upper room and continued in daily prayer, in one accord and in one place.

In contrast to revivals, awakenings happen in the larger society, sometimes even outside the church. During an awakening, people outside the churches become aware of their need for God and start flooding into the Kingdom of God in large numbers. 

4. What is an example of revival?

For example, there is the Exodus. The people of God needed to be “revived,” after so many years of living the good life and then living the slave life. So, God disrupted their lives and forced them to leave everything they knew and go somewhere they had never been (see Exodus 12). In this way, He revived them.

5. Does the Bible teach revival?

God has promised a revival of his church, and for that purpose, among others, he quotes Habakkuk 3:2, emphasizing that the terrible things happening in the world do not nullify the possibility of revival.

6. What are the qualities of a true revival?

Genuine revival Is always attended with faithful preaching of the Scriptures. The Word of God is the great instrument of conversion and sanctification ...see Hebrews 4:12, 13, not human oratory and eloquence, nor the sacraments (important as these are in the life of the Church), nor the pattern of worship.

Maranatha!