Revival

Full Gospel Topics:

True Revival

 

The first Revival

Acts 2

 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 

 

They devoted themselves to:

  1. apostles’ teaching
  2. fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 
  3. many wonders and signs
  4. Met daily in the Temple courts and in their homes.
  5. the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

 

 

Today’s Revivals

I lived only a state away from the Brownsville revival in the 90’s.  People testified to #3, and #5.  People who visited and testified about it mentioned the distinctive of #5, especially in terms of repentance towards changed lives.  This really impressed me. 

 

Matthew 12:38-40 (NIV)

The Sign of Jonah

 38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

 

 

Tomorrow’s Revivals

I believe that after the apostles are restored by the Prophets, they will restore the 5 fold ministry.  Then revival will be more of a continual, communal lifestyle (as above) than an event to attend (as today).  The apostles will build the church together to become a habitation, extending His visitation.  Also, it will have a welcome place for those who will be daily added to it by salvation. 

 

 

Metrics

Pastorates (Churches led by Pastors) measure revival or success in terms of how many Christians you can squeeze into one space at one time.  I call this the bandwagon metric.  Apostles are more concerned with measuring impact.  Impact is change measured across time and should be informed first of all by this question:  Are people getting and staying saved, delivered, and healed?  There could be many internal metrics the church could gather about itself to inform this question. 

 

Highly regarded among the people

The other side of impact is the impact the church is having in the community.  In verse 43 the surrounding community was “filled with awe” at the miracles and in verse 47 the church “enjoyed the favor of all the people”.

 

                                                                                                                       

 

 

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