Repentance Brings Revival

2 Chronicles 7:14: "If My people who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

The Lord  spoke these words to Solomon and were for the Israelites in those days. But the words hold true for today as well. The verse says- "My people"- meaning Christians- the Church. We are the ones who need to humble ourselves and pray and seek the Lord's face. God never did and will not start now- moving- until He sees the Church has a deep and true repentance. Even if you are not taking part in the sins of the Church, there must be a spirit of repentance and crying out in your hearts for the sin in the Church today. It is no wonder God is not blessing this country, but more importantly- the Church has gotten so far away from the original purpose God had in mind.

We are to seek Him- not pleasures, fame, money and  a good life. No! We were not saved just to sit back and enjoy life! God brought us into His kingdom to be a Light to a dark world. How many Christians do you know today- who have no desire or hunger for more of God? They are just content to go on with life as usual- "the norm"-- and they are satisfied with that. But is God satisfied with that? No way.

God desires a heart that is torn apart by the sins of the world that has crept into the Church as well. God desires a people that seek Him and want to see His purposes fulfilled in the world- even if it means some discomfort and trials on our part. God wants to see a desperate people, down on their faces in prayer, interceding for the needs of the world- and that need is Jesus Christ! We need to want to see revival- I am talking about a revival of holiness- a revival of right living- a revival of God's Presence filling the hearts of His people and spreading out to the world. We must want it so bad that we are willing to just "throw in the towel"- give up our own ways and  plans- lay our lives down for the Lord and allow Him to work through us. We must want it so bad that we push other things aside- and spend time in prayer- repenting, seeking His face, and crying out to Him for His Presence!

Things are NOT going to get any better! The world is fast hurling to an end. But for the Christian this should not bring fear- but a deep compassion and love for the lost and a holy awe as to what God is going to do in these last days. But He requires that His people cry out to Him for deliverance. All through Israel's history- it was a cycle-- the Israelites obeyed God and enjoyed His Presence and blessings. Then they left up their guard and started disobeying God in following after the pagan gods and did evil in His sight. He took them into bondage and when they cried out to the Lord (Exodus 3:7,8) God raised up a deliverer- Moses.  After that they fell into sin again. When they would get serious and cry out to the Lord He would deliver them. All through the book of Judges- it is recorded how they would fall into sin and then would get desperate and cry out to God and then God would raise up a deliverer. It was cycle that they were not able to break.

Today it is pretty much the same. But we are at a time when the Church NEEDS to get serious and desperate with God! Don't expect your neighbor to be the one to cry out to God. Don't expect the government to cry out to God. It is OUR responsibility-- we must be the ones to get serious and cry out to God.

Repentance will bring revival. But if you are looking for a "revival" that is full of man's ways and ideas- you are mistaken. This revival will be one where each individual's heart will be full of the love of God and they will only want God to get the glory. The days of the big "I's" and "Little You's" are over. It will not be a revival that is headed up by a few men or a single church. This will be a revival full of the glory of the Lord- not of man! This will be a revival where God will have His way- not man's. It will be a revival where everyone looks and acts like Jesus Christ! They will shine forth the glory of the Lord! It will be a revival of holiness- not in clothing-- but in heart attitude- devotion and separation unto God. It will be a revival of a deep sense and love for God and for others. We can't truly love God without loving others as well.

Repent--- identify with the sins of the Church. Intercede- that is what Moses did. Joshua, Jeremiah, Daniel, Nehemiah- all the great men of the Bible- identified with the sins of God's people. They may not have committed those sins, but their hearts were so torn apart and pierced by sin that they cried out day and night for God to deliver them. It will take a unified, continuous prayer effort for God's spirit  to grip the hearts of lost mankind today. Christians must unite in prayer, repentance and seeking the Lord.

Luke 11:9-10 "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you, seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

We must continue to ask, seek and knock- with fervency and a deep hunger and desire for God to reveal Himself in these last days.