5 Simple Lessons for Living a Lifestyle of Revival
Updated: Apr 1, 2019
John Wesley was one of the greatest revivalists of his time. Here are some of the words that he spoke:
“I am more and more convinced that the devil himself desires nothing more than that the people should be half-awakened and then left to fall asleep again.”-John Wesley
“My fear is not that our great movement, known as the Methodists, will eventually cease to exist or one day die from the earthy, My fear is that our people will come content to live without the fire, the power, the excitement, the supernatural element that makes us great.” -John Wesley
Wesley believed that it’s better not to be awakened than to be awakened only to spiritually fall asleep again. We must awake to righteousness (1 Corinthians 15:34)!
We must wake up in the church.
Wesley was concerned that his movement would become content with a Christianity that is without power and without revival. Sadly, that is what has taken place across the global church.
God is such a good God. We must understand that He will not change to suit our ways, we must learn His ways and adjust. I strongly believe and I am convinced that as a believer, the Lord has called me to live a lifestyle of revival that goes beyond the four walls of the church. I love the church, I am part of the church, however, I believe the Lord wants me to go into all the world and “be” the church to the lost.
Lesson #1 Revival is an Expression of the Kingdom of God
Revival is the expression of the kingdom of God. God never promised to respond to religion; God responds to faith and to hunger. Revival is not a yearly or monthly occurrence—it’s a lifestyle, it’s a conviction. If you are in Christ, then I tell you that you are called to work the works of Christ. Your background, your gender, your socioeconomic status is not an excuse to be powerless. The revelation of the Christ supersedes the natural i.e. gender, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic background.
How could someone like me do miracles and heal people? Because I am a Christ-ian. I am “of” Christ.
Paul makes it clear that in Christ, there are no earthly or fleshly distinctions.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28 NKJV
Lesson#2 What God Wants is Intimacy
What God wants is relationship, intimacy, and experiential knowledge.
In the Garden of Eden, God wanted to enjoy Adam and Eve and He wanted them to enjoy Him through fellowship and relationship.
In the beginning, God didn’t want to give the children of Israel the Law. He wanted a relationship but they would not.
Exodus 19:6.
They said, Moses you go up and hear what God says and come back and tell us.
"Then they said to Moses, "You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die."" - Exodus 20:19 NKJV
The Law is without relationship.
What you must understand about the Law is this, every time I hear preaching that puts me under the Law, it takes away; every time I hear the message of grace, it adds to me.
2 Cor 3:6. The letter, written on stone, kills, the Spirit gives life.
Acts 20:32 the word of His grace gives you an inheritance.
It is hearing and receiving the message of God’s grace that causes the inheritance of the sons of God to come to you.
Lesson #3 You Have to Seek It Out
2 Peter 1:3. God has given us everything that pertains to life and godliness, it is now our responsibility to seek it out.
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, it is the glory of kings to seek out a matter.
I want to go back to this Godliness revelation.
Godliness is not just wearing a long skirt and turtleneck (i.e. an outward expression of piety).
Godliness actually means to be like God, to function like Him.
How does God function? Genesis 1:3 “Then God said, let there be light and there was light.” God speaks! He speaks things into existence.
"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." - Hebrews 11:3 NKJV
Godliness looks likes miracles. It’s when I can effect change in the affairs of men.
It’s when I decree a thing and it happens. Job 22:28.
It should be normal for you, that you say something and it happens.
Testimony: During our life and healing conference in July of 2018, I prophesied over a lady that she would receive a check in the mail. She pondered the word and was unsure of how she could receive a check. Later, she testified to me that she received a check in the mail the next business day. Awesome!!
Lesson #4 We Cannot Go Back to the Old
Matthew 9:16-17.
""No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."" - Matthew 9:16-17 NKJV
Putting a little bit of revival into religion is like putting a piece of new cloth on an old garment or like putting new wine into old wineskins.
You must build from the ground up, if you intend for revival to be sustained. You have to be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to become the architect and the builder of your life.
So what do we need?
We need hunger, we need an open heart, an open mind—a renewed mind.
God has leveled the playing field through the Cross.
There is a door standing open in heaven for all who believe (Revelation 4:1).
Now you have to seek; you have to seek understanding.
Matthew 13:19
""When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside." - Matthew 13:19 NKJV
Lesson#5 Jesus Christ is the Example of What God wants to Do with You
Revelation 19:10.
"And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."" - Revelation 19:10 NKJV
How many of you know, that when a prophet prophesies over me, it is important that I receive and say Amen?
Jesus Christ is a prophetic word from God to you. Do you believe? Do you accept? Do you say Amen?
© Solape Osoba 2019. All rights reserved.