Revival – Easier to Bring, Harder to Sustain

Our entire family (including my mom and sister’s family) is enjoying the holidays in sunny Florida for the first time ever. While all of our friends back in Indiana are experiencing snow and cold, we’ve been enjoying warm, sunny days by the heated pool. Like any other Florida vacation, what would the trip be without at least a day at Disney? So, today is the day.

As we’re driving down I-4 from Tampa to Orlando, I am reminded of our trip down here to Lakeland during the summer of 2008. I know that a lot of people have a lot of unanswered questions about that move of God. I choose not to go there in my thinking because I don’t have the answers either. But here is what I am thinking about. I am thinking about that local church, if like ours, prayed and prayed for revival for what was most likely many years. I have many emotions and feelings for them. I am sure that no matter what the outcome, numerous were changed by God’s powerful presence.

Here’s what I am sitting here pondering. Revival is something that is very difficult to “bring.” As a matter of fact, it’s impossible to bring without the Father’s sovereign move. But as difficult as that is, sustaining such a move is even more difficult. I believe this is why God in many places is holding back His sovereign hand from unleashing revival. Right now, He is still withholding His move because He is in the process of preparing those who will carry His next move.

I think, perhaps, we may be better served by not asking God continually for what He already is agreeing with us that He wants (revival). We would much better be served by presenting ourselves to the man Jesus, who Himself is Revival, and ask him to do whatsoever He wills that we might be those proven, marked, and prepared to carry this man Jesus. It is then that we will see Revival as we are carriers of Him, AND we will be those who can sustain it.