We have seen from the eleventh chapter of Hebrews that faith is absolutely essential. Without scriptural faith we cannot please God. Faith is essential to salvation, sanctification, and soul-winning. Because “whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” we can only conclude that all of our sins and failures are due in some way to a lack of faith.
We see this defect most glaringly in the Church's need for revival. There is much talk about revival. There are many “revival meetings” regularly planned and promoted in evangelical churches across America, but we have not experienced true revival in many years.
Unless we can prove from the Bible that the day of revivals is past, and that the final great apostasy is here to stay, we are guilty of grievous unbelief if we do not seek God's face for another outpouring of His Spirit. Christ is the One Who sovereignly dispenses the mighty gifts of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33). The Spirit is with us till “the end of the age.” The power of Pentecost is still available. We “have not because we ask not.”
Our hearts are not set on revival or we would give ourselves to it, and “not let Him go except He bless us” (Gen. 32:26). We are prone to think that we have submitted to God's sovereignty. But to talk of submission to God's sovereignty is one thing, while really to submit to it is quite another. If our hearts are truly set on seeing God revive His Church, and we truly believe the Scriptures that promise it, we cannot rest satisfied without it!
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“ Amen! ” If we as individual Christians could really grasp what the Pastor is saying, I mean really, and genuinely take that before God, then I believe we will see a true revival. Revival, like judgement must begin in the household of God. "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidnce and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." (Hebrews 3:6)
Bob Vradenburgh is the senior pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has spent 40 years in full-time Christian service: the first 20 years as a missionary and the past 20 years in the pastorate. Bob’s passion is the expository preaching of God’s Word,...
