Is This It?
Is This It?
I recently preached at a church in New Zealand which has diligently pursued, faithfully hosted, and lovingly nurtured revival for the past 10 plus years. I honoured them for this, but then felt compelled to ask,
"Is this it?"
They understood and were not in the least offended by my question or my unequivocal answer, "No! This is not it."
While being scrupulously careful to always be thankful for everything that the Lord has done, and continues to do...it is imperative that we cleave to the point-of-view that there will always be more to come down from Heaven until "that great and dreadful day of the Lord". The Church will never have "arrived" until our King and Head Himself arrives, to sit upon His own Throne on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in Israel.
"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne." (Rev 3.21)
Until then, there will always be so much more of God and Heaven for us to receive and obtain.
"You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that...I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (Jn 1.50-51)
"Now to Him Who, in consequence of the action of His power that is at work in us, is able to carry out His purpose and do superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think - infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes and dreams." (Eph 3.20 Amplified)
We have yet to see Heaven open, with the following consequences:
"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Pe 3.9)
"And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." (1 Jn 2.2)
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people...I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below...And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Ac 2.16-21)
"Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.' " (Ro 11.25-26)
And we have yet to see eclipsed in our day:
"It was judged by military men on the ground that between twenty and thirty thousand persons were assembled. Four of five preachers spoke at the same time in different parts of the encampment without confusion...They were of one mind and soul; the salvation of sinners was the one object...People were struck down, lying insensible for fifteen minutes to six, eight, or ten hours...At one time at least 500 (were) swept down in a moment with shrieks and shouts as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them." (Cane Ridge Revival, Kentucky, August 1801)
"For the evening meetings the (Wellington) Town Hall had been engaged. The first night, a Sunday, saw an audience of approximately 800. The next night this had increased to 1600. The third night the place, holding 3000, was full...One night at least 1000 people could not gain admittance...(Smith Wigglesworth) burst out, 'You will remember what I say - this revival we have had is nothing to what God is yet going to do.' " ('Wigglesworth Down Under' by Pastor Harry V. Roberts, 1922)
"A revival means the Holy Ghost descending upon a Church or a community or a countryside in power and in might...people are to be seen walking about the lanes and the streets and the roads in a district in the small hours of the morning crying out for peace with God...men working in the fields are suddenly compelled to fall on their knees and to cry out to God for mercy. That is revival. The Spirit of God is shed abroad and comes down in authority and power." (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, 1899-1981)
It is my considered and steadily-held conviction that we are presently teetering on the edge (fulcrum?) of a "new thing" (Is 43.19) from God; a "final" revival which will incorporate and yet eclipse all past visitations of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name. Such an event is as inevitable as the Second Coming. What is uncertain is our participation? We may yet choose to quibble and fall away from such an overwhelming and theology-blowing prospect...or run into it, upon our knees!
"For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay." (Hab 2.3)
"The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house, says the Lord Almighty." (Hag 2.9)
