As we emerge out of the long wintery pandemic and into this new season of renewal, my heart is bursting with hope. It’s been wonderful to see so many people returning to Sunday gatherings, as well as seeing new people who recently moved to the area. It’s not just the influx of people that is exciting, but it’s the atmosphere of expectancy and joy. The presence of God has been palpable in our midst. Mission initiatives are in full swing. Small communities are developing in various geographic locations. God is on the move!
Along with this excitement I’m reminded that we are in a spiritual war. The forces of darkness (Satan’s kingdom) do not sit back passively while the Church advances forward. They fight us at every turn. The aim of the invisible demonic army is to quench our fire. They want to deceive us and stir confusion. They want to either run us off the rails of orthodox doctrine and practice, or, they want to cement us in apathy. Have you felt this resistance in your own soul as you seek to live for Christ? The battle is real.
The Church in New England has been spiritually dry for decades. There have been pockets of renewal here and there, often short lived. But, overall, the spiritual state of churches in New England is tepid. Throughout history, when God’s people sink into a spiritual mire, God eventually breaks forth with a fresh outpouring to renew hearts. Some call these times “revival” or “awakening.” It is essentially God drawing near and manifesting his glory. This is coming. This is already beginning to happen.
What happens when God shows up in glory? What happens when the Spirit breaks forth in power in the Church? What happens in these seasons of revival? The pattern is always the same. The middle ground disappears. Many are softened and restored. Deep repentance produces life in hearts. Men and women and even children are filled to overflowing with the Spirit. But—not everyone is renewed. When God visits His people we are either softened or hardened. Many buck against the Word and resist the Spirit. Many fall away from the faith. There are even some who rise up against the working of the Spirit and try to discredit it. Revivals do not bring peace and unity to everyone. In reality, they fiercely divide. God Himself separates sheep and goats as a foreshadow of things to come in eternity.
That said, let’s prepare our hearts for a move of God. Let’s cultivate a posture of pursuit. Let’s humble ourselves before Him, search our hearts, and weep. Let’s break up the fallow ground of our hearts and be ready to soak up the water of the Spirit. Let’s make every crooked thing straight and rough thing smooth. Let’s fear God and be serious about obeying His commands. Full surrender is not an optional thing for followers of Jesus. Rather, it’s the evidence that we are genuine.
—Scott A