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Rev. J. Patrick BowmanP.O. Box 1386The Dalles, OR
[email protected]
North American Rights Rev. J. Patrick Bowman, 2009
Pages: 5Word Count: 831
Where Does Revival Happen?ByRev. J. Patrick Bowman
Where does revival happen? The fires of revival are ignited in
the hearts of menand women who have cut kindling with prayer,
struck the flint with faith, and havecalled on the wind of the Holy
Spirit to fan the flames.
Cutting kindling with prayer
Cutting prayer of this kind exposes the indifference of our
hearts. As we becomeaware of our heart condition we also become
aware of what brought about our dis-ease in the first place.
Charles Finney, (1792-1875), a major force in the SecondGreat
Awakening, used omissions and commissions to point out what
conditionswithin us feed dis-ease and hinder revival.Finney lists a
neglect of gratitude, regular reading of the scriptures,
prayer,family and private duties, self-denial, and watching over
fellow believers as thethings we fail to do. I believe these
neglects can be thought of as neglecting adiet low in fat to help
control our cholesterol. This same omissions list pointsto a lack
of love for God, a good spiritual attitude, lack of seriousness,
and alack of love and concern for humanity at large, as
contributing to our condition,as well. In my mind, these can be
thought of as a lack of nutrients the body
needs to function properly.
Finney then turns to the active sin in our lives in the
commissions list. Thisincludes worldly-mindedness, pride, envy, and
a critical spirit, slander, lying,cheating, robbing God, and
keeping others from useful service. Think of these asthe junk food
we eat that contributes to the high cholesterol that contributes
toa hardening of the arteries that feed our hearts with life-giving
blood.
These omissions and commissions from the writings of Charles
Finney come from aman who brought an estimated 250,000 souls to
salvation through his preaching.
Striking the flint with faith
One of my favorite sayings is this: The Kingdom of God is here
and now, for thosewith eyes to see it, hearts to receive it, and
hands to make it happen. Its notenough to see the Kingdom or
receive the Kingdom. We must strike the flint offaith and step out
to realize the Kingdom. Gods Word, in Hebrews 11, says, Faithis the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Thesubstance of the Kingdom is the seeing and receiving. The
evidence comes when westep out in faith to loose the Kingdom of God
into every situation, every aspectof our lives and the lives of
those around us. The evidence is something that canbe measured. The
evidence is the manifestation of the substance of those things.This
can be thought of as hoping to light a room. You have the lamp and
theelectricity. This is the substance. But until you move and turn
the lamp on, with
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conviction of the truth that the lamp and electricity will
provide light, noevidence of the substance is manifest.
There is no verb form of faith in the English language, so weve
been lulled intothinking that faith is a thing; a thing we can pick
up and look at, examine, andsend to committee to determine what we
are to do with it. Faith is a verb, anaction word. Its Gods intent
that we act upon it, with conviction and holyfervor, to establish
the present age manifestations of the Kingdom.
Calling on the wind of the Holy Spirit
With kindling in place by prayer and the fire lit by faith, we
now need the windof the Holy Spirit to fuel our small fire until it
becomes an all consuming firebefore us.
Acts chapter 2 tells the story of how the wind of the Spirit
came one day to agroup of disciples who had set themselves apart in
prayer and in faith had settheir fire to burning; a burning desire
to experience the Promise of the Father,the power from on high.
And when the time was right, there came the sound of a mighty,
rushing wind, and
tongues of fire rested on each of them, and they were all filled
with the Spiritand began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit
gave them utterance.
The wind of the Spirit not only fed their fire but brought with
it new fire thatfed them. Revival doesnt rely on mans power or
might, but on the Holy Spirit,the embodiment of Gods power and
might.
Are you ready for revival?
Have you cut your kindling in prayer? Have you struck the flint
with faith toignite a tiny flame? Have you asked the wind of the
Spirit to come and feed thattiny fire until it becomes a mighty
blaze of Gods glory? Then expect God to useyou as an instrument of
His grace. Allow that fiery glow to be a beacon to those
around you who need to experience Gods love and redemption
through Christ Jesus,our Lord.Amen
