Fall feels refreshing. We’ve finally escaped from the strength-sapping heat of summer, and when the calendar turns over to October, it comes like a breath of crisp, cool, refreshing air. And I’m so ready to see God turn over a page in my own life, in the life of the church and in the life of this nation, and send a breath of refreshing air over us.
We desperately need revival in the church and a great spiritual awakening across this land. Tell me if I’m wrong, but I believe many once-passionate believers in Christ have lost their spiritual zeal. Many have lost their first love. Some have become lukewarm and some have grown cold. Whether it’s spiritual complacency, apathy, deadness or whatever you call it, we need the refreshing wind of God’s Spirit to blow upon us once more.
Can you imagine if a NASCAR driver like Jimmie Johnson (or pick your favorite) came roaring from the wave of the green flag, took the lead, was running a strong race, but then somewhere along the way began to slowly ease his foot off the pedal? Can you picture what would happen if he thought he’d already done well enough and was so satisfied that he’d led for 100 or so laps that he just thought he could coast toward the finish line? He’d get blown away!
Yet many Christians who know Jesus and have followed Him wholeheartedly, who have stood boldly for His truth and have prayed fervently for the salvation of their family, friends, neighbors and nations throughout the world have slowly let off the gas and seem to be coasting toward the finish line. Maybe they feel they’ve done well enough, or maybe they’re satisfied with the way things are. Maybe they’ve resigned to the world’s philosophies and values and have lost sight of God’s mission for His church.
Now is not the time to coast! Now, more than ever, we need to plead with the Lord to revive His people and awaken this land to their need for a Savior! Now, more than ever, we need to stand strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! Now, more than ever, we need to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Jesus!
I’m talking to you, Christian. I believe that if God will send a great awakening in this land, and the Bible says He wants to save people everywhere from their sins, it will start with a cleansing in the church. We need repentance. We need to confess our lack of love for the Lord, our failure to love our neighbors as we should, our lack of dependence upon Christ and our failure to follow His ways. Are we really denying ourselves? Are we really dying daily to sin? Are we really following wholeheartedly after Jesus?
Jesus gave Himself up on the cross for us. He willingly laid down His life so that we could be forgiven for our sins. He bore the horrific weight of our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It’s only by His wounds that we have been healed. It’s only because of His sacrifice that we are saved by His grace through faith. What love! What abounding, enduring, unparalleled and unfailing love Almighty God has lavished upon us!
Therefore, we are called, in view of God’s great mercy and in view of His amazing grace, to live for righteousness, to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. And by our good works the light of Christ ought to shine so brightly through us that the world will see and give glory to our Father in heaven.
I pray that the people of God will get on their knees and get thoroughly right with Him in every way. I pray that we’ll stand on our feet and stand strong in His grace. I pray that we’ll serve with His heart and His hands. I pray that we’ll give everything we have for the cause of His kingdom. I pray that we’ll pray passionately that the Lord will send forth laborers into the harvest fields. And I pray that we’ll go with His feet and proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Sin saps our strength as in the heat of summer, but when we confess our sins God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. We’ll feel the refreshing wind of God’s Spirit as we do. He will revive us again that His people may rejoice in Him. And He will awaken the world to the glory of Christ.
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