Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Revival and Obedience



Does obedience come as a result of revival or is revival a product of obedience?

What do you think?


My answer would be, "Yes!" I can make a case that both are true. But while obedience is always a product of revival, revival never happens without obedience.  I contend that wherever obedience is a constant revival is continual.

I am thinking about the first two chapters of Acts where the supernatural events of Pentecost were obviously direct results of the obedience of the 120 believers in the Upper Room.

Since that is so obviously true, let's consider several important insights into the nature of obedience that can edify your life and your church.

Obedience should bring an urgency.

I see that in this portion of Scripture from Acts 1 - "They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.” Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers."  Acts 1:10-13

As all believers should, these followers felt an urgency to immediately obey the command of Christ. I am sure you have heard it said, "Delayed obedience is disobedience."

That's because it is true!

An urgency to obey and do the will of God always precedes and follows a season of revival.

Do you obey God immediately?

Obedience should bring unity.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place", Acts 2:1

There is incredible power available to a group of believers who dwell in unity. That is in evidence throughout the Bible but nowhere more evident than here on the day of Pentecost.

Unity is unanimity. I am sure these believers didn't agree on everything. No group ever does. But they were totally in agreement over the urgent need to obey God.

If only we could have more churches in our nation that were unified in their urgency to obey God!

Do you long to see more power in your life?

Do you want revival for your church?

Live with urgency and pray for unity!