Urgency And Revival

Philippians 3:12
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

Philippians 3:14
I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Something happened this weekend that has never happened before.
I spoke Saturday night at Vineyard ReCovery...
I spoke Sunday morning at Northside...
And I spoke last night at Catalyst Recovery....
On each message, I felt a sense of urgency that I've never experienced before...
Not an urgency to be through quickly with the teaching....
Not an urgency to rush through the Scripture....
But a sense of God wanting the truth to come out plainly and clearly.

Last night before I taught (as the worship was going on) I was bombarded in my thoughts with all manner of negative accusations.
"You didn't study enough!"
"You don't really know God, you just claim you do!"
"Who are you to stand up in front of all these people and act like your holy and righteous?"
I knew where these thoughts originated....the devil.
After a few moments of prayer, I sought out someone to pray with me, and for me.
I saw Jeremiah Smith moving around near the back so I approached him asking for help and prayer.
He prayed...
God came....
I spoke...
But that sense of urgency was there.

I really have no frame of reference for this feeling, but the closest thing I could come up with was that the urgency is about preparing myself and others for a visitation by God....A revival. That I was simply to teach the word....casting seed upon the ground, if you will....and God would do the rest.

I have been praying for an awakening among the recovery community for a number of years. I have seen mental pictures of a  huge fire lighting up the night sky...flames rising 100's of feet into the air. People came from miles around to see what was burning. People who were in recovery...people who were still in their addiction...people who may not have known or understood what was burning, but they simply wanted to see. There gathered around that fire...God began to touch hearts and a movement of change and salvation swept through the crowd.

The funny part in this mental picture was that it did not take place in what we would call a church building. It took place outside in a location that no one would have ever picked for a meeting. I think this speaks of the power of God to revive that is not bound by our timetable, our location, or the way we think a revival should take place. God is God...He will not be manipulated, or controlled.  The one thing I have remembered and held on to when it comes to our Saturday night meeting is what God told me before we ever had our first meeting. He let me know in no uncertain terms that this was going to be His meeting, I was to get out of the way and simply facilitate what He was doing. I think this visitation we are going to experience this year will be conducted the same way.

Whenever man seeks to get involved in a move of God....It's not good.
Men try to control what's going on....
Creating a structure or form in which the meeting can take place.
Making decisions of what they will and will not do...
What they will and will not allow to happen...
God removes His hand and blessing from such ways and thoughts, and we are left with hungry people who we have nothing to give.
I do not wish to be a part of something like that.

Bottom line....
I think this year will be a time of urgency and revival among people of recovery and addiction. I ready to experience and hear all God has to say and do among us.
Maranatha, Lord Jesus...
Come quickly..

God on you...
mbb