Holy Ghost revival or Pentecostal revival is a Pentecostal affair, not in denomination but in experience. And yes!, it is the will of God is that every believer will have the Pentecostal experience. Holy Ghost revival should not be denominationalized and its power should not be limited in human imagination even if we have known the revivals of the past. When revival comes, one of the things it does is to give many the Pentecostal experience and baptize them by fire and power of the Holy Spirit. Whenever it starts, a Pentecostal minister will be used as guide to the revived and baptized on what the Spirit is saying (as has been seen from historic revivals).
That work of the Holy Spirit will cut through many individuals, churches and denomination of God, leading them into full blown experience of Pentecostalism and the power of God. Many towns, many countries, many society, the government of the world, businesses, law firms, security agencies, family members, pagans, Satanists and all kinds of people, they will know that some something powerful has hit the world. They will naturally know that something is happening and many will be drawn by the spirit of grace. Those who sit in darkness shall see great light and anyone who reaches out will be saved. Such is the power of my great Master and God whom should be feared and worshiped; Amen!
Revival is a Holy Ghost church affair but its proceeds are for the entire nations of world. It is just like Jesus who lived, died and arose in Israel but the work He did in Israel has had massive impact in the nations of the word. It is not a crusade for the lost. It is not a powerful church program where men invite the Holy Ghost to take charge and showcase his power through the ministration of the preacher. It is the pure work of the Holy Spirit. And it comes whenever the church is in need of revival or times of refreshing. It comes when the church is sick and has failed God. It comes when many cannot recognize their God just like in the days of Elijah. In this article we will focus on the need for revival as it concerns missions and evangelism.
The Lamentation
Someone on a Facebook page I belong cried out. She talked about how the tears for souls to be pulled out unto God is no more. We must note one thing, evangelism has not died completely in the church. There are still people who are doing the work of God. In my church district, the district evangelism team headed and led-out by the district leader is still active and I trust it is so in some other churches. However, the reason behind the evangelism we do in our time should be questioned. Most people do these things just to please God and fulfill the great commission. Some do it for people to see their Christian work. Another may do it to please the pastor or leader. But an effective evangelism is driven by burden for the lost or the passion of Christ. Any man consumed with this burden doesn’t sleep without many thoughts. These thoughts wake him up at night. This thoughts leave him tearful in the secret. This passion and burden keeps him on his knees crying for souls. Such a man does not plan his evangelism outreach as he is always hunted and moved to save someone; and the impact of messages prepared from such burdened heart is terrible to sin and the flesh.
Read: Shall we pray or shall we sing songs?
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26
The truth is that the burden for the lost has died among many Christians. When I say many, I mean very many! That hunger to save a sinner from perishing is no more with us. Why? It is because the Spirit that creates such hunger, such desire and such passion has left many believers.
Souls are trooping Hades every minute as we continue to lose our main task. What can we do to revive this hunger and passion? Preaching and teaching it may be useful, bible reading may be useful, mission seminars is great; but this passion for the lost is only born through the power of the Spirit of God. Therefore what we need is Holy Ghost revival to rebirth the tears and passion for souls.
Brethren, people actually died for us to receive what we now have. People have bid their families ‘farewell till we meet to part no more’ for us to have a bible to read and be saved. Those great sacrificial lambs of Jesus Christ who sacrificed their lives for me and you where not driven by the need to become a popular evangelists with mega followers on social media. Their dream was not to ride a big car nor was it a big mansion. They were not looking for donations and seeds to increase their worth and live expensive lives. They had just one dream which followed them wherever they went. That dream slept and woke with them. They dreamt, even when fully awake. And the many tears made their eyes red. Their vision outweighed the worth of their lives and they couldn’t care less if they could fry it all for many not to see condemnation into eternal darkness and sorrow. Oh!, how many of us can do what they have done? Not even I the preacher of this message can fill those great shoes. Only the Holy Ghost can birth such people. Only the Holy Ghost can make such hearts. Only Holy Ghost revival can give us back the tears and passion for the lost.
Our hearts are now hardened and dry. It can no more produce passion for the work of God. If the mouth speaks from the abundance of the heart, then the eyes are wet from the wetness of the heart. We need Holy Ghost revival to break our hardened hearts and wet it. When the heart is wet, the eyes is always full of tears. And a gospel ministration produced from a wet heart wets the soul of sinners and turns many to God.
Another area for which we need the Holy Ghost revival for soul wining and evangelism is His Grace. Grace is the most powerful word in the world. The most powerful name and king is Jesus. The most powerful being is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The most powerful Spirit and force is the Holy Ghost. The most powerful word is grace.
Israel will be lost until the Spirit of grace is poured upon them according to Zechariah 12:10. God has just recently helped me understand that all we need is His grace. Be it grace to pray, grace to work for God, grace to preach, grace to live Holy lives or grace for evangelism and soul fishing.
The spirit of grace is none other but the Holy Ghost. Only He gives grace to win souls for Christ. Only He gives grace to cause a perishing soul to turn to God. This implies that if grace is not shown to a sinner, no matter how hard we try, we cannot give them enough reason to follow Christ. Also it implies that if we don’t have the Holy Spirit present in our lives to give us grace for God’s work, we will struggle to convert souls.
We have caused the reduction of His presence among us by our failure to obey Him and live in holiness and purity, this has also reduced his grace for missions. Example, If 100 Christians are on fire for God, they can convert 1000 souls in a year. But if just 5 out of 100 is on fire, they can convert only but a fraction of the 1000 souls.
He is still there, but not as much as we use to have Him in the days Christianity caused the world to bleed with our evangelism and missions. Not as much as we use to when we were converting millions and bringing many souls to the foot of the cross. We need Holy Ghost revival because it means that grace is coming back in great fold. Even the aura of His glorious presence can convict and convert many sinners to God without human effort. For there has been testimonies of men who were never preached to, but the Spirit of grace fell upon them and they became convicted and converted. This kind of power is only displayed if the Spirit of God hovers in and out on His church. We need revival!. We need Holy Ghost revival.
Our lamentation
Sinners are perishing and we can do little to help. Our loved family members who don’t know Jesus will probably end up in a fire that never quenches. Oh! Children are wasting away and we can no more covert our youths. What has happened to us? It seems our message is powerless now. Oh! Who will help us? Who will teach us? Who will wet our hearts again? Who will burden us for the perishing world? Who will give us grace to win souls? Oh! Who will teach us tears and passion for the lost? Oh! Who will revive us?
Answer: It is the Holy Ghost! He can do it if we pray.