Revival and Reformation, Part 5
Introduction
Thanks to those of you who voted Tuesday, who prayed regarding the elections, and a special thanks to those who worked to support righteous efforts and candidates. Many of you responded to our appeal to partner with My Faith Votes. No righteous effort is ever a waste of time, even when it doesn’t produce the outcome we desired.
I’ll probably say more about Tuesday’s election results in the coming days. (I didn’t comment on them at all in yesterday’s post because the 15s must be written and recorded the day before their release. Thus yesterday’s was prepared on Election Day.) My only purpose for commenting on the results briefly in today’s post is to encourage you. This was not a referendum on President Trump and the changes being made in America. Most, if not all, of the losses by conservatives were in very liberal states. In no way were they upsets; the upsets would have been had they won.
We are making progress in the turning of this nation and will continue to do so. My hope for our salvation as a nation is not in elections or a political party, as critical as government is. Spiritual breakthroughs are what enable righteous leaders to accomplish their roles in restoring a nation. A Third Great Awakening will save America, not the Republican Party. Keep your faith focused heavenward, and continue to pray according to God’s promises. America shall be saved!
This is good timing for Part 5 of the posts on revival and reformation. Today’s post deals with the devastating outcome of fulfilling the Great Commission found in the gospel of Mark (preaching the gospel and restoring people to God’s family), without accomplishing Matthew’s commission of discipling nations. For the sake of time, I will not read the review today. I am including it in the written version of the post, however, for those who would like to refresh their memory.
In Review
We have been looking at the concepts of revival and reformation, and the fact that they are linked to Yahweh’s assignments to Adam and Eve - and therefore all of us. Today’s post is the fifth teaching in this series (Part 1 [entitled: In The Beginning…], Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4). Each post builds on the next, so if you haven’t listened to or read the first four, please consider doing so. In Genesis 1:26-28, Adam and Eve were told to: 1) multiply His family, and 2) govern/manage His earth. Christ re-commissioned the church to these assignments in Mark 16:15-20 and Matthew 28:18-20. In Mark’s gospel, He told us to “preach the gospel” in order to see people saved, i.e., multiply His family. When this happens with great momentum and a large number of people coming to Christ, we refer to it as revival. In Matthew’s commission, Christ instructed us to teach His commandments in order to disciple nations—that is, to steward/manage/govern the earth. When this occurs on a broad scale, we call it reformation. We have analyzed the differences involved in these assignments.
And Now for Today
The Charismatic and Jesus People movements of the late 1960s through the early 80s saw millions of people in America and tens of millions around the world come to Christ. It was a wonderful example of Christ’s commission in Mark 16:15-20 occurring with great momentum, truly a significant revival. However, there was a deficient understanding of our calling to fulfill His commission of discipling nations in Matthew 28:18-20. For the most part, the minimal awareness of discipling that existed was limited to discipling individuals who came to Christ, rather than also discipling nations, societies, and cultures.
Discipling nations involves teaching, modeling, and implementing God’s ways in all spheres of society, including family, religion, government, business, education, arts/entertainment, and media. It is NOT dictating or forcing God’s laws upon people and nations, as we are accused of by some who misrepresent our words, but rather teaching and modeling His ways and principles in every sector of society. Salvation, the new birth, opens the human heart and will to being discipled, which is why revival must occur first. When a person is born again, Holy Spirit writes God’s laws in their heart (Hebrews 8:10), making them hungry for His Word and truth. Also, their conscience becomes alive, active, and desirous of pleasing God (Hebrews 9:14). When a nation experiences significant revival, the portion of the populace affected by it does not have to be forced to obey God’s laws and walk in His ways; they desire to do His will, obeying Him (Psalm 40:8). New believers must be taught these ways, however - retrained - as must their children. If this training and discipling do not occur, satan attempts - and often succeeds - in counteracting a revival by infusing wrong thinking, ideas, and philosophies, etc., into the culture.
As we stated, during the Jesus People/Charismatic movements of the ‘70s, Christians concerned themselves only with Mark 16. In an incredibly oxymoronic turn of events, while millions of people were coming to Christ, humanists, secularists, and atheists were busy doing their version of Matthew 28. We saved individuals; they discipled a nation. We preached the gospel; unbelievers taught dogmas and doctrines. We went to church once a week; they indoctrinated us in our schools and universities five days a week. We enjoyed our new, small niche of Christian TV; they made hundreds of movies and programs, increasing their hold on the industry. We sang and worshipped at church; they took over the airwaves and discipled a generation 24/7 with their music. We created a few radio and TV stations; they captured technology, developed social media, and dominated the communication platforms. The results: America experienced one of the greatest revivals in history…AND LOST THE NEXT GENERATION TO DEMONIC INFLUENCE!
This is almost incomprehensible! The irony is beyond belief, the tragedy beyond words. But it happened.
Adding to the devastation, the generation discipled by humanists, secularists, and atheists has been in charge of our nation for years - governing, teaching, entertaining, etc. AND, they have been grooming the next generation, our kids. Sadly, today, social media and the entertainment industry have a far greater influence on the minds of our children than parents. This is the fruit of revival (Mark 16) without reformation (Matthew 28). And it’s how you lose a nation.
Had the church obeyed the commission of Matthew 28:18-20, we would not have lost 60 million babies to abortion. Our children would not be confused as to their gender, some going so far as to mutilate their bodies. And marriage would still be a sacred covenant between one man and one woman as the law of the land.
Had we obeyed this commission, we would not have an anti-law enforcement movement, cities burning, thousands of criminals roaming our streets, socialists in high positions of government, antichrist religions ruling entire regions of America, and an element of our nation calling for the eradication of Jews. We would not have 42 million Americans on food stamps, and millions of Americans who can’t read, write, or do basic math. We would not have had a senile president controlled by a shadow government, and 20 million illegals in our nation, many of whom are supported with our taxpayer dollars. America would not be $37 trillion in debt.
We would not have a lukewarm church, half of whom don’t believe in a literal Holy Spirit, the virgin birth, or the inerrancy of the Word of God.
We must not make this mistake again. There is another powerful outpouring of Holy Spirit beginning that will produce an even greater revival than the charismatic and Jesus People movements. In this outpouring, the body of Christ, His Ekklesia, must accomplish both commissions. If we do so, it will reverse these failures and produce the greatest transformation of nations in earth’s history.
Pray with me:
Father, You created Your family in Genesis 1, assigning them the responsibility of multiplying the family, and commissioning them to manage their home, planet earth. Although this was temporarily stalled, Your plan has been revived. Jesus restored it, and said He would build an Ekklesia, a governing family, the gates/government of hell would not be able to overcome. Then He recommissioned them to multiply Your family and steward the earth for You. We embrace these commissions!
We see this two-fold plan of Christ’s gaining momentum. His bride is growing in numbers, and the Ekklesia’s revelation of its authority is also growing. Release another wind that increases this growth even more. Cause the greatest season of revival and reformation in earth’s history to occur - Mark 16 and Matthew 28 simultaneously. Release the greatest wind of evangelism the world has ever experienced, and fully reveal Christ among the nations.
Encourage Your people, Father, after Tuesday’s election results. Allow no “hope deferred” to overtake them, especially the intercessors (Proverbs 13:12). Help them to remain anchored in their faith and to focus on Christ as the Author and Finisher of this faith (Hebrews 12:2). We will not grow weary or lose heart - we will persevere (Galatians 6:9).
We love You, Father, and pray these things in the name of Your glorious Son, Jesus. Amen.
Our decree:
We decree that the two Great Commissions of Christ WILL be fulfilled by His family and co-laborers, the church.
Previous posts in this series:
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