BREAKING THE MYTHS OF REVIVAL
By: Teri Crandall
Acts 2: 14, 14-18
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
2. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
14. Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say, 15. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16. No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17."In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Now turn with me to Joel 2: 28, 29
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, Your sons and daughters, will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams. your young men will see visions. 29. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
A. I want to talk about revival and women in revival and breaking myths
1. I am Not that wild about word revival
a. It sounds like reviving something that is dead, and this is not a good picture of church.
B. I want to talk about women’s roles in the church body.
1. This can mean revival in us personally too
C. Myth #1 - This isn’t the last days, or we are just in the last days or latter days.
1. Compare Acts and Joel, the last days spoken about is day of Pentecost in Acts
2. There is alots of teaching that latter days means a time in future not that particular time, I believe this meant day of Pentecost.
a. This is important because we could still be "waiting" for the last days, when we’ve actually been in them since Pentecost.
3. I think God is "waiting" on us, not the other way around, to do something with what we’ve already been given.
4. He’s given us the command - Mark 16: 15-18
15. He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good
news to all creation. 16. Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned, 17. and these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
5. This is the Lord’s command, not mine
6. He has already given us the command, already given us the gift in Acts.
D. Myth #2 - God only moves at certain times, and certain days. God only moves on Sunday, Wednesday. He doesn’t move on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays unless we are having a revival.
1. Isn’t this our thinking? We put God in a box.
2. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
a. Why don’t we let Him out of the box and see what He wants to do today.
E. Myth #3 - Hey, God only moves in Pensacola or similar places because they are more spiritual than us.
1. There is a Mentality - Those at Pensacola are at some super-spiritual status that we can’t achieve so surely he will not move in me here.
a. I fail too much, I’m unworthy.
People are the same world-over, no one is super-spiritual.
2. Its trusting God to do the supernatural, the miracle, not us
a. What brings about revival?
(1) Matthew 13:58 - And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith
(2) We need to know God wants to have revival, to use us as women to do His work, where is our faith
Mark 6: 5&6 He could not do any miracles there, except
lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them.
6. And He was amazed at their lack of faith.
(3) We need to change our attitude and believe He can and will if we will but have faith in him.
F. Myth #4 - this is nothing more than emotionalism
1. We should not fear the move of Holy Ghost but move with Him
a. 1 Thessalonians 5:19, Quench not the Spirit.
NIV version: Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.
*Be careful that in worrying about emotionalism we aren’t putting out the fire of God
b. There is always the feelings that we are taking a risk in letting God have His way. Are we?
1. Some well-meaning (or not) person could be in flesh and disrupt or think they are a prophet or try to cast devil out of someone who doesn’t have one.
c. Isn’t it worth the risk, consider what Lord could be doing in our midst.
d. "I’d rather have a wildfire than no fire"
e. We are emotional when we are touched by God, it is not possible to be touched by Holy Spirit and emotions not touched.
G. Myth # 5 - God only moves in the church when the evangelist comes to do miracles.
1. I am always wondering where it says it scripture that God only moves in miracles through evangelists? Or wait for evangelist to come.
a.This is not a slam on evangelists they have a very good purpose in the church the word declares it.
b. I want to reread Acts 2:17, In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, Your sons and daughters will prophesy
c. Are we telling ourselves, when evangelist leaves, say good bye to the Holy Spirit, see you somwtime next year, I can’t get excited until you come back.
H. We are so close to real move of God and yet so far away because of myths and unbelief in God’s ability to use us now.
A. We need to know that as women we are anointed, and the Lord does want to use us.
1. As women we can be real ministers of God
a. And we can be Spirit-led,possibly to pray for someone,or even used to encourage others.
b. As God’s people we are called to minister to people’s needs.
(1) People are hungry for a move of God and we should be on the cutting edge of what the Lord is doing.
2. We have to know we are anointed (especially you who are in ministry)
a. Know that God will meet us at that point of ministry.
(1)The Lord will always be there ( at altar) during ministry times.
(2) Anointing He places on us doesn’t fail - 0% failure rate
b. He expects us to step out faith
(1) The Holy Spirit only gives me one word or thought not whole thing ahead of time.
c. I think we as women hold back from how God might want to use us, especially those whose spouse may be in ministry.
(1) This is not about overshadowing our spouse but coming to what the Lord’s full potential for us is.
I. Only hindrances to move of God is our motives and unbelief
1. Do we want revival for glory of God and for souls or because we want to be someone.
2. Unbelief - could mean not believing God will use us or we could be stuck in the past, not moving with what the Lord is doing now.
We are not "independent agents" out to do our own thing.
The Lord has called us to order and being led by the Spirit isn’t the same thing as telling the Pastor how to run the church or becoming busybodies.
It is a heavenly command for us to be about God’s business.
To have meekness of heart so that the love of God will be evident in our lives.
In closing, I believe God wants us as women to be full of the Holy Spirit, anointed, being fully equipped to do ministry in His name, to glorify God.
Read
Joel 2: 28, 29
And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people, Your sons and daughters, will prophesy, your old men
Invitation:
