In preparation for the Revival Conference

I know this is a long time away but I was thinking that it would be cool (I'm not sure if cool is the right word but you get the idea) if we not only prayed before the conference but held a fast, a two or three day fast in the days before the conference. God shows Himself in amazing ways when I fast and it seems he speaks more clearly. I think it would be honoring to God to really set our minds and hearts on him to be prepared to hear his voice and come into his presence by spending the few days beforehand praying and fasting. So I call a sermonindex-wide fast! Who's with me?

I also think it would be really cool (there's that word again lol) to clean house. My friend Charlene and I have started a new tradition, going through our belongings and gathering anything that we feel doesn't honor God so that we can come together and burn it. Clothing, pictures, DVDs, CDs, you name it. You know how amazing it would be for us to all gather together and do this like was done with the early believers??? I'm not saying we'd have to all meet together but wow that would be wonderful if we could!!! Let me know what you guys think.

God bless you all... I really want revival to come to America.

Laura.

Okay, so God's given me an even bigger vision for this. Let me continue :) If we Christains can't destroy our own idols how do we expect America to change? How do we expect America to be a holy nation? How on earth will America come back to God if God's people are holding back and clinging to the world?

I guess that just about nothing could be more beautiful to me than to see Christians becoming holy, to come together and trash their tvs. If you walk into almost any home the furniture faces what? The tv. People spend countless hours in front of this box taking in the pleasures of the world. This is one of America's greatest idols. And we Christians have taken that same idol and placed it in our homes. Has it not also become a snare to us? Has it not brought evil into our homes? Has it not became a snare and a thorn in our sides? The Israelites were warned not to allow the culture of the world and their idols to enter their lives because it would be a snare to their worship of God. Has this not happened in America? How refreshing it would be to see Americans rid themselves of this idol, to see women rid themselves of revealing swimsuits and bikinis and all sorts of clothing that is not modest. How wonderful to see Christians throwing their dvds away because they blaspheme the name of God, use violence as a form of entertainment and promote immorality. I want to see Christians set apart, I want to be one of those Christians, and I hope that others will take the steps necessary to tear down the Baals that America worships. And its no good to just talk about it. Let's DO IT. Let's BE HOLY. The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. If we want revival in America we have to set an example do we not? If we aren't holy how do we expect a godless culture to want what is good and righteous and holy? Let's clean house and come with clean hands and clean hearts as we seek God for revival in America.

Have read both of your posts.

It is an excellent idea to fast in preparation for the conference. We should fast anyway, but I get your point.

As it is, I won't be able to go to the conference
but I hope to see it online.

And, t.v is an idol, which is why we can't give it up.

People would give up God before they give up t.v.

I've seen that happen.

I remember a good few years ago, I went to a Sunday evening service and there were less than 40 people there from a congregation of nearly 200.

Next day, I saw someone who asked where was everyone. I said to him that they had stayed home to watch that programme on t.v.

He was dumbstruck with shock.

Maybe we can try to justify what they did, but for someone who professes Christ to do such a thing speaks for itself.

But God does hear and answer prayer, so revival is on the way.

God bless.

God hears the prayers of the righteous, prayers that are uttered by those whose hearts worship other idols are not very effective. Maybe revival is coming, but it seems more likely that persecution may come instead... even catastrophe and destruction to wake us up.

btw Enid... even if you aren't going you could still fast with us! ;-) I know we should fast and pray anyway but it would be nice to make it a corporate thing just like with the prayer for this event, plus then we can hold eachother accountable to it as well.

You know what, I did plan to fast, just didn't want to make it public.

God is good.

God bless.

Thanks for sharing the work God is doing in your heart. Very encouraging!

I think what you shared is an important step to revival (cleaning house, rid of idols we have accumulated over the years thru our backsliding) before gathering with the saints in prayer at the conference. Yes, a corporate fast is needed too.

I think this preparation will also help the saints to come to this conference with a serious heart toward God and brethren, and not expected to be fed in the head, but taking the teachings down to the heart causing radical change, coming together with a unified/purity of heart and cleaness of hand, in humility seeing our desperate need for God to come down and pour out His Spirit.

Its interesting you talked about cleaning house. My husband and I did another clean house not too long ago. This is the third time we clean house, but only this time there was no idols we had to rid of or anything wicked, but God just caused us more to be so inlove with Him that we just wanted to get rid of everything that we didn't need. So we got rid of everything that was collecting dust. Almost everything collects dust, right? We sold it and use the money toward God's ministry he gave us towards the poor and outcast.

After doing that, I felt good and free! You come to where you love God so much that you really want to sell everything and you really don't care for stuff at all! Its not like I was force to sell these things that wasn't really an offense to God, but I willingly wanted to give up everything for Him because I love Him sooooooo much!!!

God bless you, sister and thanks for encourging the body toward His way.

well now that you've made it public Enid I can hold you accountable ;-)

Thank you for your reply myfirstlove and for sharing your experience in cleaning house. It's very encouraging that others are doing this too! I've got a lot of stuff collecting dust as well, that will eventually go too I think... hehe, right now God is still working on me and my wardrobe :-)

Again, thank you for sharing your story! God bless you!

Let's be holy as He is holy! :-D

Thank you for posting the thread, Peacecraft. You express a deep-felt burden for righteousness.

I guess that just about nothing could be more beautiful to me than to see Christians becoming holy, to come together and trash their tvs.

You are right though, we do need to clean out the idols, because they are a hindrance to God’s blessings. And each of us has our own little “nest” of idols - most likely ones we don’t even know about. Of course, absolutely anything can be an idol to us. It is in our hearts where something/anything/anyone can become an idol.

I have been learning from personal experience (usually the hard way) that among the most difficult idols to recognize and surrender is the idol of man, namely, “self”. Self-rule, self-right-ness - these most coveted idols. We want revival, but we still want to be “in charge” and to maintain the "fact" that we are right. And we defend our "rights" with tooth and nail. We want things to move in the direction of our preconceived expectations, and we want to ‘help’ God make that happen.

Prying our fingers off of God’s project is one of the most stenuous processes of revival. That’s what makes revival praying so dangerous. It hurts! And also, for any stubborn-old souls like me, revival is a long process. It seems to take several divine run-throughs before I “get it”. I admit, there has been and still are lots of strongholds to uproot. But, I trust, I am learning to recognize Holy Spirit conviction more and more.

Even revival can become an idol. A pastor once shared for me that revival had become an idol to him. He wanted it more than God. So God let the vision die in his heart – for a season.

I remember once hearing that we can’t pray through for something/one/ones until we ourselves have victory in that area. I guess that’s why God has so often pointed my fingers back at me, when I was pointing at their sin. For sure, God has amazing ways of changing the direction of our prayers when we pray in the Spirit.

But, I say, Let’s go for it, no matter what the cost! Let God have his way!

Diane

Hi Diane

Of course, for me to trash the TV would be a sin. For one thing, I don’t have full possession of it. Also, the TV is not an idol for me.

I think you're correct in saying that the tv is not an idol for everyone, however even if you are watching something good the commercials can be very dishonoring to God and sometimes we allow that filth to fill our homes through the tv. It can be used for good yes, but when tuned into a station run by the world you are allowing the world to influence you... even if its animal planet where they teach that evolution is true. We become susceptible to the very things that God tells us to have no part of. I even see movie theathers differently. I don't like going to them. It's like walking into a shrine where people gather to worship their idols. Not all movies are bad, and if we weren't watching movies I suppose we would be reading books or listening to story tellers because we are naturally creative and like stories. But media is getting to the point where evil is prevalent and goodness is boring. It's hard to find anything moral these days where sin is condemned instead of praised and uplifted.

Yes, anything can be an idol. Even revival. A few years ago I wanted God to give me a mission, a vision, something big to set before me that I could accomplish through his power. God basically said "No. Seek ME, honor ME, want ME... then, and only then will I give you a mission." God has given me one for prayer and its a pretty big vision! But before I teach anyone about prayer God is teaching me how to pray and to be holy and to get rid of idols and anything even suggestive of any love of the world or acceptance of the things it practices. It's a call to be separate. That's why I'm getting rid of my pants to wear skirts. I still have to go through my shirts... I've a feeling I'm going to have a very empty closet soon lol.

God is so good though. You know I keep thinking that if Christians would just take purity, repentance, holiness and righteousness seriously revival would happen... you know I think God would do so much and we would hardly even have to ask for it. I think God really really really wants to bless us by pouring out his spirit but we show how much we don't want it by choosing the world instead of him. I just feel that if Christians prayed for holiness and took action, revival would come as a result.

But, I say, Let’s go for it, no matter what the cost! Let God have his way!

Amen! Let God have his way! :)

Also...
I look forward to hearing more from you Greg!!

Laura.

Awaken the Dead

God can accomplish so much through a heart and life that truly desires Him, and only Him.

As much as we can see how things are in the world, and sadly, in the church, we have to see to it that we do not grieve God with our hearts, words and conduct.

Eph 4v30, 'And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

We know God is not pleased with us when we idolise the t.v, but, there are other idols in our lives, whether we know it or not.

The 'idol' of pride is and enemy we need to get rid of.

I'm not going to give a long list, but you get the idea.

Instead of going to the conference to pray for revival, go to the conference revived and see revival.

I know we can't engineer when God will move, but we can prepare for what God wants.

And to General Peacecraft, I will particpate in the fast when it is called, and I hope you will too!

Thanks for the thread.

God bless.

I like the idea or prompting one another toward consecration in preparation for the Revival Conference. I suppose that this should be something we do daily as we meet with God in prayer -- and not just in anticipation for a specific meeting with other believers. Nonetheless, I don't see anything wrong with corporate consecration in preparation for a desired move of God!

However, it is a good idea to be nonspecific when writing about consecration. We are all at different points of our spiritual growth. For some, the television may be an "idol" in which we "sacrifice" our time on a daily basis. On the other hand, the internet can be just as (or even MORE) diabolic concerning our time and thoughts as the television.

I pray that our consecration will be moved by our desire to draw closer to our Lord, rather than by the means of holiness as defined by others at different stages (or opinions) of their spiritual growth.

However, I hope to fast with my wife in preparation for the conference. Two of my wife's siblings will also be attending, and we hope to encourage them to join us in a dedicated fast.

:-)

God is so good though. You know I keep thinking that if Christians would just take purity, repentance, holiness and righteousness seriously revival would happen

Amen!

some of the reasons some aren't having revival in their own life now is because they have to know the greek, hebrew meaning of the commands, try to figure out the deeper meaning of the simple gospel, they are people who are filled with what if's or this can mean something different for someone else, or I need to really have a deeper understanding of this command, I need to learn more before I can obey it......Oh Lord, have mercy.

Always learning, but never come to understanding because of disobedience. Deep understanding that Paul says he could not share with carnal christians come thru obedience which many have not received because they are not obeying the light (knowledge) they know now, and then they expect to understand deeper mysterys and the book of revelation when Daniel had to fast for 3 weeks to understand one future dream and when he did understand it he prayed for his people! He surely did not feed it to his head! God have mercy!

Too much hearers, and very few doers.

We're talking about the destruction and sin of America, bickering about doctrine while many are headed for the slaughter, complaining about the harlot church, when many should instead be weeping at their half hearted devotion to God!

If many know they are not revived then they have no room to talk about these things. With the measure you use on others it will be measured back to you! And How you judge others you will be judged in the same way!

Now, why do we need revival?

God basically said "No. Seek ME, honor ME, want ME... then, and only then will I give you a mission." God has given me one for prayer and its a pretty big vision! But before I teach anyone about prayer God is teaching me how to pray and to be holy and to get rid of idols and anything even suggestive of any love of the world or acceptance of the things it practices. It's a call to be separate.

Seek ME, honor ME, want ME..
What does that look like in our lives, when we do this?

you are right on! It is only when
we WANT God will we see His power in America and in our lives.
The question I have is how bad do we want God?
May He give us hearts that cry out, Save this Nation, Save it we beg you LOrd
I pray we will not stop crying weeping until He comes.
How bad do we want God to change this Nation?
I heard a man last night speak about how America is hurting all the other nations, because of Media.
And 45 million badies have been killed. How can we not weep when we hear how wicked our nation is. WE NEED GOD NOW!!
My heart was heavy for God's people to start praying like we have never prayed before. Let us start NOW!
There are three things God showed me last night to about pray. 1) we need to be hungery for God.
what does that mean to us? what does that look like in our lives? When we are hungery we will seek Him and make time for Him. 2) We are willing give up things, time, even our loved ones to pray. Why? we know NEED Him now!!we can't do this alone, we need God. 3) we have to have a big vision, pray for more faith.Knowing GOd can change America. God can turn us back. I think He wants to start with a few, and work out. And I think that few can be us. So Let us pray.

In his LOve
Charlene

We're talking about the destruction and sin of America, bickering about doctrine while many are headed for the slaughter, complaining about the harlot church, when many should instead be weeping at their half hearted devotion to God!

Yes! Yes! Yes! This could not be more true. It grieves my heart when we as Christians can't have unity in what really matters. Our nation is headed for destruction, charging faster and faster with its lusts of the world. Revival starts in each of our individual hearts. Let's not wait any longer to obey what we know He is speaking to our hearts. For me... it's that set of DVDs I have sitting in my room. I keep thinking about it... its still sitting there, I keep making excuses for it, but no longer. Hold me accountable to my words that it is God's, not mine and I'm getting rid of it. yay! :-D

And to General Peacecraft, I will particpate in the fast when it is called, and I hope you will too!

Yay! You bet I will too! That makes two of us so far! This is exciting isn't it?!? :-D