Cultural Christianity and Revival

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." Romans 12:2

If you've spent any time at all seeking after God then you know that Cultural Christianity isn't really Christianity at all.  It is simply generation after generation of people passing down their own feel-good practices of selling golden tickets to heaven by whatever feel-good practices they choose.  Think about some of the simpler things you've learned, such as "the lion will lay with the lamb" in heaven according to Scripture.  Do you know that this is not anywhere in the Holy Bible?  Yet, we repeat it as though it is gospel.  There are even paintings and sculptures depicting the quote.

The errant teachings get much greater, and lest I act as though I am a theologian or authority, I am not.  I am a seeker and follower of Jesus, longing to know Him more.  The more I seek Him, the more He reveals to me the sin in my own life, the repentance required, and the generational strongholds of evil in and among us all.

Those who follow after darkness are very strategic about the manner in which they wage war against the followers of Jesus, Christians.  It is time that we, as Christians, become strategic in our defense of the faith and regain the ground we have lost to the enemy.

This starts with humility.  2 Samuel 22:28 says, "You save a humble people, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down."

We must repent of every single sin we know of in our lives.  There are no pet sins allowed.  Trust me when I tell you that once you begin to really do this, God will continue to show you more and more and more areas of sin in your life—things which must be forsaken if we are to truly serve Him.  Ezekiel 18:30 says, "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin."  

We must purify our lives.  Jesus is serious about sin!  James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."

Are you, am I double-minded?  Yes, we are.

In Matthew 18:9, Jesus tells us, "And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire."  Jesus wasn't joking when He wrote these words!  Yet, we are so insensitive and comfortable in our own sin (I am including myself!) that we become dismissive of Jesus' words, or we focus on passages of Scripture more comfortable for us.  

Next, we must be truly delighted to trust and obey our God.  Psalms 37:4-6 promises, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.  He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday."

Are we truly delighted to worship and obey?  Or, do we see it as a burden to do the will of the Father?

It is only after we do these things that we will be ready to engage in warfare.  Only then will we be prepared for the spiritual battle required for revival—revival we so desperately needed across the globe.

Are you willing?

Goodnight, Runners.