Revival
Understanding The Rebirth
    In counseling, this is generally one of the first topics that I cover.  First, revival can not come to someone who has not first received the LIFE that is Christ. Revival literally means to "make alive again".   Second, the individual must understand that the New Life is not based upon his/her works but the work of God in Christ.  Third, the individual must understand that the works occurs first in the spirit of the individual and not the soul.  Fourth, the individual must understand that since the rebirth is the work of God, that it is eternal in nature.  It is of such quality that is everlasting.  Fifth, the individual needs to understand that is is only by the grace of God that he/she can live the Christian life.

    I would highly suggest that anyone who is interested in Revival, first walk thought the little booklet "Find Life, Purpose, and Joy".  Please take your time and allow God to speak to you through the Word and the illustrations.
The Seed (simple Scriptural outline).
    John 12:24-25   "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.   He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal."

We are like a seed in that we also have three parts: spirit, soul, and body.


1. All have sinned.
Romans 3:10   "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:"  Romans 3:23  "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"

We need to understand that we have all disobeyed God.  The term for "sin" in the New Testament means "to miss the mark".  We may try to please God, but we miss our target.


2. The penalty for sin is death.

Romans 5:12  "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" (Genesis   2:17  "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.")  Romans 6:23  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The consequence for sin is death in the spirit-man.  Like a dead seed, without a miracle we can not have life or be reproductive.


3. Jesus paid the penalty for our sin.

Romans 5:8   "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Isaiah 53:6  "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

When Jesus died upon the cross, he took all our sins upon himself, thus accepting the full penalty for our sin.  The wrath of God was poured out upon Jesus. He died and spent three days in hell before he was resurrected.


4. We must accept Jesus (make a faith commitment) as our Lord and Saviour.

Romans 10:9-10  "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

This is more than just an intellectual assent to historical facts.  To receive Jesus, we must receive him as our Lord (ruler, king, boss) and saviour.

QUESTION: Have you ever at any time in your life given your life to Jesus allowing Him to become your Lord and Saviour?


5. Jesus gives us eternal life.

John 10:28-29   "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.   My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

Receiving eternal life is a one-time experience with lasting results.  Eternal life is of such quality that it lasts forever.


6. We need to distinguish between the soul and spirit.

Hebrews 4:12  "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

We need to understand there is a sharp distinction between the soul and the spirit. When we receive Jesus, we are made alive in the spirit-man.  However, the saving of the soul is a daily process.


7. We need to understand that the new man (creation) is not capable of being corrupted.

I Peter 1:23  "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."

Even though a Believer chooses in his soul (mind, will, emotions) to sin, he does not corrupt the spirit-man.  The Spirit of God lives and abides in the spirit-man for ever.


8. Jesus not only wants to live inside of us, He want to live as Lord where we live (the soul).  (Note: distinction between relationship and fellowship).

Revelation 3:20  "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."

What door is Jesus knocking on?  Since the spirit of Jesus lives with the spirit of the Believer, Jesus is knocking on the inside of the soul.  Jesus want to live where we live.  He want to be Lord over our thoughts, our decisions, and our emotions.


9. Jesus not only wants to live inside of us and to live where we live, He wants us to be a channel for His life to flow through us that others might receive his life.

John 7:37-38  "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly (inner most being) shall flow rivers of living water."

We are not only to be filled with the LIFE of the Spirit, we are to be an overflowing channel that the LIFE may touch the lives of others.


    *** I plan to add a RealAudio file to this page in the future.

 
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