One practical thing to do is to go to the unreached with the Good News. We are commanded to make disciples; but it would appear te unreached are likely going to be the most receptive if indeed there is any large or medium scale repentance. Remember; Thessalonians warns that because people didn't LOVE the truth they believed the lie. Most have heard the Gospel; that doesn't mean we shouldn't share where we are; but those who haven't heard it may not have calloused their hearts as much as those who have.
As I've stated in other writings as well; there are those who have come out of the most grievous lifestyles of sin that have repented. They by and large are isolated and further discipleship especially among today's youth is needed. We need to be on our knees praying for this self destructive and suicidal generation that Satan is trying to take out; and that those who do come to faith will be equipped to reach others. Revival could still start in schools; despite the pressure of political correctness. The students themselves need a vision; with enough numbers I believe change could happen. Again; being as late in the game as it is; we should at least seek to reach individuals and of course spend much time in prayer.
I'm not sure how best to pray on these matters. I'm not trying to push my viewpoint that we shouldn't focus on prayer for revival. More prayer is needed; but focused on what the Spirit is revealing; and when we get to know God better hopefully His role as High Priest will help reveal things to us. We should DEFINITELY be open to those who are tested and proven faithful that do NOT say things most of the crowd want to hear. We need to consider how the Prophets of old were treated by their own; certainly different than much of today's so called Prophets and Apostles who never seem to suffer persecution. I recommend Ray Comfort as one good example today of a selfless preacher who has been willing to be persecuted.
Prophesy is unfolding rapidly, it never stopped and can be identified. Acquaint yourself with the prophets, what Jesus says in Matthew 24 and Luke 17. The prophets were shown our future, and this coming sixth trumpet, day of the Lord, scared them deeply, Ezekiel 21:7, Isaiah 13:8-9.
Christian's aren't scared because they weren't taught the proper tenants of the Bible, they think God will unconditionally protect them, no matter how badly their elected leaders behave. Will America will always sit a queen? Isaiah 47:7-11
The Bible is limited in its 1-4 trumpet descriptions. It is the last 3 end-time trumpets, 5, 6 & 7, that matter for this "last generation" (according to the signs). Half of Revelation 9 is dedicated to the fifth trumpet, the other half to the sixth trumpet. The sixth trumpet army smashes the fifth trumpet army to dust!!! Esau smashes Jacob, Obadiah 1. The king of the north smashes the king of the south, Daniel 11:40. The sixth trumpet is about one third of end-time prophesy; there's much written about it, enough for you to see prophesy unfolding in our time. Not many see what they read, let alone admit God is against backsliding America, Ezekiel 21:12.
Here's a big prophesy come to light in our time, but I don't expect it to fit in someone else's narrative:
Revelation 9:1-11 was 9-11-01, America is the fifth trumpet army, running a 20 year war on terror.
Revelation 9:4 America killed those men who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads (Muslims), and were told not to harm any green tree, and nothing green grows in the desert.
Revelation 9:6 The Muslims who were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison were seeking death, and couldn't find it.
Some thoughts of mine about revival and preaching the gospel in these last days.
Firstly I think God will trust in and use churches that are near to the Truth and live in their lives what they preach. I say Truth because there are so many different beliefs between us christians, varrying from little to too much. Again we read the same gospel but somehow we end up with different conclusions.
In the early days God used primarily miracles to make people believe. Not everyone who saw miracles believed but the real sheep did believe. Nowadays these things do not happen, at least not in the degree that occured at that time. But if ancient people who had a limited knowledge about everything and who were relatively easy to convince and easily believed in any "fairy tale" they were hearing, were in a need to "see" things happening, how about modern people who have so much knowledge and are not at all easy to persuade? Don't we need the guidance and power of the Holly Spirit to preach the gospel to the world? Don't we need people who have the gift of miracles and healing? People like Peter and Paul who even their shadows and clothes were used by people to be healed? Assume Jesus and later the apostles didn't perform any miracle at all. Assume they preached the same preachings, lived the same lives but didn't do any miracle at all. Do you think many people would have believed? My opinion is no, not many.
I often think about that story in the Acts with Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus, ch 13. They meet Sergius Paulus, a wise, prudent man. But that prudent man had a servant who was a devil. Didn't Paulus understood that? No he didn't. But he was a wise man. Still he couldn't realize that that man next to him was a fake prophet, a devil. Similarly todays full of knowledge people have next to them theories, philoshophies, various beliefs and can not understand that they are fake. Paul preaches to him the gospel. The sorcerer tries to hinder Sergius from believing.
I try to put myself in Sergius' shoes. I imagine myself being between those two people and they both bring their arguments to me. They both seem right to me. Paul speaks under the power of the H.S. but Elymas is good in speaking too and I imagine he uses good and persuasive arguments. And although Paul speaks while being full in Spirit, Sergius can not understand who is right. They both seem to be right to him, he cannot make his mind up who is right. Similarly todays people listen to us but they also listen to all those wordly theories about the creation of the world, about ancient Gods and religions and can not make their mind up who is right or even worse they don't believe us, they think we are some sort of old fashioned fanatics. So who is right? Paul or Elymas? The christians or the "scientists"? "Fairy tales" about Eden and Adam and Eve and the apple or the "Big Bang theory" and similar theories? Who is right? The one that can prove that he is right. When Paul orders Elymas to get blind, it was then when Sergius' eyes opened and saw the truth. If Paul didn't do that miracle they could go on and on talking and talking without any result for ages and ages.
So I think dear brother we need God's power more than ever in these last days. People must "see" so to get freed from devil's trap. Fake science (of course not all science is fake) traps a lot of people in its nets. People grow up being told and tought false things and by the time they are grown people they have solid but wrong beliefs about many things in the world, like we come from sponges and monkeys and so on. Without the church performing miracles not that much will be gained. Few people here and there like it happens now. And all our prayers will be almost in vain. We need the power of the Holly Spirit to come to the church like it was in the begining, so that thousands and thousands of people will be saved like in Acts. This is what we should primarily praying for. My opinion.
This is an interesting conversation. What I would like to add is that God is still drawing people to Jesus by the Holy Spirit and empowering the Gospel of Christ unto the salvation of those given to Jesus by the Father. So, as we know that to the unregenerate, the Gospel is not what they want to listen to, they hate its message and Messenger, they despise the true things of God. But, because God is merciful and desires to redeem mankind through the Son, many are drawn to Jesus and, by grace, prepared to receive the Gospel and be saved. Hallelujah that God does not change and is always true to His Word and promises.
With this said, those of us who believe have been changed, we are new creations. The unsaved can detect this. Some will be repelled by us and others, whom God has chosen will be drawn to us and will answer to the call of God through the Gospel message. We need to pray for opportunities to share the gospel and for people to be sent to us to hear it. We especially should pray for those we know who still need to come to salvation in Jesus. We are part of their lives for this very purpose.
One practical thing to do is to go to the unreached with the Good News. We are commanded to make disciples; but it would appear te unreached are likely going to be the most receptive if indeed there is any large or medium scale repentance. Remember; Thessalonians warns that because people didn't LOVE the truth they believed the lie. Most have heard the Gospel; that doesn't mean we shouldn't share where we are; but those who haven't heard it may not have calloused their hearts as much as those who have.
As I've stated in other writings as well; there are those who have come out of the most grievous lifestyles of sin that have repented. They by and large are isolated and further discipleship especially among today's youth is needed. We need to be on our knees praying for this self destructive and suicidal generation that Satan is trying to take out; and that those who do come to faith will be equipped to reach others. Revival could still start in schools; despite the pressure of political correctness. The students themselves need a vision; with enough numbers I believe change could happen. Again; being as late in the game as it is; we should at least seek to reach individuals and of course spend much time in prayer.
I'm not sure how best to pray on these matters. I'm not trying to push my viewpoint that we shouldn't focus on prayer for revival. More prayer is needed; but focused on what the Spirit is revealing; and when we get to know God better hopefully His role as High Priest will help reveal things to us. We should DEFINITELY be open to those who are tested and proven faithful that do NOT say things most of the crowd want to hear. We need to consider how the Prophets of old were treated by their own; certainly different than much of today's so called Prophets and Apostles who never seem to suffer persecution. I recommend Ray Comfort as one good example today of a selfless preacher who has been willing to be persecuted.
Prophesy is unfolding rapidly, it never stopped and can be identified. Acquaint yourself with the prophets, what Jesus says in Matthew 24 and Luke 17. The prophets were shown our future, and this coming sixth trumpet, day of the Lord, scared them deeply, Ezekiel 21:7, Isaiah 13:8-9.
Christian's aren't scared because they weren't taught the proper tenants of the Bible, they think God will unconditionally protect them, no matter how badly their elected leaders behave. Will America will always sit a queen? Isaiah 47:7-11
The Bible is limited in its 1-4 trumpet descriptions. It is the last 3 end-time trumpets, 5, 6 & 7, that matter for this "last generation" (according to the signs). Half of Revelation 9 is dedicated to the fifth trumpet, the other half to the sixth trumpet. The sixth trumpet army smashes the fifth trumpet army to dust!!! Esau smashes Jacob, Obadiah 1. The king of the north smashes the king of the south, Daniel 11:40. The sixth trumpet is about one third of end-time prophesy; there's much written about it, enough for you to see prophesy unfolding in our time. Not many see what they read, let alone admit God is against backsliding America, Ezekiel 21:12.
Here's a big prophesy come to light in our time, but I don't expect it to fit in someone else's narrative:
Revelation 9:1-11 was 9-11-01, America is the fifth trumpet army, running a 20 year war on terror.
Revelation 9:4 America killed those men who did not have the seal of God in their foreheads (Muslims), and were told not to harm any green tree, and nothing green grows in the desert.
Revelation 9:6 The Muslims who were tortured at Abu Ghraib prison were seeking death, and couldn't find it.
Hello Richard
Some thoughts of mine about revival and preaching the gospel in these last days.
Firstly I think God will trust in and use churches that are near to the Truth and live in their lives what they preach. I say Truth because there are so many different beliefs between us christians, varrying from little to too much. Again we read the same gospel but somehow we end up with different conclusions.
In the early days God used primarily miracles to make people believe. Not everyone who saw miracles believed but the real sheep did believe. Nowadays these things do not happen, at least not in the degree that occured at that time. But if ancient people who had a limited knowledge about everything and who were relatively easy to convince and easily believed in any "fairy tale" they were hearing, were in a need to "see" things happening, how about modern people who have so much knowledge and are not at all easy to persuade? Don't we need the guidance and power of the Holly Spirit to preach the gospel to the world? Don't we need people who have the gift of miracles and healing? People like Peter and Paul who even their shadows and clothes were used by people to be healed? Assume Jesus and later the apostles didn't perform any miracle at all. Assume they preached the same preachings, lived the same lives but didn't do any miracle at all. Do you think many people would have believed? My opinion is no, not many.
I often think about that story in the Acts with Paul and Barnabas in Cyprus, ch 13. They meet Sergius Paulus, a wise, prudent man. But that prudent man had a servant who was a devil. Didn't Paulus understood that? No he didn't. But he was a wise man. Still he couldn't realize that that man next to him was a fake prophet, a devil. Similarly todays full of knowledge people have next to them theories, philoshophies, various beliefs and can not understand that they are fake. Paul preaches to him the gospel. The sorcerer tries to hinder Sergius from believing.
Richard
I try to put myself in Sergius' shoes. I imagine myself being between those two people and they both bring their arguments to me. They both seem right to me. Paul speaks under the power of the H.S. but Elymas is good in speaking too and I imagine he uses good and persuasive arguments. And although Paul speaks while being full in Spirit, Sergius can not understand who is right. They both seem to be right to him, he cannot make his mind up who is right. Similarly todays people listen to us but they also listen to all those wordly theories about the creation of the world, about ancient Gods and religions and can not make their mind up who is right or even worse they don't believe us, they think we are some sort of old fashioned fanatics. So who is right? Paul or Elymas? The christians or the "scientists"? "Fairy tales" about Eden and Adam and Eve and the apple or the "Big Bang theory" and similar theories? Who is right? The one that can prove that he is right. When Paul orders Elymas to get blind, it was then when Sergius' eyes opened and saw the truth. If Paul didn't do that miracle they could go on and on talking and talking without any result for ages and ages.
So I think dear brother we need God's power more than ever in these last days. People must "see" so to get freed from devil's trap. Fake science (of course not all science is fake) traps a lot of people in its nets. People grow up being told and tought false things and by the time they are grown people they have solid but wrong beliefs about many things in the world, like we come from sponges and monkeys and so on. Without the church performing miracles not that much will be gained. Few people here and there like it happens now. And all our prayers will be almost in vain. We need the power of the Holly Spirit to come to the church like it was in the begining, so that thousands and thousands of people will be saved like in Acts. This is what we should primarily praying for. My opinion.
GBU
This is an interesting conversation. What I would like to add is that God is still drawing people to Jesus by the Holy Spirit and empowering the Gospel of Christ unto the salvation of those given to Jesus by the Father. So, as we know that to the unregenerate, the Gospel is not what they want to listen to, they hate its message and Messenger, they despise the true things of God. But, because God is merciful and desires to redeem mankind through the Son, many are drawn to Jesus and, by grace, prepared to receive the Gospel and be saved. Hallelujah that God does not change and is always true to His Word and promises.
With this said, those of us who believe have been changed, we are new creations. The unsaved can detect this. Some will be repelled by us and others, whom God has chosen will be drawn to us and will answer to the call of God through the Gospel message. We need to pray for opportunities to share the gospel and for people to be sent to us to hear it. We especially should pray for those we know who still need to come to salvation in Jesus. We are part of their lives for this very purpose.
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