Revival Week 5
Jesus makes an extraordinary statement in John 14:12: those who believe in Him will do the works He has been doing, and even greater works than these. That challenges us to examine the limits we have placed on our own faith. A revival of faith requires us to move beyond what we believe is possible and begin trusting God for what only He can do.
Paul calls us in Ephesians 4:1 to “walk worthy” of the calling we have received. Then, in Ephesians 3:20, he reminds us that God “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.” If we only attempt what we know we can accomplish ourselves, very little faith is required. Revived faith begins when we step beyond our own ability and depend upon God's ability.
One of the dangers in the Christian life is becoming satisfied with where we are. Some people are not full in church; they are simply content. We become comfortable with attending, listening, and maintaining our routines without allowing God to stretch us. But faith was never intended to remain comfortable. Faith moves. Faith acts. Faith serves.
We cannot experience a revival of faith while refusing to move when God calls us forward. In many cases, people stop growing at the last place they told God “no.” God may be calling us to serve, give, forgive, witness, lead, change, or step into something unfamiliar. When we continually refuse His direction, our spiritual growth can become stalled at that point of resistance.
Four Things That Can Interfere With a Revival of Faith
1) A wrong view of ourselves.
We may believe we are incapable, unqualified, too weak, or that God could never use us in a significant way. Faith recognizes our limitations without allowing those limitations to become God's limitations.
2) A wrong view of other people.
We may decide that someone cannot change, cannot be reached, cannot be forgiven, or could never be used by God. Faith refuses to put permanent labels on people whom God is still working on.
3) A wrong view of God.
Sometimes we say we believe God can do anything while living as though He can only do what seems reasonable to us. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that God's ability extends far beyond what we can ask, imagine, or accomplish ourselves.
4) A wrong view of faith. Faith is more than agreeing with biblical truth or remembering miracles of the past. It is trusting God enough now to act upon what we believe.
If we truly desire a revival of faith, we need more than a moment of inspiration. We need a plan for action.
It is possible to be inspired by what God has done. We can become fascinated by what God might do. But revival occurs when we move into participation in what God is doing.
The question is not simply, “What could God do?” The question becomes, “What is God asking me to do?”
That may mean serving somewhere we have never served, speaking to someone we normally would not approach, giving when it requires sacrifice, praying for something that seems impossible, or stepping into a ministry or responsibility that feels beyond our ability.
Revived faith means having faith in God regardless of what we presently see. Circumstances do not determine God's ability. The absence of immediate results does not mean God is absent.
Seek God, and you will find Him. Trust God, and trust the process of faith.
John 14:12 challenges us to believe that God still intends to work through His people. Ephesians 3:20 reminds us that His power is greater than our imagination. Ephesians 4:1 calls us to get up and walk according to that calling.
A revival of faith begins when we stop asking only, “What can I do?” and begin asking, “What can God do through me if I completely trust Him?”
Have faith in God. Step beyond what is comfortable. Obey when He calls. Trust Him when you cannot see the outcome. Allow God to do through your life what you could never accomplish on your own.