O LORD, Revive Thy Work (IV)

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“But the LORD is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him. … O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, …” (Habakkuk 2:20, 3:2)

Jesus’ message to the church of Sardis was, “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” (Rev. 3:1-2) The word “revive” denote to make alive or to breathe life into (Biblically speaking). A church cannot make itself alive or breathe life into itself that is the business of God. There was a reason that the church was ready to die and the key is found in the words “for I have not found thy works perfect before God.” The word “perfect” in this passage implies to have fulfilled, performed, or accomplished. The church at Sardis had not lived up to its duties and responsibilities of performing and accomplishing the tasks laid out by the Lord – to make disciples, to immerse them, and to teach them to observe all thing commanded of them. This is a spiritual death sentence to any of the Lord’s churches. If they will not fulfill that for which they have been created, there is absolutely no reason for their existence.

If the Lord’s churches desire to remain alive and to have the breath of God in them, then they must plead with the life giver. Charles Spurgeon told the church in London, “we will cry to the Lord until He reveals His face again. … All we want is the Spirit of God. Dear Christian friends, go home and pray for it; give yourselves no rest till God reveals Himself; do not tarry where you are, do not be content to go on in your everlasting jog-trot as you have done; do not be content with the mere round of formalities. Awake, O Zion; awake, awake, awake! … The Lord send a blessing. He must send it, our hearts will break if He does not.”

If life depends upon God, then let there be a firm resolve to unleash a horde of endless prayers toward His heavenly throne. Let there be urgency in our pleading and in our insistence to have life and to have it more abundantly. How many years has it been since your church has experienced life? Set your faces toward the heavens and plead for its awakening!!! We must have it, Lord, we must!!!