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Topic: Community Revival - Ron McGatlin
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Posted: 10/16/2009 at 1:02pm
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Community Revival - Ron McGatlin
God is today bringing forth His presence in communities. Community means a group in common unity and may be a small or large group brought together in unity because of common interest. Today, any group of believers coming together as a unit apart from the multitude of persons and their many thoughts and beliefs into the single purpose of seeking God and His presence can receive a spiritual outpouring.
Jesus said, "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Mat 18:19-20)
The presence of God brings revival. God doesn't send revival;
He brings it.
There must be agreement among all present for the powerful presence of God to manifest in glory. The fullness of revival will not come to a group or a city or region until all are in one accord seeking God. It may be extremely difficult to get a large city of people to all come into unity in seeking God. But a group within the large city can separate themselves and become a community of believers in one accord and see revival within the borders of that group or faith community. For any community to experience full out revival, there must be a coming out from among the unfaithful and no longer having to do with their many thought patterns of doubt, unbelief, criticism, greed, lust, strife or their other gods.
2 Cor. 6:16-18: And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people."
Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."
A faith community in one accord can be empowered by the miracle working power of God through the Holy Spirit bringing forth the life and works of Christ. Many people may then be attracted by the supernatural workings of God and began to move toward Him. This can produce increasing revival flowing out from the original faith community to the greater city or area. This was the case at Pentecost and it is God's desire for today.
Acts 2:1-4: When the Day of Pentecost had fully come; they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Because of this outpouring the disciples preached and thousands came to Christ. As the disciples of the first century continued in one accord powerful miracles of healing began to grip the attention of multitudes of people and draw them toward God. This spread of revival into the city and out to the regions began with a relatively small faith community.
Acts 2:46-47: So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
As the community grew and continued daily in one accord many were being saved and great power demonstrated as the disciples were doing public miracles that gained the attention of all the people.
Acts 3:1-10: Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and anklebones received strength.
So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them, walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
In the last decade in many faith communities such as church groups and outdoor meetings where the people came into one accord seeking God, similar miracles and salvations have occurred. Also many broken Christians have had their devastated lives restored. Millions of people who have traveled to the recent major revival and renewal meetings seeking more of God have been tremendously touched and changed by the powerful presence of God. God is in this day seeking those who will come together in unity and seek Him with their whole heart that He might pour out the fullness of revival upon them and make them carriers to the world.
The next step into the fullness of revival is just ahead of us. God is looking for those who can and will move on to the next level of oneness with Him and with one another. That he might pour out the most powerful manifestations and miracles since the first century to gain the attention of the suffering world and bring in a massive harvest. The day is before us if we will truly make Christ the center of life in our faith communities and loose our lives to gain His within us. We can come to the place where we see our shadows healing the sick, ourselves walking upon the angry waves, being translated, raising the dead and seeing every form of deafness, blindness, sickness and lameness miraculously healed every time we speak in His name. Coming together in His name and speaking in His name means we do not come together in our own names. Our own self-focused identity must be lost, our own self-presence must become His presence as we become one with Him and in one accord with one another.
Acts 5:12-16: And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
A faith community does not necessarily mean moving together to a remote area although that may also be a faith community. A faith community might range from a dozen or less believers coming together in one accord in a house church. Or it might be a church meeting in a building with any number of believers. Or it may be an isolated village, or an island, or a business group, school group or whatever - just as long as the group is separately identified and ungodly forces are not mixed with the group. The key is that the group in one accord seeks God and makes Him central to their entire lives above anything else. It is simply seeking the kingdom of God first and loosing our lives to find life - powerful supernatural life of Christ in us bringing forth His glory.
Ron McGatlin
Edited by Moderator on 10/16/2009 at 1:02pm
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