The 1 Thing the Church Could Do To Bring Revival
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36, ESV).
Humans are habitual creatures. Many of the habits manifested in our lives are formed apart from our consciousness.
James K.A. Smith explains, “Our loves, our forms, as habits that are ingrained on us because of the rhythms, and rituals, and routines that we give ourselves over to in our lives. So we have to take stock of that, and that’s what I mean by the liturgical audit where what you try to do is you hit the pause button on your everyday immersion, try to get some distance on your own everyday life, and to see the things you do as doing something to you.”
Some habits are beneficial, leading to spiritual formation and a focus on the Kingdom of God. We build habits of prayer, Scriptural study and meditation, loving acts towards others, forgiveness, etc.
Spiritual formative habits are of utmost importance if we are going to mature in Christ. God gives sanctifying grace to His children as they consistently practice the disciplines found in Scripture.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, NASB).
Spiritual formative habits are not magical rituals, but they are applied in our lives by faith. We make these routine in our lives, trusting that Christ will use them in and through us.
Unfortunately, not all habits are profitable. Some habits are neutral, while others are bad.
It is difficult to stop any habit, and it requires grace and strength. For instance, I have a horrible habit of chewing ice and it is one of the hardest things to stop. Why? Because you don’t think regularly about habits.
However, some habits are more urgent to terminate than chewing ice.
God desires a surrendered life, wholeheartedly devoted to Him. Bad habits prevent this from being our mindset and drive in life.
First, we may not be aware of the bad habits in our lives. God knows our hearts better than we do, so we turn to His Holy Spirit for enlightenment (Psalm 139:23-24).
Most likely, we all know about habits in our lives that do not please God. God does not have to illuminate every bad habit because He has already made us aware of some.
Therefore, we must confess our sins before the Lord. When we call our sins out before Him, we can trust that “… He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9, ESV).
He forgives us completely of our wicked habits, but He also guides and strengthens us to overcome these obstacles (Romans 8:13).
We live a world filled with animosity towards the things of God. However, if His church will get serious in repenting of sin and leaning on God’s strength, He will bring revival in a big way!
Remember, no sin is too great for God to offer forgiveness and deliverance.
The Apostle Paul writes, “… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1 Timothy 1:15, ESV).
