Resistance to Revival
Real revival has not yet come. Nor will it come until the resistance to revival is identified and removed. Some of the resistance is deliberate opposition to the true move of God's Spirit, while some of the resistance is more hindrance than overt opposition. Nevertheless, together these are contributing to the stagnant status quo in today's lukewarm church.
I want to look at Elijah's efforts to revive the backslidden nation of Israel --- a clear example of the church today. We'll see how he prepared for the cleansing fire and the refreshing rains of God's Spirit in the great Mount Carmel revival.
Before Elijah could take positive steps toward a revival, he first had to identify those in Israel that were contributing to the malaise and misery that plagued the nation in his time. There were three ingredients in Israel's apostasy that had to be confronted and eradicated. Those sinister elements were corruption, confusion and competition.
CORRUPTION
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of he Lord, and thou hast followed Balaam (I Kings 18:17,18).
King Ahab was annoyed and angered by the drought which had fallen on Israel a little more than three years before. The lack of rain had created serious problems for the Israelites, their livestock and their leaders.
Elijah had only prophesied the drought that was plaguing Israel. Elijah was only God's messenger. His words were not his own, but God's word for that day was "judgment against the rebellious, stiff-necked people of God.”
Ahab blamed Elijah for the drought because he prophesied it. Today many who have corrupted the Word of God blame modern Elijahs for the problems in the church. These perverters are so deceived and deluded that they believe that if problems are not mentioned, they must not exist. In other words, where there is no acknowledgment of trouble, there is no trouble. Unfortunately, this misguided thinking conforms to the current hyper-faith belief system that says if we deny the existence of pain and poverty, they will cease to exist. Thus, if problems of doctrine are not discussed, they do not exist. What lunacy!
Adhering to such strange thinking leads to the misconception that those who speak out today against heresy in the church are the source of division and trouble in the church. This head-in-the-sand mentality may seem to relieve some tension and promote unity, but in reality it breeds confusion, denies reality and inhibits our God-ordained efforts to be discerning.
It is this kind of tragic logic with which Ahab confronts Elijah. If I may take a little liberty with Ahab's words, he was probably saying, "Elijah, we would have all the rain we need to grow our crops and feed our people and our livestock if you'd just stop pointing out that it's not raining and that it's not raining because God is punishing us."
ELIJAH WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED
But the man of God will not let Ahab get away with this false accusation and perverse logic. Elijah lays the burden of responsibility clearly where it belongs --- on Ahab and his predecessors who have abandoned the ways of God and who have followed after false gods of their own creation. It was rebellion against God, choosing the easy path and perverting God's laws that led to the disastrous conditions in Israel. It is the same in the church today. The main reason we are not seeing revival in the church and a true harvest in these days is because self-anointed and self-appointed spokesmen have corrupted the Word of God. They have diluted it. They have "turned the grace of God into lasciviousness" (Jude 4b). They have forsaken "the fountain of living waters and hewed them our cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). They have replaced the “shields of gold with shields of brass” (2 Chronicles 12:9-10) a cheap imitation of the truth and power of God's Word. They have a "form of godliness, but deny the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:5).
Corruptors come in many varieties. They expound their bizarre teachings in the modernist church. They test their teachings through a variety of media and settle on the new doctrines that raise the most support and tickle the most ears.
Paul told the young preacher Timothy that just such things would happen in the last days: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" (2 Timothy 4:1).
PAUL'S LAST DAYS WARNING
Paul tells us that the church will embrace such teachers because their doctrines cater to man's fleshly desires.
"For the time is coming where [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying]. They will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, and they will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions" (2 Timothy 4:3-4, Amplified Bible).
Some of the more spurious of these new "man-made fictions" or fables, as the King James Version calls them, may seem so absurd as to be humorous, but let me caution the reader: These perversions are preached at the cost of human souls.
Among the most prominent teachings are those of the Word Faith teachers who have adopted the doctrines of prosperity and divine health. Their emphasis on health and prosperity is out of balance and out of context. There is little scriptural support for these corruptions. Despite their claims that it is God's will for His children to be endowed with great worldly wealth, the Scriptures say otherwise.
For example, the Lord Himself said that it was “easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:25). If that is true --- and we know it is because it is in the Bible; the Lord said it and it has not been removed from its context --- then why would God want His people to have something that would further hinder their chances of making heaven? Is God in the habit of telling us one thing and expecting something else? Is He really a cruel ogre trying to trap us in some theological snare? Heaven forbid!
In Matthew 6:24, Christ says, "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the others. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
Among other references to riches and poverty, Jesus says we will always have the poor with us. Is that because they don't realize their "right" to be rich as believers? He says also that he came to preach the gospel to the poor. A pastor friend once said, "If your gospel won't preach to the poor, it's not the gospel. "
One popular charismatic author says that Jesus was a rich man, who owned a mansion in Jerusalem. He wore designer clothes and had a huge budget to support the large entourage that traveled with Him. This, of course, was paid for by a donor base throughout Israel. These myths are used to justify the teacher's wealth and his fund-raising machinery.
Jesus made it abundantly clear in Luke 9:57-62 (where He was demonstrating the cost of discipleship) that prosperity was not part of His follower's future. "Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not to lay his head" (verse 58).
Despite this clear declaration of His lack of worldly possessions, our modern-day corruptor interprets that passage this way: Jesus didn't have a motel room in Samaria and it was that temporary lack of accommodations that prompted His remarks. In fact, this man says, Jesus invited all the disciples and their families back to Jerusalem to spend the night in His mansion. I wonder if the men and women who teach prosperity have ever read I Timothy 6. Paul writes in this chapter:
"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself" (I Timothy 6:3-5).
Paul makes it clear enough for a baby Christian to understand. Men who teach such things are destitute of the truth. Gain is not godliness. "But godliness with contentment is great gain." (verse 6).
Donald Stamps, in his notes on this passage in the Full Life Study Bible, observes, "The false teachers at Ephesus outwardly practiced 'godliness' in order to gain an abundance of riches. They were driven by an underlying motivation of greed and taught that their wealth was a sign of God's approval of their teaching."
Paul continues in verse 10 to say, "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves with man sorrows.”
The apostle admonishes Timothy, "But thou, 0 man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness" (verse 11).
In the area of healing, many hyper-faith teachers claim that for a believer to be sick is a "slap in the face" for God who purchased our healing at Calvary. While I believe that God divinely intervenes and heals (as He will) I don't believe in the concept of "divine health." That we will never have sickness, disease, testing, temptation or trials in our post-salvation life is to deny the clear teaching of God's Word; and to hold up to ridicule the "faithless" apostles, including Paul, who were jailed, shipwrecked, beaten, sick, afflicted, mistreated and yes, died. Were all these miseries the result of their lack of faith? Only a fool, who knows not the Scripture nor the power of God (Matthew 22:24), would believe such a whopper.
MANY MORE CORRUPTIONS
There are unfortunately, a multitude of other false doctrines and corruptions of the gospel that we could have used to make our point. Among these are the bizarre teachings that dancing with another man's wife will increase your spiritual power, that fornication among "Christians" is justified if it is done with "pure motives" and not inspired by lust, and that the study of astrology (or at least the names of the heavenly bodies) can be combined with the Scripture to foretell God's plan for your life.
Among the more subtle corruptions in the church today are the messages of the Kingdom Now/dominion teachers, the spiritual death of Christ and the little gods doctrine, not to mention the psychological seduction of the church by the prophets of self-esteem and other psychologies.
CONFUSION
Another key ingredient in the unholy mixture that is keeping true, God-sent revival from the church is confusion. Read I Kings 18:21: "And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, ‘How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.’ And the people answered him not a word."
Why wouldn't the people answer Elijah? Because they weren't sure who was God --- Jehovah or Baal? You see, the Israelites sacrificed at both altars. They prayed to both deities. If one didn't answer their prayers, they'd simply pray and sacrifice to the other one. It seems incredible, but that's the way it was. Similar confusion reigns in the church today.
With so many different voices crying for attention --offering quick fixes for spiritual, emotional and relational problems, easy believism, costless Christianity and the latest charismatic fads --- it's no wonder the average Christian is confused. Add confusion over matters of eschatology and theology and you can readily see why the church is so confused.
At our ministry, we receive calls frequently from distraught and confused believers, saying they are not sure what is true any more. For example, one woman recently told my wife, "I don't know who to believe anymore. I read your husband's articles and believe what he says is true; then I read someone who disagrees with him and he seems they are right too. I'm so confused.”
Our regular response is that the Word of God is the final authority and the only thing that can be trusted. When two ministers have conflicting opinions, go to the Word and see which most closely resembles the Scriptures. Unfortunately, believers often make choices about ministers and their doctrines based on their charisma or the size of their ministry rather than their adherence to solid biblical interpretation of the Word of God. When confronted with conflicting views, the believer has a mandate from God to be a Berean and study the Word to see which doctrine is correct. God's Word is certain and credible. Listen to what Peter writes:
"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost" (I Peter 1:19-21)
To illustrate the confusion that abounds today, let's look at the rapture question as an example. There are a half dozen rapture theories. There are mid-tribulation theories, post-tribulation theories, pre-tribulations theories, partial rapture theories, no rapture eschatologies, multiple rapture theories, etc., ad nauseum. It is easy to understand how young believers can get confused. There's only one right theory, but pet theories are allowed to take precedence over Scripture. While a person's eschatology will not guarantee, nor necessarily prevent, their entrance to heaven, it can be a problem when poor eschatology skewers interpretation of other essential doctrinal passages.
Interpreting the Word of God with the Word of God, keeping things in their grammatical and historical context, and taking the Bible as literal as possible will eliminate much confusion on major topics as well as some minor ones. The rub is: It takes time and effort to find the truth from the Word. It's easier to have some media guru spoon feed us his theory.
SERVING TWO GODS TODAY
Modern Christians find it difficult to comprehend how Israel could serve two gods at one time; yet many modern Christians do just that. I'm not saying they alternate between churches or pray to different deities, but their unbelief or disbelief results in confusion. Their trust waivers between the God who is our Provider and the plastic god in our wallet that not only meets our needs, but our greeds. We are very much like the Israelites --- more so than we'd like to be reminded. If God's answer to our prayer is "no" or "wait," we consult one of our other gods: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, etc. Now I'm not saying these things are idols or are not useful or that they are inherently evil. I'm merely saying that we say we trust God as our Source, but rely too often on one of these sources to supply our needs.
Many Christians find a particular teacher or preacher that they respect. The man or woman may be 100 percent accurate in many matters that pertain to doctrine, but seriously off in another area. Rather than test the teaching by the Word they succumb to the confusion and contradiction, and thus, swallow erroneous teaching.
The depth of the confusion is incredible. I've heard preachers contradict themselves in a single message and not realize it nor correct it. Worse than that, I've seen congregations accept both contradictory theories, apparently without question. For example, while in Canada last year I heard a camp meeting speaker --- a prophet of self-esteem --misstate: "You can't love someone else or even God until you first love yourself." Not more than 15 minutes passed and the man 'Said, "We must not esteem ourselves more highly than others." As he tried for the next thirty minutes to merge those two contradictory statements, he made less and less sense.
Confusion is rampant in the church right now concerning the nature of Roman Catholicism. Some otherwise well-respected ministries claim it is essentially a Christian entity. Others see no major differences between Evangelicals and Catholics that can't be overlooked in the interest of political expediency. Still others see the Catholic church as the world's largest cult --- cloaked in the rhetoric of Christianity but drunk with the blood of the martyrs, saturated with heretical doctrines and actively working to usher in the one-world of antichrist. The Bible makes it clear in Revelation 17 and 18 which of these perceptions is accurate. Yet, the evangelical world, and even some Pentecostal and fundamentalist groups, are ignoring the evidence. Confusion reigns.
COMPETITION
There is also a lot of competition to revival today. Elijah too faced great opposition. He was outnumbered 850 to I that day on Mount Carmel. The 850 prophets of Baal and prophets of the groves, however, could not prevail against a true prophet of God. I'm convinced that the ratio of false prophets to true prophets today is about the same at it was in Elijah's time: 850 false ones for every single prophet of God who will look the deadly opposition in the face and say, "We shall see who's God is God!"
So many activities, both in and out of the church, keep Christians from the prayer and study it takes to start a revival fire deep inside themselves. Most modern Christians can only squeeze out two hours a week for corporate worship. Many try to get by on about half that time. "God will understand how important it is to spend time with my family rather than being in church," is one of the foolish alibis I've heard. If the truth were known, I imagine that person spent more time with the square-faced god in the family room than with the family. I've had pastors tell me that their calendar was so full of activities for all age groups and interest groups that there was not room on the church calendar to schedule a 3-day revival.
And please understand that I know a few days of meetings don't constitute revival. It constitutes a few days of meetings. It's possible to be too busy with the "ministry" to minister.
There are many gods today. Television, an educator, even a pastor in some cases, can all be gods. Americans spend an average of more than four hours a day in front of the boob tube. That amounts to about sixty-one 24-hour days or two full months each year. In 65 years of life that's almost 10 years exhausted in the "vast wasteland" as television was called a generation ago.
We're too busy for God these days, it seems. Maybe that's why He may seem to be too busy for us. Because we can't work Him into our busy schedule may be one of the reasons (along with the others stated) why true revival fire is hard to find nowadays.
This article is a reprint from Larry Thomas’ newsletter, The Inkhorn.
Rev. Thomas was the president of Amazing Grace Ministries as well as the
founding visionary for A.B.P. Br. Larry went to be with the Lord in 1997.