Spiritual awakening begins with the individual. Every great awakening began with an individual or a small group of believers who took Jesus at His word. As individuals, they turned from the Christian religion to an intimate fellowship with Christ.
We pray for revival in our country, but what we need is a revival of Christians. Our churches are dying because we have assumed the world will come to us instead of we bringing Jesus to them. We are still trying to attract people to our church.
It’s Not About the Show
We think if we can produce the right environment with highly produced worship and the perfect message, the world will come knocking. We are competing on the wrong field. The world will always be able to produce a better show than the church. We don’t need to offer a better show, we have a better life, we have a Savior.
Spiritual awakening is moving from being a Sunday morning consumer to a seven day a week servant. It’s living the Jesus life empowered by the Holy Spirit and bringing the Kingdom of God into every situation of life. Evangelism is allowing the Jesus life to overflow in such a way that those around us become thirsty for the God we serve.
The Jesus Life
The first-century church changed the world by living the Jesus life to it’s fullest. They didn’t have a strategic plan, political power, or even a large financial base. They changed their world through the power of Christ living and flowing through them.
We have traded the freedom and power of the Jesus life for a well oiled Sunday production and low commitment consumerism. No wonder people are unimpressed, they can stay home and watch a better show on HBO.
Dallas Willard said, “We become mere spectators and consumers of holy things, not participants in the life Jesus is now living on earth, and we lose meaningful discipline.”
Spiritual awakening begins when we realize it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Meaningful discipleship is allowing the Jesus life to flow freely through me. It is getting off the bench and stepping onto the field so Christ can use me.
It’s not signing up for a new program, or beginning a new Bible study. It’s not about volunteering more or doing my best. Begin a disciple of Christ is walking close to Jesus. Spiritual awakening is staying so close to Jesus that His love, passion, and power begin flowing through you.
As we pray for spiritual awakening, let’s pray God begins with us. Let’s pray the Jesus life is released in our life. When the prophet saw into the throne room of heaven his response was “Here am I send me.” God empower us with Your presence, then send us into the world to live the Jesus life before a world which is desperately in need of the love, forgiveness, and salvation Jesus offer.
Let’s Pray
Father, today, live Your life through me. I pray You will so fill me with Your presence that it becomes evident to those around me. Free me from thinking Sunday morning is all there is to the Christian life. Begin a spiritual awakening in me that overflows to everyone around me. Today, live Your life through me. Let me walk so close to You today that Your power and love is released in every situation and every conversation. Live Your life through me today.
In Jesus Name,
Amen!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below. Are you living the Jesus Life?
Love the messages u send. Keep it up they help soo much to give me that spiritual bump I soo need some days. I lived all my life like that Sunday morning get church over with if I wasnt too tired consumer Christian. I,never knew the relationship till last winter when I,lost all I truly cared about and learned,what I truly cared about and truly felt his presence for the first time God is good ?
So glad to hear God is working in your life. Sometimes God has to take us through a rough time so we open our eyes to the truth of His love.
Excellent article! Amen people of today want better state of the art churches, play grounds of such as basketball counts within this large churches, executive offices and whatever and yes leaving the true teaching of Jesus out. They simple exchange things and programs of the world to grow a mega popular church! Thank you for this lesson, we don’t need all that, we need to be true committed servants of God without a price or reward, Amen again.
It all comes down to that personal relationship with Jesus.
Loved this article and needed that prayer. Thank you for your faithfulness and I thank God for your gift of impartation.
Billy, thank you for the message. It encourages me to continue teaching the little ones in Sunday class. I love teaching them the Word of Jesus. I rejoice espescially when them learn. Thanks again for your message. At Dialysis I minister to the patients in the lobby waiting for my turn to go in. Thanks for encouraging me. Rosie
This is truly what I needed to hear today. Your message hit home in a big way. Today, you were the messenger of God for what I am struggling with. I am facing a rough patch in my life right now. To those around me that have offered encouragement, I have tried to put on a brave face and have told them that I am handing it over and believing in God’s promise. I got to a stage that I convinced myself that this was true. But, it was a false truth with no substance from my side. I soon lost hope again, and we all know who waits on the side lines for hopelessness. I dug deeper to try and avoid this slump in my life. I prayed about it but sought not an answer but a miracle. Boy, was I looking in the wrong place. I needed a spiritual awakening. This was what my sister said to me earlier today. And, to seal the deal, God decided that if I still wasn’t listening to well, He would send another messenger. You. Your words are what I needed today. Thank you and God bless you.
We as Christians just need to want God Himself more than anything else. If we go after God the way He created us to be, which is, worshippers, we would find total satisfaction and fulfillment in Him, which in turn would cause others to want what we have, the very presence of God living in us and thru us. People were drawn to Jesus because there was something different about Him and they were drawn to it, the very presence of God Himself. Restoration took place and their hearts and lives were changed. They wanted to be with Him wherever He was and how ever long He was there. We have to want Him as much as He wants us. FOR GOD SO LOVED US THAT HE GAVE…
Thank you so much, Billy, for this wonderful message. God is really using you. This is so timely as our church prepares for revival later this month. We have been experiencing low commitment even though the Truth is being passionately preached here. Keep on keeping on, brother!
Glory! Thank you Pastor Billy Taylor for this wonderful article. We as born again Christians need to really pray more for the grace of God to be seen in our every day life. We need individual and collective revival not just Sunday, Sunday worship in a beautiful building without making direct impact on our neighbors. May Christ be seen in our lives in all we do in Jesus name.
I am glad that, the Lord has been so faithful and I testify that, He lives HIS life through me. LORD, thank you for releasing YOUR infinite love and supernatural power in our every day life and every situation and every conversation.
Father thank you for YOUR love.
This is so profound. I am just amazed.
PERFECT!!! AMEN AN AMEN!!
Thanks Sir, for the articles, they have been helpful at a point when I felt my prayer-life needed some boosting and fortunately I got your mails that gave something to use my motivation. May GOD bless you for just blessing and a mentor to us, younger christians!
Great truths. Oh fir the grace to to allow Jesus to be Jesus in me daily. Thank you brother.
Brother Billy,
Thank you for your messaging of Spiritual awakening. It’s so true, that we have become a nation of Christianity entertainment. I’ve been to some churches where it’s almost like a production show.
God’s people have forgotten that we are in a spiritual battle and that it can only be conquered when we go to our personal prayer rooms.
I’m currently going through a divorce. My husband has and continue to be unfaithful to our marriage. I am so truly blessed that I found your site. I’ve been doing the Praying for Your Husband. I’m on day 40! Joined the National Prayer Wall and now Praying for Your Pastor. My prayer life has grown with me starting & ending my days in prayer. There are times when I feel like I’m in the deepest valley. Instead of calling a girlfriend, I just get on my knees and talk to our Savior Jesus, our Heavenly Father and our Alpha & Omega (the beginning & the end). Because of your obedience to God to develop this site. I’ve been blessed over & over again.
Mahalo (thank you) and your team that keeps the websites to continue.
Thanks so much, I am glad it was a blessing to you. Let’s keep praying for spiritual awakening.