What Is Revival? | Pr Alvin Keng

You're listening to a message to go from X Church.

We hope this message will light up your team.

What's our team this year? Revival? Okay? Revival is our

team this year, right, and it's coming out from the dream. Okay.

Last year we had discipleship. Hey, but just because last

year the decipership is no longer a team doesn't mean that,

oh we don't have the disciple anymore, right, you know,

we don't have to do anything about discipleship. Actually, when

we talk about teams, and again, different churches will have

different well I wouldn't say seasons, but different directions that

God has given to them. And for us in X,

we are going through this team dream Malaysia and this

is our well, second year in this little topical thing

that we are going through, which is revival. Next year,

of course it will be evangelism, and then after that

we have action and then was the last son yes

for those that no nola, for those that don't know,

it's okay, okay uh. And today we're going to talk

a little bit about revival okay, because you I mean,

if you've been in church long enough, you would have

heard about this word revival. You know, revival but can

I let you know that I don't think anyway in

the Bible is a thing revival. There are some words

that we use as a Christian in our clergy that

in the Bible they don't really write it one, you know,

but we use the word to express something, Okay, like

for example, missions. You can go ahead and study the Bible.

There's no word like missions. Of course we say, oh,

Paul's the first missionary, but he doesn't call himself a missionary.

He's actually counted as one of the apostles. And do

you know why Paul was quite special because he didn't

see Jesus. Okay, you your I mean scholars might argue, no,

he saw Jesus when he was blinded. Yeah, kind of,

I think. I'm not sure, you know, but he didn't

really see Jesus. But he dedicated his life to Jesus.

So you talk about like a like a true conversion,

if you used that wena, Paul was one true conversion

because the rest of the apostles that did science and wonders,

they saw Jesus, they worked with him, they denied him,

you know, they give him problems. You know, he scolded them, right,

all these different things you know, when you talk about discipleship,

it's all part and puzzle of the understanding of when

we disciples someone, it's like that, you know, it's messy, right,

And Jesus did that with them. But Paul, he didn't

see Jesus yet he was revived in his heart. And

in fact it was also a greater miracle that he

was revived because he was not another Christian. He was

not another He was like all out against Christians, no meaning.

And he was smart, you know, he was a smart guy.

He wasn't easily influenced guy. He was a scholar, he

was a Roman citizen. He had positioned, he was primed

to be the secutors of Christian Yet through the power

of God, he was revived in his heart and he changed,

and he was counted as one of them. See, you

know how famous he was. When the Possus found out

that he converted, they were still not sure. They were

like sure or not. And thank God, there was this

guy named Barnerbus not Barbers and Barabas and another guy,

this guy named Barnabas, who said, hey, you know, let's

give him a chance. You know, and there will be

people in our lives that will say Hey, let's give

him a chance. Hey, let's give you a chance. God

will bring those people there and after verifying and diding

their thing, they say, okay. And he was the one

a person who's revived. Why am I talking about this?

Actually it's not even my nose, but let me just

go deeper into it. I think it's the Holy spirit,

a person who's revived. He was the one that actually,

like single handedly because of his talent, because of his

strategic mind, because he was also immune to poison. The

one thing I remember, Paul say, immune poison. I always

pray for that from Lord Lord, please give me that

kind of annoying thing that I will not falesake, you know,

I will, you know, because he was that, and he

was so like, yes, no, he got beritten by stay poisonous,

we will say. And then he didn't die, and it's

like just another day, and everybody's like, there's something about

this guy. You know, he's so crazy powerful, you know

in that sense powerful and God you seem to expand

the Gospel to the gentiles, right, God used him. He

was so he was so on fire. He was a

life that was revived. Don't you think so? If you

think about revival. Don't you think he was a life

that was revived? Okay, so keep that mind, keep that

thought in your mind for now today My message is

what is revival? Because I said, if you are in

church long enough, you how many of you here have

no idea what I'm talking about? This word revival? Do

you no idea? I mean if you know idea, so

you probably wouldn't raise up your hand now, Okay, I'm guessing,

but I'm guessing you would have kind of heard this

word before. And then you hear about the revival, the

Asbury Revival, the Azusa Revival for those of you old

enough to remember, right, Uh you know, I don't know,

don't know what's that? Okay, and go and uh check

out about check check it out these revivals that happened

in the States, and you know what happened. If you

if you go and read up I went encourage you're

going to read Okay, uh this Chinese yea, you know

when you're not having my gun at all, going google?

You know what is Azusa Revival? Hopefully that that word

is right. I don't know how the reveals a one okay,

but yeah, and then that's the Asbury rerival, and then

recently there was another revival that happened in Asbury, like

a few months a few years back, where they were like,

oh no, worship and worship and worship and all that

kind of stuff. You know. So there is a picture

of what we look we we we have an idea

of what we think revival looks like. Okay, but just

one of the things that happened in those revivals was

that the spray of God came upon the people. They

were just worshiping. It was a small church. The spirit

God just came upon the people and they you know,

it was like the Pentecosts. You know, if we study

in Xts what happened in the Pentecost, you know, it

was a move of the Holy Spirit and the people

actually went out. There was a story I heard. I

think it was Azusa a revival or espirate I can rememoration,

but there were two students that they were so on

fire they literally walked I don't know where they walk,

like feel the spirit. And every one day meet they

preached the gospel and people get safe, you know, right,

the spray of Lord came upon it and they prayed

for people and people got healed, right, and we hear

about this kind of revel and we're like, yeah, Lord,

do it. I'm sure the leaders are saying do it,

and then the rest of us like, sure not, I

not freel I need to go home? How ware shay

for another two hours? Are you know? Because that's what

happened when they had a revival. There, God just took over. Right,

But what is revival? Let's let's let's study it a

little bit. Let's go deep. But cannot because if not,

we will have all this understanding of oh this revival,

that's revival is a packed stadium a revival. Know, that's

what's something we like to use. No men, men or pectadium. Great,

everybody would have got revival. Okay, that's the picture. I'm

not saying it's not I'm just saying, let's study it

a little bit. This is where my skeptical mindset come

into play a little bit more. Okay, right, so what

is revival? Let's go basic. Will you agree with me

if I say that revival is basically turning something that

is dad to a life like let let's talk about

that word revival. You know when we when when you

hear doctors say oh, we got to revive him, right,

means something date needs to be alive, Cory, not right.

There's no other time you use that word if you

think about it, right, and I'm not talking about the soda,

there's no other time you something that is dying or

something that needs to be revived, needs to be revital

lies right, right, reviving a person from date to life.

And when we think about revival, isn't it? Can I

stretch it a little bit more and say that revival

means returning to the original if because if the original

is that you don't use the word revival one, but

if the original is alive, use the wordy revival correct, right? Right?

Turning something to the original means we go back to basics.

What is basics?

Well, I would say that for X church right here Malaysia,

for a church like us, is to go back to

the first church in.

The Book of X. That that's us we want to go.

Why we call ourselves X not because it's cool, not

because it's from the Bible, not because we need to

some Christian, you know, some Christian they like to name

their business Christian names. And then you kind of know

and you pray real heart that they are doing legit

business and not doing funny stuff. Right, decide, be back careful.

Can I tell you something? Uh? You know, Fan Vanilla,

I don't like to I don't stick Christian stickers on

my cow and just in case, I know some people

like to stick experts, you know exters. Oh he just

cut someone in Okay, let's not remember who's that. But yeah, magina,

you know you cut someone and then you hold on

one and then you drive off and then Jesus still

see at the back. Okay for those who like to

stick Christian classic on your chip. For us, it's extra

is to go back to basics. So what is basics? Okay?

I would just share some stuff here? Okay, go back

to our first love? Do you remember your first love? Right?

Some people getting married still caught nine? Right? I saw

you had a GMC face to face with really nice

new house. Do you know they not? I love people

have got there, h I've got like I can't say

a lot of you have not been there for really

nice new house. You know, still fresh? Okay, first love? Right? Uh?

You know, I I'm trying to. I always think about

like the recently I had this like flashback Okay, of like, oh,

when I was well, not dating, like chasing my now wife. Kay,

thank god we got married, you know, and I remember like,

oh I used to when chasing her the time, praying.

I used to remember or imagine us getting married, and

of course now we are, I'm like, oh did I yeah,

I'm trying to remember. This is my imagination anoid? Is

it like I imagine it? Or worse? I don't know. Okay, no,

but your first love, it is very exciting you You

you get a you know, skipping your step, you know, uh,

you know for some worse here if you've just gone

through a heartbreak and I'm reminding all your first loff,

I apologize, that's not the intention. Please go to Jesus.

He should be your first love. Or maybe maybe is it?

Do you I mean think about it? Or is it

do you remember the first time you got something new?

Maybe when you're really young, like oh man, you really

hope for this and you got it. In the excitement

you have, you know, you're so excited, you will do

a lot of things that nobody will understand. What you know.

You you got your first car, you will wash every day. Right,

you got your first love. You will do you say, oh,

I will die for you. I will get the moon

for you. Then after the the is married one trot rubbish,

sorry heart, opened door for sorry heart. You know I

think the I think I think after five years married

my wife will you know, ladies they like to test guys.

They have to you don't put a little bit, you know.

And then she will say things like, oh, you know,

last I used to open down now to open door day. Well,

I'm like, no, no, no, I still do it. Okay,

I stay open doors. I still, you know, try and

investabate gentlemen. I still try to do it. But of

course that's one thing she said that I cannot do. Really,

I'm all like, I don't you know? She said, oh,

last I used to sing songs to me. I'm like,

cannot lie. It's a skill set that I have returned

to the lot. You know, I'm not good at it.

And many more you know, talented people here Back to

our first love. Friends, do you remember the first time

you received Jesus in your heart? I think I think

some always have forgotten that the church in if viesus,

God holds it to them. You know. In revelations he

said you have forgotten. You did everything right. You did

everything right. You you dress for your best, You came

yourself God. You know how to say the right amens.

You know, you know how to show that you're Christian.

You know how to pray the right prayers, right, you

know you know how to use those fancy languages. Al

so sometimes you know, all my tea got out there

in heaven. You know, hello, be Thy name that kingdom,

gum that will be done. You know you not do

all that. But have you lost your first love? It's

good to think about that, friends, right, do you know that?

Even as sometimes right? The thing about life and the

thing about you know, and well count this as extra

bonus because I want to talk about marriage as well.

The thing about life is that the first time you

do it is exciting, but after doing it for thirty years, right,

you kind of lose the magic or the feeling because

it's not new anymore. And that's why we always look

for new things, go to new places, because humans, we

are easily bought, right, we must try new stuff, new style, new,

you know, new place. We're always chasing after the new.

Just because it feels new, does it mean that you

love it? And just because it doesn't feel new doesn't

mean that you don't anymore. You'll catch that, you know.

But yes, there is a benefit to new There is

a benefit to experiencing new things. I don't disregard that, right.

But when you talk about things like love, you mean

after okay, I like to challenge the state of school.

You mean when I'm seventy years old. I cannot still

love my wife the same way I love her the

first day I met her. I cannot still be chicky.

I cannot still have fun. I cannot still no. Recently

we celebrated. I was sixteen and he was straight and

we wanna hannoy. I was cool with aut the kids. Boy,

my boys are complaining, why bring us out? You know? Right?

We had fun and I remember, you know, telling people

or young couples, and people say, I am still happily married.

And I don't understand when people joke about the suffering

of marriage. Can I understand a little bit like I

can not to say I don't have But I don't

understand why it's a thing that you can accept that

if you're fifty years married, that the guy will be

quiet and you know, tolerate things and the lady will

be negging. That's the common picture, you know, right, And

I'm telling myself, no, I don't want to get there right.

But it takes work. Do you know that it takes work?

Takes work, it does. It takes it takes us one

thing to learn about each other, one thing to grow,

you know, one thing to adjust our Now, all the

young couples, I'm looking here because you know here God,

a few they are going to get merried soon. You

know you're learning now. Now you're getting in the theory,

Wait until you hit the practical. Right. Theory is one one.

Once you hit the practical, the question is can you

still continue or not? I can tell you it's worth it,

worth it. Sixteen is marriage still having fun? Right? I

prayed that I will be fifty and still having fun. Right.

And when people say, oh, you know, my wife call me,

you get all the ball and chair, I'm like, no,

I don't get it. You know, I'm happy that my

wife calls me. You know, can our first love with

God be like that? But what does it take? Because

those that are happily married here understand that marriage is

hard work. I have this saying my wife, we were

like you look at each other and I love. It's hard,

you know, say yeah, what to do? It is hard,

it's hard work. Right, all these young couples that you

know flight everywhere, do Surrey Montiversary. You don't get it yet.

It does take work and effort to build a strong marriage.

It does take work and effort to build a strong family.

It does. If we are not careful, we're gonna just

let it pass by because we take things for granted.

That's the worst thing that happened, or we compromise the

wrong thing. We learn about this. It's very funny. See

it applies in marriage. I say, it's bonus, but don't you.

I mean, maybe I can just give awareness. I realize

that you're s a pricing church. Back to our first love,

back to our excitement of serving God. Remember when you

had to serf God the first time. I remember when

I had to serve God when I was a young person.

You know now of course don't have ready, But last time,

we have this thing called the old HP overhead projector.

And then it has a little bob there and then

you basically take like a I'm talking alien to some

younger people. You take a transparent piece of transparency paper,

and then you are right, Holy your head writing is good. Lad,

you are right. Some are some very high tight there

you were write the lyrics of and and you have

a whole file. There's no sushing, is oh, I feel

like singing a song now, you know, no sushing. In

course you have to like, hey, hello, you know I

don't yeah, all right, led by the street, what so

remember by heart? You know? And can I stow one?

You know? And then some of us recover so that

the whole thing, you know, people don't get distracted. You

know you're you're not talking about it was so exciting

now huh huh not Mecca very hard, so slower the PC. Right, No,

it's so exciting to serve God right back to all

nam sad me God, back to where we stop counting.

We've got hey, God that they are. I came to

Adela Sunday. Are I skip HomeOS okay? One one day?

May I honor you a busy I have to go business.

They got the day I prayed you know for hours

old you know, answer my prayer, our first stuff. I

don't think we ever come to we got No, we

just did it because we did it. We were just excited.

Of course the older people will say, ah, yeah, you're younger,

you got the energy in your bones. You will do

that right last time. I remember I was young a bit.

I don't know why the foolish or not got once

I did. Then the tree Sunday servicess in a Sunday

and I was still like, let's do it. You know

why do I do that? There? I don't know where

we don't come with God? Is that revival? Friends? Let

may ask you a question. Is that revival? Don't you

think that's revival? What is date or dying or I

don't know what other word we're gonna use. Maybe it's

not dying like it's still there, but it's just surviving

la and then can we be realvived? Must we be

revived only when we can go to uh Dash Shakers

concert in Australia. I've not been, so maybe I cant

a bit. Is that revival? Oh no, I must meet

this guy, this speaker he preaches it's that revival. I

remember when I was young. We in those days in

church we used to have this like holy spirit movement,

very interesting. One then got the laughter laugh uncontrollably on

the floor, then got the you know, flapping of hands

and different things. Now, of course we will say this

autism la. No I can joke because I'm leading. None

of you can use that those those days, you know,

I may. But there was one preacher that came and say, oh,

go ahead and receive prayer and you will get gold

in your tooth. I very clearly remember, right, And then

the young people say this is not all black people

are now, and then the young people still have the

you know, pray and then stay in the spirit and

then start laughing and roy around the floor. Right nowadays,

I don't see that really here. I wonder of course

people say, oh, no, God used to move in the way.

Now he most differently. Yes, I do agree God. Again,

what God want to do is up to him how

he want to manifest deliver people. So I want I

want to knock that. But are we just chasing after

that signs and wonders? You got to think about it

a little bit. You know, what is revival? Friends? What

is the truth? How do we see that that's revival?

Is it just the external or is it the internal?

Let's do it be all study X Chapter one. We

can go there are you guys Okay, something to think about.

And again I'm not saying all this is wrong. All

this is from because I enjoyed it. I had that

experience as well when I was young, you know, And

I'm sure it helps. I'm sure going for conference helps,

going for CAM helps. You know, people say, oh, you know,

when I go to CAM, I feel so revived and all.

You know, and I think that's great. It works. Do

you know it works? Do you know why going to

CAM works and going to Missions works? Because it was

not because of the camp, I'd be Okay, some people

disagree with me, but I'll say it anyway. I don't

think it's just because it's a great camp and its

team and all. And I don't think it's just because Missions.

I think it's great and your revived because that's focused

because for three days you're not doing anything, you're not

watching Netflix. You are just in God's presence, receiving and racing.

That's why your revived. So it's the proximity and the

duration you have with the spirit of God. No, and

then here we are telling people say, hey, CAM can

happen even on a Sunday because it's the proximity we've

God it's not the event, it is what happens in

your heart. So don't chase out of the event. Bands

don't going to help you. But you can experience that

because there's proximity. Why people see signs and wants a mission,

because there's preparation of the heart, because it's the investment

of time. Is the prayer is that you don't do

any other not on a normal time, daily time. You

don't naturally pray and fast and focus on something normally

we don't. You should think about it. If let's say

we treat our next business contract or meeting like a

mission trip. I think it'd be different. I think God

will move. But because there's focus, can we read X

I guys okay? So X is written by Luke Right,

and he talks a lot about Paul Right. So he says,

here the formal account, I made all your feelings of

all Jesus began to do and teach until the day

in which he was taken up. After he true, the

Holy Spirit had given commandments to apostles whom he had chosen.

So Jesus come back ready. He revealed himself to everybody,

to whom he also presented himself alive after his suffering

by many infallible proofs, okay, being seen by them during

forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the

Kingdom of God. When I read that scripture, I'm like, oh,

after Jesus raised from the day, he was around for

another forty days? Friends, interesting? And then I went and

find out why why is so seeing? Why why why

not be around for a year? Why not be around

for two weeks? Why not be around for ana three days?

And they say, bye, guys, why forty days? Because what

did he do in the forty days? Right? Being seen

by them during forty days and speaking of the things

pertaining to the king of God? Meaning after he went

me read a lot about him during the time he

was here. And then somehow the scripture you know't share

about him. Uh, you know, dying crucified three days save

a lot, then nothing, But actually you think about it,

and ane of forty days, he was still saying the

same thing he was saying to them. They probably didn't

write more about it because it's the same thing, so

we don't really need rite more. But he was around

for forty days, repeating himself, hoping to get them to

catch hey, guys, remember what I said through a right

and for fun, I just went in online and check out.

Actually was significant forty days. In the Bible where I

sit here, the number forty signifies a period of testing, trial, probation,

or preparation, often representing a complete transformative period. So I

don't know, God is the one that creates us. Maybe, maybe,

just maybe forty days is where we developed new habits.

Forty days is maybe where of course Israel had to

take forty years slarkay, but forty days. Maybe forty days.

Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days. We're gonna

have forty days a prayer and fast. Actually twenty one

day start, we give this car a bit. But yeah,

it's forty land complete transformation, right, That's why forty days.

So yeah, Jesus around for a long time. I mean,

when I read, I'm like, oh, I didn't. I didn't

actually realize skape, but he was around and being assembled

together with them. He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem,

but wait for the promise of the Father, which he said,

you have heard from me. And of course what he promised,

he promised a helper, He promised the Holy Spirit, for

John truly baptized the water, but you shall be baptized

you the Holy Spirit, not many days from now. Okay. Therefore,

when they had come together, they asked him, saying, Lord,

will you at this time restore the king of Israel?

And he said to them, it is not for you

to know times or season which the Father has put

in his own authority. But you shall receive power when

the Holy Spirit come upon you, and you shall be

witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judae and Semia,

and to the end of the year. It is interesting

to see this because he constantly talks about the kingdom.

He constantly talked about God's Spirit, and they're still particular

about whether or not He's coming to relieve them from

the colonizers. The Romans. Well, in the end we found

out that no, not really. In fact, God used the

Roman kingdom to spread Christianity. That's where we have the

Roman Catholics now, right. So I think God's quite strategical

in the way he wanted to do things. Very interesting. Okay,

but that's a promise, right, we will get that. Let's

read on. Okay, now, When he had spoken these things,

while they watched he was taken up, and a cloud

received him out of their sight, and they looked steadfastly

toward heaven. As he went up. Behold who stood men

stood by them in white peril, who also said, men

of Galilee, why do you stand gazing into the heaven.

The same Jesus who was taken up from me into

heaven will come in like a manner as you saw

him go to heaven again. Very interesting. The people that

he's dealing with, He's like, guys, he really said, oh,

I say, right, why are you standing here? Can you

please go and listen to him? He said, don't depart

from this place and wait. Then they're like, oh, okay,

then you're off them. I'm like, okay, Jesus, not know

what you need for today's them, But it looks like

it's still not enough time, you know. Let's talk about

us here. How long do we need to catch something?

How long do we need how long do we need?

A bastard? Let me pray about it versa. Right now,

these people, they're not used that to me, because I

will say, oh, but by ability, they say, serve the

love you all your heart. You're seeing your prayer out right?

How long do we need we're praying for God to

move in our lives. You're praying for breakthrough. But if

God gives us a word, there will a lot that're breakthrough.

Do you see me the way I ask you that question?

Think about it and I'm sure God's not gonna ask

you do crazy things. And of course the next well,

I will clarify to say that you've got to talk

to your leaders versa. You got to nobody here, you know,

operays on your own. No, no, there's always accountability, check

and balance. So you have come from me, from leader.

Then luggy LUGGI that's clarity, right, But good to think

about it. How long do we need for us ourselves

to get out of that right, to get out of

wherever we are at? Then they returned to Jerusalem from

the mound called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a seventh

day's journey. When they had entered, they were up in

the upper room where they were staying Peter James, John,

Andrew Phillip and Thomas Bartholomew and Matthew James the son

of Alfaeus, and Simon the Zealand and Judas the son

of James. These all continued with won a court in

prayer and supplication, with the women, and marry the mother

of Jesus and with his brothers. Right. So later on

you will read that there was about one hundred and

twenty people in upper room, and you know them thinking, hey,

where this hundred people came from? Actually, the Bible did

say that the people that left Jesus came back. Interesting

because we only think about the Chelch disciples, But like,

how come one hundred bene we were in upper room

because they didn't do recruit no after Jesus that I know.

I think it'll be hard to recruit people will give

people to come after Jesus left. Of course, before that,

there were multitudes following Jesus. They all knew him. It

is a famous story, guys. It was not like happening

in some corner there nobody knows. No. Everybody knew everybody

in his everybody knew who kill, everybody knew he claimed

to be God. But there were one hundreds they did

They still believe, thank God, although they left Timma, some

left earlier then he came back. Right, Think about it?

Think about it. He kind of tells you of a

second chances you can't tell you that God is a

god second chances, and he's in the business of revival.

Let's read ex. Chapter two, verse one to thirteen. Then

the day of whend Court had fully come. They were all,

we want a callt in one place, And suddenly there

came a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty win,

and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then

they appeared to them divided tongues as of fire as

and one set upon each of them. And they will

all feel with the Holy Spirit and begin to speak

with other times as the Spirit gave them entrances. They

will all feel. One hundred and twenty of them will feel,

not just the apostles. One hundred and twenty of them

were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they were dwelling

in Jerusalem, Jews development from every nation in the heaven.

And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together and

were confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language.

And then they were all mazed and marbles, saying to

one another, look are they not all these who speak Aliens?

And how is it that we hear each in our

own language in which you were born? And of course

during that time. Why would people Jews from other countries

come back. They were having a festival during that time,

Ballet Compong Chinese New Year, and God moved why so

that people can witness and they all had to go

back home down after that, then they bring the spirit

of God back with them. Makes sense or not? Every

time I read the Bible, I'm thinking, God, you're so smart. Laugh,

You're so strategic, You're like the best business person. Why

we cannot read it. God's very practical, He's very practical

in our life. Yes, he's a supernatural God, but he's

so very practical. Right, We've got to remember that. And

how is it that we hear each other in the

old language a board and of course all the different Arabs,

so so we hear them speaking our all tongues, the

wonderful works of God? What were they proclaiming? They were

proclaiming the wonderful works of God because God will be glorified,

not men, but God will be glorified. So they were

all amazed and perplexing to want to know whatever could

this mean. Others mocking said, they're full of new wine. Well,

when I read that, I can catch this. When revival happens.

Friends in your life, there will be those that marvel,

how come you're so nice? And how come you are

experience it? Wha? So many things happened in life. How come?

But also there will be those who I had a

drag la, I had this guy with no new one. Nah,

you know for many years he he always chead people.

Now he's only I don't believe Flower. There will be

when revival happens, it will be such a life transformation

in your own life. Are there will be those that

will marvel at it. There will be those that will

be mocking you. That's how we get prosecuted. I'm sharing

this to you because just because you experienced reviving your

life doesn't mean that it's going to be smooth sailing.

Don't be ignorant. Don't be you know. In fact, I

think after the revival, because we're living in a fallen wolla,

your life might be a bit more harder. Like I think.

I'm just guessing right, because you're gonna be coming out

of your always and your friends that like you the

way you were may not like you anymore because Sonny

are square or sunny you cannot do certain things, or

sunny you better than us? Is it? That might happen? Right?

But the encouragement is X one eight. You shall receive

power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and

you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all

Judaea and Semira and to the end of the year.

Let me give you this perspective about winnessing because next

day is going to be evangelism again. We think as

believers that we need to be expert evangelism evangelizers. We

need to know certain things and we need to can

I can I can? I give you a hack getting

a very simple hack as believers because God knows, sir,

we're all not going to be Bible scholars. Yeaa, God knows,

I say, God's very particular right. God knows we're all

not gonna be Bible scholars. God knows we all won't

be able to get into eschatology and end times and

you know apologetics, right, but yet all of us need

to be winnesses. Well, how you mean it'll be like

I like to last time I watched this movie It's

called funk one. Remember very cool because there was a

scene where they needed to transfer kung fu knowledge. He

took what he took a little scroll in his hand.

The seafolla hit the hit of the it's a coming

okay that the mean movie, and some flashy thing happened

and then he remember everything. I'm like, what lot? And

during that time I was going through SBF. I can

you not? I prayed the prayer Lord, Please, I don't

think it's gonna happen that we're live. Yes, God can

annoint you to have wisdom and ah, yes he does that.

He's through the Holy Spirit. If you're filled with the

Holy Spirit, you are the best witness for Jesus Christ. Simple,

that's the hack. If you're filled with the Spirit of God,

if you're consumed by the spirit of God, you will

want to read your Bible. You will want to learn.

You have to steal read no God's words. You will

The feeling of the Holy Spirit is important. Friends. You

will be the best witness when you have the Spirit

of God with you because people are not interested in

what you know. People are interested in the God that

you know. If you're saying no, they won't be interested.

Trust me, they will be interested when they see or

change lives, when they see that you're different. When they

start seeing yeah, you will have people who are like

I said, They says you will have that. But when

you start, when they start seeing your life change, things

will change. The clarity is that the spirit of God

will move in revival. That's the clarity. It will move.

But what happens friends transform lives. The spirit of God

is not flashing, you know, God's not flashing. No, God

is not interested in just you know, feel like I'm

a stadium and all feel great, goose bombs and worship

and go back and end the same same, no change.

I remember when I was a young person, I was

challenged really hard, you know, because always go to camp

on fire for God, come back same, never pick up

my shirt, never stay it rude to my parents? Have

you really changed or is it just experienced just a high?

And I was challenged like, no, if I can experience

God there, something has to change. Yes, the environment that

I'm in has not changed. I'm still getting scolded by

my mom for things I never do. My brother still

treat me like, you know whatever. But do I retaliate

or have I changed? Do I ever change life? Do

you know that it's hard? You can go high for

maybe one week, two weeks after that, very hard to

still be Jesus, though, of course the high way off

or no, the adrenaline we're off on now, and then

reality hits. See that's the problem sometimes with us, we

come back to this place of reality, our default setting. Right.

Let me read xt Chapter two, verse forty, and with

many other words. He testified and exhalted them, saying be

saved from this perverse generation. Then those who gladly received

his words were baptized, and the day about three thousand

souls were added to them, and they continued stayed fastly

in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of

bread and prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and

many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Not

all who believe were together and had all things in common,

and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among

all as anyone had need. So continuing daily we want

to call it in the temple, and breaking bread from

house to house they ate their food, and with gladness

and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with

all the people and the Lord added to the church

daily all who are being saved from the Holy Spirit,

coming down and better preaching the first evangelistic message asking

them to repent people, change their lives. He was a

transformed life. He was extreme, transform life, sell everything you know,

change life, no constantly meeting right, a community of believers

who had their lives transformed. How powerful is it? Well,

they had favor among all men, favor among all men,

The favor of the Lord was on them as their

lives were conform. Do you think do you think if

their lives was not transformed, you will still have God's favor.

Do you think if they were awful people, you will

still have God's favor? People would like them? Right? And

in the end, friends, the Lord is glorified because they

were praising him. So transform lives. So let me give

you two. Well, I would like to say two clear

indicators that we will experience revival. First indicator is transform lives.

Someone that used to be like that, change someone that.

And and again a transform time might not happen immediately.

You know, I was watching I was watching a real

by this key opinion leader talking about autism and he

said that a lot of people are looking for the

turning point, and I know it's something interesting. Same thing

we're looking for the turning point. We're looking for the

Oh I pray and then or everythingy degree. Well, for God,

it can happen, because I've heard it happen. People who

are in addiction change immediately. But that's one in a

many mania. But can God do it? Yes, I believe

he can, but isn't Looking for a turning point still

feels like looking for lottery, you know. Not to say

God cannot give us, but I think I think there

will be those of us who needs the turning point desperately,

because if you don't have the turning point, we will die.

And I think God does that for us, but for

the rest of us, we have to work. They cannot

pray for a turning point. But if there's this over

like emphasize on turning point, then we think that we

don't have to be responsible. That's just my fear, right.

I don't know. I don't know that you guys are

catching me or not. You know, Oh Lord, please help me,

help me, help me, help me in my exam, but

you never studied. Oh help me get I want to

I want to marry a lady of God and all.

But you don't groom yourself. You don't curb me your

hair right, you always go backward. You text time girls

at one time don't do that like guys. They talk.

They know it's funny. Right. We look for a turning point,

but it's the incremental changes in our lives. Is the discipline,

is the decisions, it's constantly relying on the Lord that

changes us. Is those things that matter. It's the habits friends.

That's that Jesus is wrong with what the days because

if it's just a turning point, he don't need to

be wrong for forty days. If it was just the

three days that he was, you know, the crucifixion, the

three days, he don't need to be around it. But

it's not friends. That's why there's decipher shape. He spent

three years with the decipe post. It was just a

turning point moment. Would there be turning point moments? Yes,

there has to be right. Christ had to dine across.

There was a turning point moment for the speare of

God to come down. We pour our own flesh. There

will be to clear indicators, right, transform life. What happened?

Second indicator? The glory goes to God, no one else.

The glory doesn't go to the great Man of God.

The glory doesn't go to the stretch g The glory

doesn't go to the you know, Oh, you know, we

are so good at this, this disciple ship. No, that

it's not where the glory goes to. Glory goes to God.

I know John talked about me, and I'm y honored

with that, you know. But I can tell you I

am not the best person right. Just because I have

a lot of fruit doesn't mean I'm perfect. In fact,

I think a lot of people don't like me because

a ray direct. Ask my other guys. They will tell

you maybe because I'm so direct, they can improve because

I don't give them a chance to hide. But let

me tell you a secret. The heck half the things

I tell my other guys I cannot remember because he

was not me. He was a spray of God, and

I give him all glory. I give God all glory

to give me the opportunity to disciple artists. And I

will still do it. Not because I'm a good discipler,

but because I got the spirit of God with me.

The moment I lose that, friends, I will be a

horrible discipler. You know, we got to understand that God

deserves all the glory when revival happens, it will not

be because of because of God. Amen. So okay, tough question,

direct tough questions. So are we displaying this fruit? You know?

It's are we displaying the fruit? It is the fruit

coming out right in our own lives? First, don't talk

about just talk about own lives. In my own life?

Is this fruit coming out? Am I being transformed on

a daily basis? Am I changing my growing? Am I

being more patient? Am I showing the fruits of the spirit?

Because the Bible had rec clinicateds kind of song suffering,

you know, or becoming more angry, becoming more selfish? Which

fruit coming out right? Because transform life as a believer,

it should display for a spirit and not that the

way all. So, just because you a very good picture,

but your horrible human being? Is that the fra all

spirit something you think about? Okay, I'm not punning anything else, right,

but that's the fruit? So are we displaying it in

our lives? And it's the church displaying it? Are we

loving each other? You know? I there's one scripture in

the Bible that I really like. It says love one

another as I love you and by loving one another,

they will know that your man disciples, so very very clear,

the church got very clear, Mandy, you love each other

or not you don't love each other, means you're not

just disciples. It's very simple, so complicated. We've got to

be very careful, you know, by us very clear on

cern these things. So if let's say, oh, man, I

realized myself as well not displaying this true love right, well,

then you have to be revived flow. Then you have

to go back to the basics. So I wrote down

here what are the basics are? Because I remember when

I first received Christ as my Lord and savior. This

woman basics, prayer, worship, don't keep worship on Sunday, our friends,

I know you just start at tentity in BIU, but

doesn't mean that we can clock in it. You don't

want to clo Maybe we need to be revived again.

It's very funny, right when we are revived, we want

to worship. When we're not, we revived, we don't know worship,

but then worship worshiping will give us revive, isn't it oxymoron? Funny? Right?

People who are not reviving and people who need the

worship are not coming for the worship very funnier. I

find it very funny keeping God's sweat in our hearts? Why, read, Joshua,

You want to be prosperous, you want your days to

be extended. You know I'm a father now. One of

the most important things I keep telling myself is I

need to teach my kids God's word right, not just

because I'm a pastor, because I want them to prosper

I want them. Yes, fine, academics is good, life, ski

is good, training is good. But friends, I've come to

this realization. When the bank account is empty, when everybody's

betrayed you, when your health is gone, who can you

rely on only Jesus. I can only leave my kids

a lot of things now, but I can leave my

kids their faith. Praise God. I have done at least

one thing right, not just because I'm a Christian, but

because I know they can lose everything. But if they

have Jesus in your hearts, they will survive. That's why

keeping God's wearing our house is important. Now, how do

you do these things? Well, go back to devotion, friends,

How many of us here have kept devotion? I was

just sharing this with one a young young man and

you know when I say devotion, immediately there's this very

interesting oh yeah, yah, very hart la fast, very hard.

I cannot wake up, you know. Now I got a

lot of work, and I'm like okay, and you know

in a few hours, you know they can. But I'm like, hello,

do you think thevtion is good? Yes? Do you think

you should do it? Yes? How can you do devotion

that will work for you? If morning doesn't work nightly? Maybe? Yeah,

maybe it's good. Oh, I know time five minutes cann

five minutes on? Oh but five minutes is you know,

we put ourselves on the certain standard, but even the

lowest we cannot achieve. Very funny, right, human beings, very funny.

I'm like, huh no. If it's important to do it

and then start incrementally increasing, and of course you know

that you need it. I know John talked about as

just now by one up. You you like the messages

on Sunday, it's feeding your spirit? You want to go deeper? Great,

But what about your daily devotion? Do you know that

you're starving your spirit? Man? If you don't do a

daily devotion and a person who's starving a I mean

good and bad lad a person who's starving. Right, you

know when a person who is starving, even in the natural, right,

you cannot see big gift the person to heavy things.

Now they will want me everything out. Now it has

to be slowly and slowly and slowly, and then you

have to be healthy. Then you can take the hard stuff. Right.

What if today we suddenly want to serve you you're

starving an experiment, we want to self you like meat.

Of course you're gonna get offended because even the basic nuts.

So you don't have feed yourself. Friends, feed yourself, find

a way. It is so important because when we walk

in the spirit, we will get a lot of benefits. Friends,

Can I share you some on the benefits? And I'll

end with this, what the benefit to me and my

family if I'm revived in my spirit? And can I

tell you that I'm not perfect? I'm a human being. Yes,

faster title, big time, It's just a title. I also

have moments of tightness, moments where I don't know what

evotion I mean. Right, It takes discipline, It takes you know,

encouraging yourself, It takes finding a way because you know

it's important. Right, But what's the benefit I think if

you know the benefit right, then you'll do it right.

Because if you don't know what's good for you or

what's the benefit for your you know, it's kind of

like Christian say, oh it's good, it's good, it's good. Yeah,

but why is it good? What are you going to experience?

For those experience they know, they will do it. For

those that doesn't know, now, of course you still won't. Well.

So if I'm led by God's spirit rather than myself,

I think the clearest benefit is abundant life. John Tantan says,

the teeth, and it starts with the teeth. Somehow does

not come to accept, to steal, to kill, and to destroy?

I have come. Jesus says that they may have lied

life and that they may have it more abundantly. What

do you mean by but you mean I'll be rich?

Well in a way, yes, but not in the rich

that you think that you will get. Right, you mean

I will have a lot of things or lot? Yes,

in a way. Let me go be deeper. Romans eight

thirty seven says, Yet in all these things we are

more than overcome us or conquerors, through Him who loved us.

So how does a Christian experience abundant life when they

follow the spear of God, but very simple. When you

have God's spirit in you, you are following God's will.

You're being led by the spirit right. Romans eight twelve

seventeen says death for brethren, we adapted us not to

the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if

you live according to the flesh, you will die. But

if by the spirit you put to death the deeds

of the body, you will live. For as many as

are led by the spray of God, these are sons

of God. For you did not receive the spell of

bordnish to fear, but you receive the spirit of adoption,

by whom we cry out abat Father. The Spirit himself

best witness with our spirit that we are children of

God and children their airs of God, join errs with Christ.

If indeed we suffer we came, then we may also

be glorified together. Let me speak to it more in

a practical manner. When you have God's spirit in you,

you are fulfilled. That means that you don't have to

chase after flashy things anymore. That means that Tesla is

not going to be important. It's good. You can buy it,

but it's not the most important thing. But if you don't,

godsplait in you, the tesla is going to be all God.

I use testis a joke, kay, But there's nothing wrong

with buying teslas. Okay, We've got a few of our

CPCs buying tesla. But I'm trying to give you this

perspective of abundant life. When you have abundant life, right,

you know, you know that God is with you. Okay,

it's five sixteen eighteen says I say. Then walk in

the spirit. And if you do not fulfill the loss

of the flesh, for the flesh last against the spirit,

and the spirit against the flesh. And these are contrary

to one another, so that you do not do the

things that you wish. But you are led by the spirit.

You're not under the law. When when you walk in

the spirit, the Lord will give you an abundant life. Right.

But what is abundant life is abundant life having everything?

Or is abundant life lacking nothing? And I'm not just

talking about perspective. You know, it's abundant life having everything. Oh,

if everything, I can do whatever I want, or it's

abundant life, lacking nothing. I will share the testimony of

someone I know, someone's close to ours past the cannature.

He is lacking nothing and he still does not have

a salary. I'm very amazed with his testimony. I remind

myself cessimony every day. Of course God called him to

do it, you know we God call me. I don't know,

like lot of pistol. I do like have that level

of faith. Lord, But being someone that has been extra

for twenty our years, ready and understanding the truth, guys,

I like nothing me it's a joke. As John said,

Oh you know, he's very a lot of titles and

actually no, it's not a title. But I'm like, yeah, Lord,

I've led a full life. Even despite challenges in my life,

I have abundant life. The Lord has provided every single

step of the way. I got married without any savings.

In fact, I was ten thousand ringed shot, but God

gave me double that amount after I got married. That's

abundant life, right. I look at my life now that

the day I was talking, I can't remember I'm talking

to it. I was like, I've been full time all

these well, no, and of course I see my friends all.

You know, I mean they're doing well our praise God.

No travel actually not so bad. Luck, got two cars,

got a nice house that I own. Right. I think

some people who my NEUSU still haven't own house yet. Right, Okay,

quite quite comfortable, Quite comfortable, you know. I think I

have a band of life. You know, I've got a

living wife, two kids, no family drama. I got all

emotional baggage myself, but thank God, I got no family

drama in my family. Very peaceful, oh, which is another

benefit of letting God's spirit take over. Peace. A lot

of people doing a peace you know. Second Testiniustrey sixteen says,

now made a lot of peace himself, Give you peace

always in every way. The lobby with all peace is

not devoid of problems. Think about it now. The benefit

of letting God's spirit take over you face a problem?

You're not anxious? I worry your peace first first benefit.

Second benefit, God Spirit leave you true. Some to your tree,

says Do I walk no some trees not? Is it? Yeah?

Do I walk through the revalue of the shelf of death.

I will fear no evil for your old and your staff.

They comfort me. Right, isn't it a promise of God

to give you peace and abundant life. Think about your friends.

Some of you know this because you've experienced it. Some

of you have not experienced it. You have not really

tapped into what God has in store for you. And

it's not just about coming on Sunday. And I give

you one last benefit, which try it. Think what I've

seen you. I might have seen you once or twice

last Okay. D two verse for the Tree says, then

fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs

were done through the apostles. One more benefit about revival, well,

he said, we can see science wonders, and then you'll

know that God is real, for yourself, for your friends.

Maybe a bit hard, right. I don't know what I've

convinced you enough to allow God to real your hearts.

And I don't know whether you know. I hope I've

given you a perspective of what revival is. While we're

chasing what we're doing. As I was preparing for the

message and just now I was just worshiping, I was

just thinking about you. It's be you a revived church.

That's a question I have. We're going to revival or no,

and sometimes people think, oh, revival and also for the

next year, we will prepare by revival and then we

will have one big party at the end of the

year where we can all come together in the big

stadium and then have revival and then no friends. Do

you know that there are a lot of people who

already revive. Do you know that God has slowly revived

different things in our church? I show you one or

two testimonies as we are. One of the revivals that

happened was because if we've been a strong enough, you've

gone through you know, we've gone through a rough patch.

One of the revivals we had in church was the

like bulb I think in uh or something that you know,

it was a ministry that was dying. But God revived

the dance ministry in our church and now they're doing

crazy stuff, you know. Expressions. Another one, this son I

personally had a chance to be involved in, and it

was more like last year and last year I shared

a message about dreaming again. You know, you know, our

church right has been used by God to reach out

to young people and God has given us a lot

of a lot of strategies that were reached a young

That's why we always big on certain things. We're big

on We're big on the arts. We're big on creative

because the young people that were creative, right, they want

to express themselves one of the things or one of

the ministries that God has given us for many years

that we've done really well, to the point that people

actually pay money. You can't watch our shows, right, his

expressions are performing us ministry. But to be honest, maybe

a few years back, we are a lot of challenges twenty fifteen,

twenty sixteen, twenty seventeen, a lot of challenges, a lot

of drama. Drama people like drama, right, so a lot

of drama. Love what and unfortunately not everybody survival. You know,

I had the privilege of being involved since the beginning.

I still remember when we started past the CENRA, gathered

a few of us, you know, me Ellie still around,

you know, and a few other people that not around anymore,

and say hey, let's do something, you know, church, because

Christmas is the time when people come, you know, it's

a very good time people come, you know to church,

you know, even people who don't know Jesus yet, and

let's do something. And we did our first play in

two thousand and five, and after that it just got

better and better and better and better better. I think

John was involved in that play. If he remembers, Prices

said that Halfway didn't survive and it was very difficult

to revive. But you know, God had to revive the

heart of a person first before he can revive a ministry.

God always used man, right, and and he revived my heart.

Can I tell you that He revived my heart through

even the school production second year? First year it was like,

oh man, this is like crazy. Second year was like

again and I was going to tender my resignation. No no, no,

not not work resignation, but this project regisation. I don't

do it any won no. But God brought me to

a place where you know, you know the thing about

revival me let me sure if you think about revivor,

it's very interesting. Is that one of the first things

that he changes is your mindset, the way you perceive things.

He opens up your eyes, you know, very spiritual way.

I say, he opens up your spiritual eyes to see

things that you know saw before. Right. But the simple

thing that happens is like romans. I don't romans like

hebrobably says, he renew your mind. My mind was renewed.

And after that it was just like foo on no

on phone phone, and I tell you the fruit. The

fruit is the one that's more important because when we

started that again, revive one man's heart and then revived

the ministry. And then it was even like, oh, you know,

you know I remember Christmas Christmas? No, not last year?

Last last year? I think was it lastast year? Oh? No,

last year? That's it Christmas? Right, okay. A lot of

people asking me how many of you were there Christmas? No.

A lot of people ask me where you find the

singers are? I said, I also don't know, because we

never planned to have singers. We audition. Now, can I

tell you something interesting? Everybody the audition, now we give

them a role. This is how desperate we were. Not

people no, right, don't know whether people come. Everybody gave

a role. Everybody we want. So happened now through a

miracle of God. Right, we found the two main characters

that we chose a main character and sing one. They

were like, okay, I guess you can do a musical.

You know, God, you know when your heart is revived

and you obey him and then you just be faithful.

There will be a lot of things that may not

go your way, but if you continue to be faithful,

the Lord will provide. I tell you the cast, the crew,

no drama is the first time in my well, not

first timeline. Yeah, maybe first timeline. I'm trying to remember

whether the last time when they got drama. Maybe last time,

first few years, no drama because we don't know how

to have drama. But after so long, right we had

to play. There was no drama. Everybody's very happy. It

was a good experience. And I tell you what, people

got safe and all glory goes to God. Oh glory

goes to him. It's not because of our talents, because

we're very good. It's all God. Friends, so friends. This

year the team is revival, and this way I end.

You might think that to experience revival you need to

go to a stadium. You might think that to experience

revival and you need someone to pray over you. Well,

I can tell you that all you need is God's

spirit in your life. Because in the upper room, nobody

prayed for the postles. Even Jesus is not there. The

spirit of God just came and they will change. So

all you need is revival, is to ask God, God

revive my heart today. You have that chance to do it.

That's my call.

We hope you've been blessed by this message. For more

information on our church, please visit as church org. We

are also active on Facebook and Instagram. We're believing that

this week is going to be a good week.

I hit for you.

God bless