Many in today’s church have long spoken of and looked for a future event we’ve called “revival” or “awakening”. We’ve been much like the nation of Israel who wandered through the wilderness serving their 40 year sentence, looking forward to the Promised Land like we have looked forward to revival. What was the crime of the Israelites that lead to their wilderness sojourn? They disbelieved God’s ability to use them to take the Promised Land. They saw themselves powerless as grasshoppers and failed to act on His command because they didn’t believe they could do so.
What if the church today is serving a similar sentence without ever having been sentenced? What if we have been wandering in a spiritual wilderness even though we’ve already been given permission to take the inheritance He has for us? It is no longer time for the church to prepare for awakening. Awakening is here and it is now time for war. When the nation of Israel finally did enter the Promised Land and faced the battle to occupy it, they relied on the encouragement given to their leader in Joshua chapter 1.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
If God’s Word was the blueprint for Israelite success, it is safe to say it is the blueprint for our success as well. Now is the time to study His Word with the intent of following it, doing those things it tells us we can do. The book of Revelation contains the messages Jesus has for the seven churches. Jesus’ final message to the church is found in Revelation 3:19-20. “Behold I sand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.”
I’ve always seen the picture of Christ knocking at the door as simply an invitation to salvation. There is more. Even to those who have already accepted Him, the King of Glory still knocks.
Psalm 24:7-10 Lift up your heads, O you gates!
And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O you gates!
Lift up, you everlasting doors!
And the King of glory shall come in.
Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
He is the King of glory.
The King of Glory is knocking on your heart, it is time to not only let Him in, but to expand the size of the door to let in a bigger Jesus than we ever have before. The Jesus who indwells us is the King of Glory, the Lord Mighty in Battle. Lift up the head of the door to your heart, expand your capacity and your vision of who He is. The church of Jesus Christ is coming into a realization of its potential. As a result, awakening is not something to be looked forward to. It is here.