Are we willing to risk everything for the sake of

offensive,
shaking,
cross-centered revival
that puts an end to much of what we have held dear?

– John Burton

Do you want God to move in your life? In your church? In your city?

Most people will say, “Yes, of course.”

But do you really want Him to move?

Revival changes everything. Revival demands everything.  Jesus said, “Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:33)

Are you willing to lay down your agenda, your priorities, your time, your money, your livelihood… your life?

Are you really willing to lay down your time and your agenda? How is that reflected in your life? How much time are you spending in prayer, privately and corporately? How much time are you spending in the Word? How much time are you spending on Kingdom purposes?  Compare this with the amount of time you spend watching television, surfing the net, hanging out with friends, etc. Are your priorities for your life the same as God’s priorities?

Are you willing to lay down complacency? Unbelief? Fear?

Are you willing to let go of your pre-conceived notions of “how it must be done”? (I speak this to seasoned revivalists as well as those who have never experienced it. There is nothing so quenching to the Spirit as man saying, “It must be done this way”.)

Are you willing to lose your independence and become wholly dependent on God?

Are you willing to deny yourself?
Are you willing to take up your cross and follow Jesus?

Revival – and those being revived – offends those who refuse to lay down their lives and take up their cross. It offends people who want it done this way or that way.

Are you willing to be offensive for the sake of Jesus? Will you give up your reputation?

Are you ready to give up your preconceived notions about others?

Will you give up everything that hinders the move of God? What if that which hinders is something you hold dear? Is there anything in your life that you hold more dear, more sacred, or love more than Him?

Will you do the hard work? God does not bring revival for your entertainment.

Will you give God ALL the glory?

Will you receive the word of the Lord with eagerness and willingness?

Will you repent? If you truly, truly want revival fire burning in your heart, you cannot harbor sin in your life, in your home, in your church or community.

God showed me a vision some time ago of Greensboro, NC burning – people everywhere were blazingly on fire and the entire cityscape was ablaze. It was obvious that there were two kinds of people and two kinds of fire. I asked God to tell me what it meant.  He said that people will either burn for Him and be consumed by Him, or they will burn in the flames of hell. One way or another, everyone will burn. No one can have both fires burning. Will you allow Him to burn you?

Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Yet His promise is to come and dwell within you! Are you content for the kingdom to be “at hand”  – within your reach but not alive within you? Don’t settle for anything less than the fullness of Jesus that God has promised us!

Are you willing to give up your “rights” – your “right” to know and understand? Your “right” to be seen and heard? Your “right” to anything you could precede with the words “your”, “yours”, or “mine”? Can you really make it all about Him? Are you ready to do that?

The Lord wants to move with unhindered power in your life – in your church – in your city – in our nation and across the globe. Are you ready?