Jun

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Leaders Were Called And Are Called To Pay Attention To These Four Hindrances To Revival

June 5, 2008 |

At a leader’s meeting last month one colleague spoke on the poignant topic of hindrances to Revival.

In so many nations people are praying for Revival, and particularly in Scotland, because we know just how much we need what is commonly called Revival.

Our problems are massive and serious - the breaking up of the family - morals - abortion - financial - issues surrounding binge drinking and drug abuse - apathy - lethargy - materialism and secularism - the list is almost endless. We are in a critical situation and it cannot be sorted out by the government, education, Social Work or by any other means than a Sovereign move of Almighty God.

What are people praying for - revival - a visitation of God - another outpouring of the Holy Spirit which will result in greater repercussions than that of the 1960’s and 1970’s. We need the ‘yeast’ of God to work. We cannot start the yeast working - nor can we stop it when it begins to work - but we can do something to prepare the conditions and the hearts of men and women. We can work the dough!

We need our gracious loving God to move in a way that will renew the Church with a renewal that will splash, influence, and see others rescued and changed, and such a move has historically been rooted in the initial prayer of concerned burdened intercessors.

Almighty God heard the cries of the Hebrew slaves in Egypt and raised up Moses to release them and set them free. Exodus is a pivotal book. We require such a transformation in our nation today.

Revival can mean different things to different people but the basic yearning and longing is for a move of God - a rekindling of faith - a relighting of that which has almost gone out altogether. We are not far from that across the face of Scotland, although we are aware of places where faith is bright and strong. These are the fellowships where intercessors are praying and crying out to God.

What are these points that my colleague and friend listed as hindrances. He mentioned four although we know there are others.

1. Pride. We can think we are all right. The lust of the eyes can make us think that things can satisfy. They never will. We can do it all on our own - a few new laws and that will correct everything. Pride is a terrible horrendous sin. God calls us to humble ourselves. We are never told to pray that God will humble us. He may just answer that prayer! We are encouraged and instructed to humble ourselves.

2. Prayerlessness. Again that indicates that we seek to rely on self. Yes, we can do it. O no we can’t and that is so very obvious. The prophet Joel speaks about the leaders praying and weeping. These were men who were prepared to take the matter facing them seriously.

3. Priorities misplaced. Even in the Church we have become involved in so many side issues and diversions. We are called to seek God’s face. One thing that has always impressed me about Alcoholics Anonymous is how they have focussed on one matter - getting people dry and keeping them off alcohol. If only the Church of Jesus Christ had focussed upon preaching the Gospel and teaching the Scriptures. For the first three hundred years that is what they did with no big buildings and no paid clergy and they did quite well!

4. Presumption. We can presume that God is with us and blessing all we do. We presume that things are all right and they are not. We see that time and time again the writings of the prophets and we so need this warning in these present times.

God’s Commands can be like traffic lights protecting us - keeping us safe - and telling us when it all right to GO!

Sandy Shaw.

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled “Word from Scotland” on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw

sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

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