Could 2015 be the year America comes out of a state of spiritual emergency into a spiritual awakening?
Bryon Paulus is president of Life Action Ministries and director of the One Cry movement, made up of believers who are seeking a nationwide revival. He joins us, and we focus in on the six realities of spiritual awakening and what it would look like if it happened here. It’s a hopeful New Year’s perspective on prayer and revival. Here’s where the conversation takes us:
We’ve seen the word so often, but what exactly is revival? Where does it begin? Byron says that a spiritual awakening needs to start in the church.
Today’s church is grappling with anger and bitterness, but how can we overcome those thorny issues and turn toward an awakening? Byron believes it begins with three ‘R’s’. First we need to remember where we have fallen. Then we must repent of our failings. Finally, we have to return to our first love.
Byron also says that it’s important we turn away from sin specifically, as opposed to repenting in generalities.
Authenticity is vital. God knows our heart, and he sees past our words and the way we’d like to present ourselves. We need to have a heart of repentance.
“Revival is closing the gap between what we know about God and what we’ve personally experienced.”
Byron believes that we too often cry out in our prayer life, when we should be crying up to God instead. Our hope needs to be solely & completely dependent on God.
We’re asking God to do a fresh work within us, and to revive our churches. In that quest, we ought to pray for honesty, humility, and repentance.
Bible references: Hosea 10:12, Isaiah 64, John 17, Psalm 133
To dig deeper on this topic, visit lifeaction.org & onecrybook.com.
