There are only two kinds of Christians:  those who are filled with themselves and those who are filled with the Holy Spirit. Many of us spent time at the altar during HEARTLAND dealing with issues that have prevented the Spirit from controlling our lives.  God has spoken.  Many critical decisions--about sin and lack of discipline and failure to surrender--have been made.  Many of us have crowned Christ the Lord of our lives once again.  That is revival!  Are you experiencing revival?

There are no un-contested victories in the Christian life.  Every time we retake territory that has been occupied by the enemy, we are going to have a battle.  The devil never gives up any area he has controlled without a huge fight.  Our decision to surrender to Christ is only the beginning.   Let me say two things about what we can expect over the next few weeks and months.

First, those of us who responded to the Holy Spirit in repentance and surrender can expect unusual outbreaks of spiritual opposition in our lives.  Be prepared for it.  Don't think the battle is over.  For some of us, the battle has just begun.  Be prepared for attacks upon yourself or your family during the days immediately following a touch of God.  It ALWAYS happens.

Second, our church can expect some unusual and unexpected testing from the most unlikely sources.  Whenever a church determines to walk in victory and in the blessings of God and whenever a significant "critical mass" of its people decides to live in the "new normal," the devil will change his game plan and bring pressures and problems into the congregation to distract them from the main issue--the continual surrender of our lives to Jesus.

I spoke to all of our staff recently about what we can expect in the days ahead.  We can expect God to continue to move in the hearts of our people.  We can expect many to make the changes God has told them to make.  We can expect more responsiveness and sensitivity at invitation time as people move to the altar in prayer and commitment.  And . . . we can expect opposition to anything that would change the status quo and would set the bar any higher in our church.

Cold, carnal, casual church members don’t care about revival; they don’t care about a lost world; they don’t care about the glory of God.  They just want their church to be comfortable, cozy, and convenient.  Here’s the doxology according to carnal Christians:

“Praise God for the status quo,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him for standards that are low,
Praise Benny and Joel and Brother Creflo."

The sad fact is—the 15% of surrendered church members are often held back by the 85% who want church on their own terms.  Tragically, many staff leaders have to invest most of their energies in the people who cannot positively influence the kingdom and the church for good or help the church move forward.

We've had a touch of revival.  Let's press on to the summit.  Let's go for the gold.  Let's not stop praying and surrendering and loving until the church and all of its ministries are controlled by the Spirit of Jesus.

We best heed the inspired wisdom that the Apostle Peter gave to the scatter believers in the first century:

8 Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world. 10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 To Him be the dominion forever.
1 Peter 5:8-11 (HCSB)

Alan Day, Senior Pastor