“I don’t care where you come from. As long as you are named by the name of Christ, give me your hand of fellowship”. I’ve heard that, in Nigeria a common song our fathers used to sing went something like that.
They tell stories of what the Church was like after the revival that broke out after the civil war in Nigeria. Mostly, it is nothing like what we know these days.
The stories are bittersweet to hear — they’re proof that we can still have the fellowship the early Church had, as recorded in the Bible.
The same power that moved in those days is still available for us today.
But the stories are also a reminder of how easy it is to lose something valuable when you become too familiar with it.
Our fathers lived with an expectancy that the Lord could come any day, even today, so they ordered their lives accordingly.
They greeted one another with “Maranatha! The Lord is coming! It could be today. Are you ready?”
They checked on each other to make sure they were still in the race, and to provide support and encouragement for those who were weary. Sometimes, this support and encouragement was practical, like opening your home to a family that would otherwise be homeless. Or canvassing for funds to pay the fees of a final year student who might be asked to withdraw for failure to pay.
They didn’t need bright, flashing lights, with ridiculously loud instruments and equipment, to praise God. And they sang songs that actually praised God, songs that were prayers, and songs that reminded them of truths they’ve found in the Bible.
The Bible was the standard by which they lived.
And when they prayed, they did so as people who knew exactly what they were doing. They’ve taught us that prayer is talking to God, and that’s what they did when they prayed.
I’m blessed to have around me people who witnessed that revival. Even though the fire burns really low in the Church today, I see the way they still carry on. I see the way they pray for another revival.
Their commitment to God cannot be denied — stay around them long enough and you’d be examining yourself!
“The Church has to be united and completely dependent on the Holy Spirit”, they would say, “We need the Holy Spirit”.
And then they would warn that we cannot open ourselves to just any spirit because we’re seeking the Holy Spirit.
I look at the Church today and I cry with our fathers, “Lord send another revival! Make us ready, Lord, and send another revival!”
We have an enemy that’s orchestrating wicked schemes fast because he knows his time is short, so what is the Church doing when we focus with fearsome zeal on things that have no eternal consequence?
Do we even know that we are at war?
When you look at the Church today, what do you see?
We cannot lose hope or feel defeated because Jesus said, “I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”.
Like our fathers sang, “The Church is marching on….”
The question is, where do you stand?
Who is on the Lord’s side?
Let us pray with our fathers, “Lord, please make us ready and then send a revival”.
Beautifully written. Praying with you for revival.
Thanks for visiting Many blessings to you!