Yes Changes Everything

a publication of Life Action Ministries

Volume 50, Issue 2

YES CHANGES EVERYTHING

LIFE IN THE ZONE Steve Canfield | p. 10

LET OBEDIENCE FALL FROM HEAVEN Marshall Segal | p. 14

OPENING THE DOOR . . .

John Avant | p. 24

CONTENTS COLUMNS 03 SPIRIT OF REVIVAL The Very Best Way

06

10

21 FROM THE HEART Don't Lose the Intimacy

30 NEXT STEP Today's Awakening

PERSPECTIVES 28 REAL WORLD People Who Said Yes to God 30 MAKING IT PERSONAL How You Can Say Yes

WHY LIFE WITH JESUS IS ABUNDANT

14 LET OBEDIENCE FALL FROM HEAVEN

Executive Director/CEO: Byron Paulus Senior Editor: Del Fehsenfeld III Managing Editor: Daniel W. Jarvis Assistant Editor: Kim Adams Creative Director: Aaron Paulus Designers: Allison Richcreek, Emily Crawford Illustrator: Layne Ewing Photography: Unsplash.com Volume 50, Issue 2 Copyright © 2020 by Life Action Ministries.

All rights reserved.

22 SAY YES TO POWER, LOVE, AND A SOUND MIND

Revive magazine is published as God provides, and made available at no cost to those who express a genuine burden for revival. It is financially supported by the gifts of God’s people. Its mission is to ignite movements of revival and authentic Christianity.

Life Action Ministries does not necessarily endorse the entire philosophy and ministry of all its contributing writers. We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts or pay our authors for content. We grant permission for any original article (not a reprint) to be photocopied for use in a local church or group setting, provided copies are unchanged, are distributed free of charge, and indicate Life Action Ministries as the source. Revive magazines are also available online.

LIFE IN THE ZONE

18 7 THINGS THAT HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE SAY YES

24 OPENING THE DOOR TO SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011

by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture on pp. 3, 16–17 taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version.

ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Scripture on p. 9 taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture on pp. 21–23 taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version®.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

2

lifeaction.org/

SPIRIT OF REVIVAL

T H E V E R Y B E S T WAY still remember a piece of parenting advice my wife and I received early in our family life: “If your children learn to obey between birth and five years of age, the rest of child-rearing pretty much takes care of itself.” Profoundly simple counsel, but as the ensuing years with our children quickly taught us, very difficult to get right!

The reason obedience is so important is that it keeps a parent and child in sync with each other. Ironically, the primary beneficiaries of obedience were not us as parents, but rather our children. Their obedience enabled the blessing of our parental wisdom and resources to work on their behalf.

The same principle is true in our relationship to our heavenly Father. As we submit to the authority of the Word of God, the lordship of Jesus Christ, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we are the glad beneficiaries of God’s blessing and guidance. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice . . . and they follow me” (John 10:27).

I am convinced that the greatest deterrent to experiencing God’s presence in revival and spiritual awakening is disobedience—not out in the world, but inside the church! In fact, of the thousands of churchgoers who rightly affirm the inerrancy of the Scriptures, how many of those same people functionally neglect the authority of God’s Word over their everyday lives?

I guess that shouldn’t surprise me.

The greatest struggle I face personally isn’t acquiring more truth, but learning to obey the truth I already know. From Lucifer’s refusal to obey God in the heavenly realms, to Adam and Eve’s refusal to obey God in the Garden, the urge to go our own way is our biggest obstacle.

Disobedience stands in the way of our fulfilling the purpose of our lives.

I

It stands in the way of our fellowship with God. And, obviously, it stands in the way of revival!

As A. W. Tozer boldly asserted, “Revival will come when even prayer is no longer used as a substitute for obedience.”

Don’t skip over what is perhaps the most important question you will ever be asked: “What is the one area of your life that, if you fully obeyed, would tear down all barriers between you and God’s fullest blessing in your life?”

A youthful Evan Roberts stood up in 1904 before a Welsh congregation that seemed hard and distant. After a long pause, he put away his notes, believing that one more message would not penetrate hearts that had grown so cold, calloused, and carnal. Instead, he spoke just four words: “Obey the Holy Spirit.”

When Roberts sat down that evening, God stood up. Revival swept Wales and moved throughout the world in a remarkable and unstoppable fashion.

It is time for us to sit down so God can stand up. It’s time to obey God. Of all songs ever sung during our Life Action church events over the years, this children’s song has received the most response:

DISOBEDIENCE STANDS IN THE WAY OF OUR FULFILLING THE PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES.

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe: Doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily.

Action is the key, do it immediately—joy you will receive.

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.

And that is what this issue of Revive is about and why our passion at Revive Our Hearts, Life Action, and OneCry is to inspire your next yes to God. Are you living the very best way . . . saying yes to God daily?

BY R O N PA U LU S Executive Director/CEO Life Action Ministries Revive Our Hearts, Life Action, OneCry

3

HIGHLAND TERRACE BAPTIST, GREENVILLE, TX | ENGLEWOOD BAPTIST, ROCKY MOUNT, NC | HARRISBURG BAPTIST, TUPELO, MS | VALLEY VIEW CHURCH, LOUISVILLE, KY | ROLLING HILLS BAPTIST, FAIRFIELD, OH | FELLOWSHIP OF WILDWOOD, WILDWOOD, MO | GOODLETTSVILLE CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN, GOODLETTSVILLE, TN | LIFE COMMUNITY CHURCH, JAMESTOWN, NC | KEYSTONE CHURCH, PARADISE, PA | GATEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH, WYLIE, TX | LIFEPOINT CHURCH, SENATOBIA, MS | GEORGETOWN BIBLE CHURCH,

your church, your town Life Action teams have facilitated life-changing moments in thousands of churches, inviting people to set aside time to seek God, repent, and take bold steps of obedient faith together.

Watch videos and view options at LifeAction.org/Conferences.

BAPTIST, JEFFERSON CITY, MO | NEW LIFE COMMUNITY, INWOOD, WV | PEOPLE’S CHURCH, WYOMING, ONTARIO, CANADA | FELLOWSHIP BAPTIST, COBOURG, ONTARIO, CANADA | EMMANUEL BAPTIST, BARRIE, ONTARIO, CANADA | HEARTLAND ALLIANCE, MT. GILEAD, OH | ABOITE MISSIONARY CHURCH, FORT WAYNE, IN | RENO CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, RENO, NV | THE HOME CHURCH, LODI, CA | FELLOWSHIP IN THE PASS, BEAUMONT, CA | FIRST BAPTIST BLACK FOREST, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | GREEN RIDGE BAPTIST, ROANOKE, VA | COMMUNITY HEIGHTS, NEWTON, IA | CALVARY EVANGELICAL, VAN WERT, OH | COVENANT PRESBYTERIAN, RENO, NV | NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN, RENO, NV

LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS FOR YOUR ENTIRE CHURCH

LifeAction.org/Church-Events

t s r i h T rches to chu the l l a c -day ring ique 4 lly dry, offe n u a from T is piritua king deeply s n THIRS w o drin ve gr that ha t comes from t. ha Chris hope t ter of a w g n i the liv

r e d lea r h yo u refres spiro t aim d in e v e n t s o u ra g i n g a n d r e d a c fe” an O u r l e i p te a m , e n eason of “li sh xt s le a d e r the ne r o f em ing th ther. ” toge n o i t c “a

e v i v e r aller ers sm f f o e c ed, en center Confer e e l v i b i v e B ence tion’s R churches a experi Life Ac d d e e s z u i id-s n-foc . and m l i ca t i o p p a eakers p l s a n ’s n o o p e rs e Acti e of Lif n o h t i w

t i m m su in 5 d ays 1 o t ce 8 God nferen ronment for o c a s ng mit i n envi s amo y a w A Sum at creates a l we r f u th ue, po q length i n u k in on. to wo r regati g n o c your 5

why Life With Jesus is Abundant

6

lifeaction.org/

Revive editors Del Fehsenfeld and Dan Jarvis discuss the abundant life that results when people say yes to God.

Dan The day I said yes to God, my whole life and future changed. It was when, as a preteen, I asked Jesus to lead me.

(Prior to that, I knew a lot about the Bible but wasn’t seriously living it.) In that moment, the faith of my parents became my own faith, and my first yes to God began a chain reaction that I suppose involves this conversation, here in Revive, 29 years later.

Del My first yes came after many years of saying no! My father died my freshman year of college, and I got swept away by unbelief at university.

But when my fiancé insisted we go to church somewhere, I reluctantly agreed. After several months of listening to a series on stories of people in the Bible who met Jesus, I woke up to the fact that He really is who He claims to be—the Lord of life. It was such a dramatic moment for me that saying yes seemed like the only option.

Of course, that big yes meant lots of no’s to most of what I was prioritizing, so it was definitely a learning process.

Still is, come to think of it.

Dan It’s interesting that you bring up the concept of “no’s” that resulted from

your “yes.” I think that’s really the key to stepping into abundant life; it’s offering an enthusiastic yes to the things that are joyful, eternal, pure, and true. And that yes also empowers our no to all that is dark and dismal.

Our ability to say no to things like addiction or pornography or anger or anything else is found in the bigger, stronger, more amazing yes to what God has in store. It’s no to sin, yes to abundant life. Jesus died to make that option available to us, and God gives us His grace to overcome evil any moment we call out for it—and probably even when we don’t.

That’s why I’m always surprised when people talk about sin in terms of how much of it is okay or how much they can get away with and still go to heaven.

It seems like a dramatic exercise in missing the whole point. Why would someone want to live a less-than-whole life? Why would they say yes to Jesus for eternity but no to Him for the next few moments of life on earth? Why not jump in with both feet to the kind of abundant life Jesus died to provide?

Del You’re onto something here, Dan. The Christian life is so much more than simply believing right things so that you can go to heaven when you die.

7

the key to stepping into abundant life is offering an enthusiastic yes to the things that are joyful, eternal, pure, and true.

And it’s more than trying not to do too many bad things. If Jesus is powerful enough to save us, then He certainly is smart enough to know the best way to live. And that’s actually what He said, that He came to show us the way to the best kind of life (John 10:10). In other words, Jesus knows how life works, and He wants to infuse every moment with the opportunity to live life with God. There is no greater vision, nothing bigger to say yes to than an interactive life with God that begins now and lasts forever. As Jesus said, “This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). And the cool thing is that as we move increasingly with Jesus in this direction day by day, we find ourselves moving away from everything that is evil and destructive. The best way to overcome sin is to focus on where Jesus is taking us moment by moment.

Dan So let’s break that down a little and talk about the how of a yes life. How does a person who is used to saying yes to their own flesh and to the peer pressure of the world start to say yes to Jesus instead? How do they, as you said, “move increasingly with Jesus”?

Or, to use a specific biblical term, how do they repent?

8

lifeaction.org/

As an aside, both John the Baptist and Jesus began their ministries with a call to repentance (Mark 1:4-5, 14-15). Kind of like, “The time for personal and systemic change has come, everyone! A new kingdom and a new King are here!”

and possibilities follow. It’s sort of like improv theater—as soon as a participant says no to the next moment, the scene is over. Yes to God keeps us in the flow with God. Yes to God, deciding to go His way over and over, is the life of repentance.

Del Dan Well, repentance has to do with the direction we take. It means changing our direction to go in God’s direction.

There’s truth in the old proverb that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. For the Christian, each step is to be taken with awareness of and dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Scripture tells us to “walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16), or literally, “keep in step with the Spirit” (v. 25). So when we focus on who we are doing life with (God Himself) as much as what we are supposed to be doing, it changes how we do it. And when we pay attention to God’s indwelling Spirit, the Scripture I just quoted continues with the promise of God’s accompanying power in our lives: “You will not gratify [or carry out] the desires of the flesh.”

Keeping in step with the Spirit is not complicated, but it does require responsiveness. We have to say yes moment by moment to the thoughts, attitudes, and actions of God. Every time we say yes, more opportunities

I love the idea of responsiveness being our path forward. I have to repent from being the guy with all my own answers, with all my own designs. I have to yield to a different Lord, which is what the yes message of Life Action is really all about. It’s like when Jesus asked rhetorically, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

Saying yes at the next “T-stop,” and then the next after that, will navigate us all the way to maturity and fruitfulness. And maybe that’s the whole point—there isn’t a formula or a secret spiritual system to any of this. It’s just, “Yes, Lord.”

So, Del, one field of study you’ve spent a lot of time in is behavioral change; in addition to your pastoral work, you’ve also served as a Christian therapist, and you’ve spent endless hours coaching people who wish they could change but who aren’t sure they really can. So I’ll ask you what I’m pretty sure everyone is wondering: Why is offering God a yes so difficult? If that

life really is abundant, happy, endless, exciting, and righteous, why isn’t everyone already in on it?

Del The apostle Paul asked himself the same question, exclaiming, “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it.

Instead, I do what I hate” (Romans 7:15). Even when we know that saying yes to God is the best option, our no’s seem to come much more naturally.

The reason for this disconnect is the way we allow our brains and bodies to become wired. Over time, our thoughts lead to choices, that lead to habits, that lead to character. In other words, most of our responses to life have become automatic because they have been reinforced so many times—for good or for bad. So forming a new lifestyle of saying yes to God has to reverse the process!

Current habits have to be interrupted so new ones can be cultivated.

This means we have to do more than wait until the moment of temptation and then try really hard not to do what we have become accustomed to doing.

Instead, we have to train ourselves to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7). Training is a good metaphor for transformation into a yes-to-God lifestyle because it assumes that before you can run a marathon, you have to break the big goal down into smaller parts, and through daily practice build competencies that enable you to become the kind of person that can do the big goal.

In the same way, we are transformed into Christlikeness incrementally and through thousands of smaller yes-toGod moments that lead to the life Jesus has made possible for us.

Dan When I was a younger pastor, I would spend hours in a local juvenile detention center, trying to share the gospel with tough-minded (but remarkably open-hearted) teens. One consistent conversation I recall was trying to tell them how I really loved my life, even though booze, drugs, and premarital sex weren’t a part of it at all. They had a hard time believing me, I think. Any sense of fun, joy, fullness, or abundance they had was totally distorted by the false premises and false promises of the world.

Maybe those teens were willing to say out loud what a lot of people think in their hearts, that somehow they’ll miss out on something by following Jesus.

Maybe so many people straddle the fence because they think they can get the benefits of Jesus and still maintain a hold on the world. But I want to flip that over and say this: The love, adventure, and purpose of abundant life with Jesus is SO much better than any cheap substitute the world has to offer. And the only way you’ll ever know is to go 100% in—to say yes and not look back.

You can begin living abundant life right here, right now. It starts with faith—decide to trust in Jesus instead of trusting in yourself. Then, it just becomes a daily exercise of that faith, trusting Jesus’ will, His Word, His way of life. At the next T-stop, you could say, “Yes, Lord.” You could discover for yourself what millions of Christ-followers throughout history know to be true.

9

LIFE IN THE ZONE Partial obedience is disobedience.

We’re either all in for Christ, or we aren’t.

BY STEVE CANFIELD

you’ve ever watched the NBA basketball playoffs, you’ve likely been impressed by some superstar player, like Michael Jordan or LeBron James. At times you may have heard an announcer say, “Wow, he’s really in the zone!”

When a player is in the zone, and that individual gets hold of the ball, it’s going in the bucket. Chalk it up to skill, momentum, passion, or even luck, but they’re just producing and winning in that moment.

Now, I love playing an occasional game of basketball myself, and I can tell you what it’s like to be out of the zone.

You’re kind of oblivious to what’s going on, your mind isn’t in the game, you miss shots and forget plays. We sometimes say a guy like that is “zoning out”!

I believe obedience is the “zone” God wants us to live in.

There’s not much glamour in the actual definition of obedience, which sounds something like submitting to the

If

10

lifeaction.org/

restraint or command of an authority. Who’s interested in that?

God is. And He has given us commands, for His glory and for our own good. Our first and only response to God when He gives us direction should be, “Yes, Sir!”

Life in the Obedience Zone There’s no such thing as being partially obedient. You don’t measure obedience in percentage points. You can’t say, “Well, he was 90% obedient” . . . because partial obedience is actually disobedience. We’re either all in for Christ, or we aren’t.

Remember in 1 Samuel 15 where Samuel was talking to King Saul, and he said, “To obey is better than sacrifice”? In that account, Saul had been instructed very specifically to destroy all of the wicked Amalekites.

We often hear critiques of God’s command regarding this story: “How could that be just?” etc. But what I like to zero in on is Saul’s response. He didn’t question

the justice of God’s plan, but he also didn’t fully implement it. If you recall, he had his army sweep through the city and do almost what God had commanded—perhaps even 99% of the command.

But Saul didn’t obey. He took the command of God, reprocessed it in his own understanding and for his own benefit, and only carried out some of what was asked. You can call that a lot of things, but you can’t call it total obedience!

That’s why he felt ashamed to talk to Samuel; that’s why he tried to make excuses and deflect blame. God didn’t ask Saul for partial compliance, and He wasn’t even satisfied with 99%.

Obedience doesn’t talk back to God; it doesn’t pick and choose; it just says yes.

God, I will do exactly what You’ve asked me to do.

I wonder how many times we’ve thought it sufficient to mostly obey God, or to assume that we’ve done more than most would do, so we must be covered.

Three Requirements of Biblical Obedience When our Life Action teams teach on obedience in churches across North America, we work hard to make sure every member of the family hears the message.

For children, we ask them to memorize a very simple definition: Obedience is doing exactly what God says to do, when He says to do it, with a right heart attitude.

I’m pretty sure that definition works for us adults as well. If we want the blessing of God in our lives, either on earth or in eternity, we have to obey Him. Obedience is discipleship, just as Jesus indicated in the Great Commission.

So, let’s break down that obedience definition and consider what the Holy Spirit might want to show us about our responsiveness to Him. 1. Doing exactly what I’m told to do. In order to obey God, we have to listen attentively, and we have to listen in a continuous fashion.

Once, a missionary translating the New Testament into the language of a tribe he was working with discovered they did not have a word in their language for obey. It wasn’t a very elevated virtue in their culture, so he couldn’t find a word to translate all of the biblical calls to obedience. One day while walking through the village, he whistled for his dog, and his dog immediately came running to his side. One of the locals said, “Your dog is all ear.”

And the missionary thought, “That’s it!

That’s the phrase I’m going to use!” So he translated obedience as “all ear.”

2. When I’m told to do it. Our definition of biblical obedience includes a time qualifier. It’s not enough to say to God, “Sure! I’ll obey . . . later.” That’s still not submission. That’s still reserving the right for ourselves regarding when and where we will comply with divine authority. That’s still thinking we know best.

One father tells the story of his son never getting around to cleaning his

12

lifeaction.org/

Obedience is d i s c i p l e s h i p, j u s t a s Jesus indicated in the Great COmmission. room. He would be told to do it, and he’d readily agree . . . but then time would slip by, and the job wouldn’t get done. This son graduated from high school and went off to join the Marines. He came back after boot camp on his first leave, and his dad asked, “Son, what have you learned in the service?” He said, “Dad, I’ve learned what NOW means.”

Some of us have never learned what now means. We’re not hearkening to what God tells us to do—in other words, listening carefully and submitting immediately.

3. With a right heart attitude. The third aspect of biblical obedience might be the hardest to maintain. It’s one thing to comply outwardly, but inwardly, what is our heart saying? Are we glad to serve God? Are we glad to uphold His moral standards or His priorities, rather than our own?

In the North Pacific there’s a little volcanic island called Iwo Jima. They used to do exercises for moon walks there, because it’s so like the surface of the moon. As an island, it’s pretty irrelevant in itself, but years ago it was very strategic in America’s fight to liberate the Pacific during World War II. America lost 21,000 men in the battle to wrest control of that island. Those soldiers charged the hill and were shot down right and left.

But at that moment they weren’t concerned with whether they were adequate or inadequate, with whether they had courage or lacked it; they were simply obeying the command, for better or for worse. Their authority said go, and they went. Get out of the boat, march up the hill, charge the machine gun nest, do whatever you need to do. And 21,000 men were killed because they were obedient!

I use this “negative” illustration here because we often only have a good attitude about obedience when we are in agreement with the logic—when we see what God sees, when we approve the course of action.

But what happens when God asks us to make a sacrifice, or to risk something of great worth for His kingdom cause? In that moment, will we obey, not only on the outside but also on the inside? Do we have that much faith in God’s ultimate plan?

T h e B e s t M o t i vat o r o f A l l While raising our children, my wife and I were very interested in their purity of heart. We sheltered them from a lot of the early-age temptations young people are faced with, be it through school, media, or otherwise. I recall one day when I was dropping off my 15-year-old son at someone else’s home. We knew they weren’t Christians, and they probably had very different standards of behavior than my children were used to.

So I asked Steven, “If you guys get out there driving around, and your friend pulls out a pornographic magazine and shows it to you, what are you going to do?”

Steven said, “Well, if I’m walking in the Spirit, I’m not going to look at it because God doesn’t want me to. If I’m not walking in the Spirit, I’m not going to look at it because you don’t want me to.”

I was so glad to hear that he was making the faith his own. He was

transitioning from the conviction of Dad to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Because, of course, Dad’s not going to be with him all of his life!

And that’s where I think repentance enters this equation. In order to trust that God’s way is really the best way to walk, I have to repent. I have to turn from my way and embrace His. It could be that we sometimes try to get people to jump from disobedience to obedience without that important step—the moment they make it their own, the moment they really repent.

We’re trying to say, “You’ve been doing this; now you need to start doing that,” rather than saying, “Is God bringing conviction to your life?”

Have you agreed with what God says about your sin? Have you gone to Him in confession? Have you asked forgiveness of others you have wronged? Have you turned from your way and started walking God's direction? Have you cried out for His grace and power to help you overcome sin and live for Christ?

That’s really what is involved in accepting God’s authority over our lives. As long as we still hold on to our self-will, I don’t think we’ll be able to obey . . . at least, not the 100% obedience God expects.

Jesus said it this way: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27).

Are you following? Are you obeying?

Are you in the zone?

Steve Canfield has served as a Life Action road team Revivalist for more than forty years.

13

14

lifeaction.org/

Let Obedience Fall from Heaven

BY MARSHALL SEGAL

He

never should have seen her that day.

He should have been at war, but instead he was at home on his couch. While he lay in comfort, his men died with courage.

Against his better, more comfortable judgment, he decided to get a little exercise and take a walk. He strolled on the roof of his palace, struggling however he could to distract himself. When good kings would have gone to the battlefield— when even he himself, in previous years, would have led the fight—he had sent someone else.

As he looked out from the rooftop on all he was called to protect, he went to take another step and froze. From the angle where he was standing, he caught a glimpse of her bathing. She was beautiful—very beautiful, he thought.

In horrifying irony, her Godgiven beauty tested the selfish, lustful,

impulsive inclinations inside of him.

Having avoided faraway armies, he was ambushed at home by something even stronger. Temptation lined up in intimidating rows against him.

In an instant, he looked away, said a prayer for the unnamed woman, and went where he should have been all along: to war.

This Blessing Has Fallen That chapter of David’s story, as you know, did not end that way. When he noticed Bathsheba, David lusted, inquired, took advantage of her, and impregnated her. Trying to cover his tracks, he deceived her husband and then had him murdered.

His decisions, beginning in that vulnerable moment on the roof, wreaked havoc on him, others, and the whole nation.

But what if he had walked away and escaped temptation? He would have enjoyed the precious blessing of obeying

15

God. He could have sung the words of another psalmist: “This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts” (Psalm 119:56). This other poet knew that the strength, wisdom, and resolve to obey God ultimately comes from God. And he knew that nothing rivals the present joy of keeping heaven’s precepts, not to mention the joy to come.

The suffering of this other psalmist was intense, but the comfort he felt in God’s promises was stronger (Psalm 119:50). The opposition he faced was fierce, but not fierce enough to drown out his singing over God’s word (Psalm 119:53-54). When every earthly impulse would have had him run for safety, comfort, and convenience—or, in David’s case, for someone else’s wife—he instead gained a blessing greater than indulgence: obedience.

every act of obedience, however ordinary in our eyes, is an astonishing blessing.

When Moses brought God’s demands to Pharaoh’s throne instead of cowering in fear and insecurity, God had given him a blessing. When Joshua marched around the high walls of Jericho instead of running from the battle or fighting his own

obeyed the Father not only because it was right, but because it was more satisfying.

Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter

Obedience brings far deeper pleasure than sin, both now and in the long run.

The Cost of Keeping Precepts Obedience brings far deeper pleasure than sin, both now and in the long run.

The blessing is not merely the absence of punishment, but the presence of favor.

Obedience is not simply something we do for God, but something we do with God, as a way to experience more of him.

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12-13).

We indeed work in obedience, often very hard, and over many years; but our hope is not in ourselves, but in God working in our obeying. All our efforts at obedience will be in vain unless we have the grace of God at work in us (1 Corinthians 15:10). We genuinely and desperately need him to lead us not into temptation but to deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13). If we are to obey from the heart, God must move, which means

16

lifeaction.org/

way, God was moving in the walking and waiting. When Hannah, desiring a son, poured out her soul to the Lord instead of stewing in bitterness and longing, God not only heard her prayers, but blessed her in her praying. When Jeremiah preached repentance and endured hostility for forty years, with little fruit, instead of giving up and ignoring God’s call, a whole host of blessings had fallen along the way, sustaining and fulfilling him through incredible hardship. When the apostle Paul suffered being imprisoned unjustly, beaten regularly and ruthlessly, and even being stoned to the point of death, the blessing of allegiance to Christ was worth everything he suffered.

Each knew the pain and shame of giving in to temptation, and each enjoyed the unparalleled gift of obedience—of doing what God had called them to do, against extraordinary odds (in them and around them), because God was with them and for them.

Obedience Was His Sustenance Jesus did not sin in any way, shape, or form. He never tasted the bitterness of disobedience. But he gives us more than an example of obedience; he shows us the deep and abiding joy of obeying God. He

of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross (Hebrews 12:1-2).

When Jesus rejected every weight and sin, he did so gladly, not reluctantly. He did deny temptation, but based on his pursuit of joy, it was not “self-denial” as many typically think of it. He did what he had to in order to secure greater joy.

In John 4, when his disciples had noticed Jesus hadn’t eaten anything, and said, “Rabbi, eat” (v. 31), he replied, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (vv. 32-34). He craved holiness even more than calories. Obedience was his sustenance.

And by his Spirit, he sustains us with the same. He says, “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:10-11).

If we want to abide with God and experience the very joy of God, we obey God. If we really want the fullest happiness, we keep his commandments “from the heart” (Romans 6:17).

Far Sweeter Than Forgiveness Forgiveness alone is not the sweetest gift God gives sinners. It is far better when he not only forgives our iniquity, but replaces it with Spirit-empowered conformity to Christ. Until obedience smells sweet to our hearts, we may find relief or comfort in the gospel, but we forfeit a greater blessing than relief.

When we climb out of bed to meet with God in his Word and prayer instead of claiming thirty extra minutes of sleep, God has given us a blessing already.

When we refuse to indulge an illicit sexual desire by looking, clicking, or touching, a gift has fallen from heaven. When we confess sin to someone instead of hiding for another week, God has moved in us and for us. When we do not dishonor our brothers or sisters behind their back, but instead bless them and pray for them, God has delivered us from temptation with a fresh experience of his grace.

If we have done what God has told us to do, with the right heart, God has done it in us, and through us, and for us. In the moments we have obeyed him, he has blessed us.

Marshall Segal (@marshallsegal) is a writer and managing editor at DesiringGod.org.

He’s the author of Not Yet Married: The Pursuit of Joy in Singleness & Dating (2017). This article is slightly adapted from DesiringGod.org. Used by permission.

17

7 Things That Happen When People Say Yes Since its founding in 1971, Life Action has been praying for revival and proclaiming revival messages in churches across the world. Our vision has been shaped by Scripture and by the amazing stories of God’s glorious power, like those from the historic American Great Awakenings or from the present-day church multiplication movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

When people start saying yes to God, amazing things happen, through the power of the Holy Spirit. These seven revival results are what capture our imagination and make us wonder, What would a 21st-century revival in North America look like?

18

lifeaction.org/

1. God’s Word will be exalted and authoritative over human experience.

To elevate (or even equate) personal experiences with the authority of God’s Word is to become vulnerable to confusion and grave spiritual error. This is not to say that revival will bypass human experience and emotion, but that our experience must always be subordinate and subject to the absolute truth of God’s Word.

2. There will be an intense conviction of sin, leading to repentance.

Confronted by the holiness of God, conviction of sin intensifies and breeds in us an urgency for repentance (Isaiah 6:1-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Revival brings an intensity of God’s grace, which both demands and enables the forsaking of sin. We depart the wellworn pathways of personal failure and sin, and embark on the “Way of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8).

3. Humility and brokenness will be evident.

In seasons of genuine revival, the passion for purity, a clear conscience, and (above all) God’s glory becomes so intense that no price is too great to pay. Although not necessarily “enjoyable” in the moment, embracing humility and experiencing brokenness is the only way to encounter God’s holiness. Just as Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), so we must endure brokenness before God’s joy can be restored to us (Psalm 51).

4. There will be deliberate acts of reconciliation and restitution.

No longer content to “let bygones be bygones,” there will be a God-given zeal

to obtain and maintain a clear conscience (Matthew 5:23-24; Acts 24:16).

No longer will we bring our gifts of worship and service to the altar while harboring hurt, anger, or bitterness.

5. There will be a growing interest in prayer.

Just as prayer precedes revival, so prayer also sustains revival. When God is present, He cannot be ignored. Hunger for intimacy with Him is heightened and finds expression through prayer. Being in His presence will become the delight of our lives.

6. Joy will be pure and overflowing.

In seasons of revival, the desire to be entertained and to feel good is revealed for what it truly is—a cheap imitation of godly joy. Biblical prayers for revival speak of joy as a thing to be desired and as the byproduct of a genuine move of God (Psalm 85:6). Joy, rather than entertainment, will become a hallmark of our worship. God Himself will take center stage, and the Lord Jesus will reign as the sole object of our adoration.

7. Evangelism will flourish.

As God’s Spirit rests on His church with renewed power, our witness to the world becomes credible. Once bound by self-love, indifference, and fear of rejection, God’s people find new freedom, desire, and faith to share the gospel.

Revival will propel us toward the completion of the Great Commission.

Do you share our vision for revival and spiritual awakening? Engage with Life Action to receive more than just Revive magazine. Take your next steps at LifeAction.org.

19

FROM THE HEART

DON'T LOSE THE INTIMACY

I

’ve often pondered that verse in the opening paragraph of the Song of Songs where the bride says, “They made me the keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept” (1:6).

Does your heart resonate with that lament? I think it’s a picture of what it’s often like for those active in ministry.

We’re constantly tending the vineyards of others—counseling, teaching, encouraging, exhorting, serving, giving, praying for others—while neglecting our own spiritual well-being.

I’m talking about the failure to cultivate and prioritize our own walk with the Lord . . . taking shortcuts spiritually. I’ve been there so many times.

In my busyness in ministr y, I sometimes realize a whole day has gone by, and I haven’t spent any quality time with the Lord I’m trying to serve. The people we’re ministering to may not detect any noticeable difference initially.

But I’m convinced we cannot stay faithful and fruitful in ministry over the long haul if we’re trying to live on past experiences with God. I’m talking about the danger of service without devotion. We all know and have probably taught that classic passage in Luke 10. Two sisters—one of them, Mary, is sitting at the feet of Jesus; the other, Martha, is serving the Master, while neglecting the all-important matter of devotion to the Master.

What happens? Martha ends up critical, impatient, exhausted, frazzled, and frenzied. In other words, the way some of us find ourselves when we look in the mirror!

Robert Murray M’Cheyne said it this way: “No amount of activity in the King’s service will make up for neglect of the King Himself.” One of the greatest dangers we face each day is neglecting to cultivate intimacy with Christ.

The language used by the bride in the Song of Songs to describe her relationship with her beloved is the language of intimacy: The king has brought me into his chambers. . . .

I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste.

He brought me to the banqueting house, And his banner over me was love. . . .

His left hand is under my head, And his right hand embraces me. . . .

My beloved is mine, and I am his (1:4; 2:3-6, 16).

I understand that this is a picture of intimacy in human marriage; but human marriage is intended to be a picture of that eternal relationship we have with our heavenly Bridegroom. I see here a description of the kind of intimacy we’re intended to enjoy with the Lord Jesus.

But intimacy with Jesus doesn’t just happen. It has to be intentionally cultivated and consistently, proactively pursued. We don’t drift into intimacy; if anything, we’re prone to drift away from each other.

I confess that I often struggle to get a quiet place and a quiet heart to draw near to the Lord. For me, the biggest intruders have to do with technology.

It’s not that technology itself is evil. It’s a tool. But I find that the more tools I have that plug in to charge, the more difficult it is for me to have undistracted time with the Lord!

There are days when I think, “Maybe I just need to get rid of it all—email, Twitter, Facebook, my smartphone . . .”

I’m not saying God is asking that of you, but if that’s what it would take for you to be where you need to be in your relationship with Him, would you be

willing to unplug? No price is too great to really know Jesus and walk with Him. Wouldn’t Satan love to keep us busy doing ministry but not maintaining a close relationship with Jesus? That’s why we have to ruthlessly eliminate the unnecessary clutter that distracts us from devotion to Christ. And we need to invite people to challenge us to deal with anything that could be encroaching on our relationship with the Lord, because we tend to lose objectivity.

What about you? Do you have a vital, growing relationship with the Lord Jesus?

Are you nurturing your vineyard through daily time in His presence, in the Word and in prayer?

Adapted from the “Potential Pitfalls of Ministry” message. Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth is an author and the founder of Revive Our Hearts.

Find her podcasts, Bible studies, 30-day challenges, and more at ReviveOurHearts.com. She and her husband, Robert, recently released You Can Trust God to Write Your Story (Moody: 2019).

NANCY DEMOSS WOLGEMUTH Author and Speaker Revive Our Hearts

21

SAY YES TO

P OW E R , L OV E + A SOUND MIND B Y D O N N A AVA N T

2 am

the baby is crying to be fed. Yes. 6 AM, the alarm goes off to get up and go to work. Yes. 2 PM, the boss requires a report at the last minute. Yes. 6 PM, the family wants dinner. Yes. 8 PM, the friend needs you to listen to her. Yes. 10 PM, the husband wants you to be a wife. Yes. Yes. We say it all the time to our family, to our friends, to our employers. But how often do we say yes to God? Yes . . . to humility, when with all our being we want to be recognized for our work, talents, and gifts.

Yes . . . to joy when we are grieving.

Yes . . . to strength when we are so exhausted we can barely put one foot in front of the other.

Yes . . . to peace when there is chaos in our family, in our churches, in our world.

Yes . . . to love when we have been hurt and wounded.

Yes . . . to hope when all seems to be lost.

Saying yes to completing a task can be done in my own strength, but usually not with a song in my heart. Saying yes to being who God called me to be can only really be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

22

lifeaction.org/

PERFORMANCE MENTALIT Y For years I struggled with performing as “the pastor’s wife.” Teach Sunday School or serve well in some way, and someone would say, “Thank you—great job!” Smile at enough people and pay them a compliment, and those people like you.

The more I did—the more I performed— the better I felt about myself. Until I just couldn’t “do” any more. I equated being a good servant of the Lord with saying yes to completing tasks, whether or not there was any joy in my heart.

One evening, as my pastor-husband walked through the door, he discovered me crying in an oversized, green leather chair. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I just can’t do this anymore. I’m not good enough. I’m afraid. I feel like a failure as a wife, a mom, and a pastor’s wife,” I sobbed.

John didn’t lecture me or attempt to soothe me with kind words. He simply said, “Read 1 and 2 Timothy.” (You just have to love “the preacher.” Always giving God’s Word as the answer!)

A NEW PERSPECTIVE As I began to devour those two little books, I discovered many important principles God was asking me to say yes to. Three of the most important ones are found in 2 Timothy 1:7. “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

Say yes to His power. I had forgotten that God would not ask me to do anything He would not enable me to complete. I had developed spiritual amnesia when it came to who God was!

First Timothy 1:17 describes God as “the King eternal, immortal, invisible, [the] God who alone is wise.” The word

wise in the Greek describes a watchman who sat on top of a high mountain and could see all around him. My God is fully aware of everything going on in my heart and life. I can choose to rest in His sovereignty.

As I began each task for the day, whether it was to make lunches, write an article, or visit a friend in the hospital, I started asking the Lord to empower me.

People began to comment on my “confidence.” I would just laugh (and I still do) and say, “It’s God-confidence.” My God is all-powerful, and I certainly am not!

Say yes to His love. I needed to be reminded of God’s love for me. I needed soak in His love. He loves me when I try hard and do a good job, and He loves me just as much as when I fall flat on my face. He loves me when I yell at my children, when I mess up dinner, when I wasn’t able to spend an hour studying His Word because I fell asleep nursing a child. Jesus Christ loves me in all the mess of my life. God didn’t wait to send His only Son to die on the cross and be resurrected once I had my act together.

When I truly began to embrace His love, I also began to respond to others around me in love. I could walk into my teenage daughter’s room that was covered in dirty clothes, sheet music, and dirty dishes, and not feel like a failure as a mom. I could sit with her and love her in her mess, because Jesus loved me in mine.

Say yes to a sound mind. When I began to study the words sound mind, my first thought was, “Well, I guess God won’t let me go crazy.” But that’s not really the point of this verse. Different translations of the Bible use various words for this phrase: sound judgment, self-control, and discipline are just a few. My favorite definition of a sound mind is the ability to discern truth from a lie. God would enable me to differentiate between His truth and a lie from the Enemy. I

would be able to have sound judgment and discipline my mind.

If you are a follower of Christ, the whispers will come from the Enemy, or even from your own mind. “You aren’t good enough. You’re a failure. You need to quit. There is no more hope. Just be done with it. No one loves you or cares about you.”

According to 1 Timothy 1:15-16, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” On that basis, I would remind the Enemy that actually he is the failure, not me!

Saying yes to God’s power, love, and sound mind destroyed the spirit of fear in my life. I wasn’t afraid to fail my husband, my children, or the people I ministered to, because I finally understood that ministry wasn’t about me or my “performance” at all. It’s all about the grace and power of God, at work through me.

So, I’ll ask you, what is in front of you right now? What is stressing you out, causing you to feel inadequate, afraid, or alone? Is it a house to clean, a test to study for, a shaky marriage, a prodigal child?

Start with an enthusiastic YES to the Holy Spirit, who can fill you with God’s love, power, and a sound mind. He will enable you! He is just waiting for your willing heart.

Donna Avant is a teacher, speaker, and author with a passion to share God’s Word with women. She is married to John Avant, president of Life Action, and she blogs at RealLifeOnRockyTop.com.

23

OPENING THE DOOR TO S P I R I T U A L T R A N S F O R M AT I O N

BY JOHN AVANT

24

lifeaction.org/

yes.

One of the shortest and simplest words in any language . . . yet loaded with meaning.

“Yes, I will marry you!”

“Yes, I’m pregnant!”

“Yes, you’re hired.”

At some of the best moments in life—when we complete the challenge, when our team wins, when we get the best news—that one word says all we long to hear.

But then there are other times.

“Yes, it’s cancer.”

“Yes, I lost my job.”

“Yes, Dad’s gone.”

Yes is indeed one of the most significant words in any language. It is full of possibility and power, expressing deep emotions, opening doors, affirming both fears and joys.

Sometimes, though, yes takes on a dimension that is far beyond our humanity—when the Creator of the universe speaks and awaits our response.

Donna and I visited with dear friends recently who are missionaries in an area that is closed to the gospel.

As we talked, our friend (who I will call Jeff) told us about a man he and his

wife had been sharing with for years.

They both felt he was drawing closer to faith, and Jeff said that he had awakened that very morning with this man on his heart and wished that we had time to visit with him.

Just then the doorbell rang. This man we had been speaking about (I’ll call him Isaac) had come to visit unexpectedly. Isaac had found out from his doctor that he was sick, and he wanted Jeff and his wife to pray for him. Jeff introduced Donna and me, and a conversation began that led to the defining moment of this man’s life.

“I want you all to pray that God will heal me,” Isaac said. “I have watched you Christians, and when you pray, God answers you.”

“Of course we will pray for you, Isaac,” Jeff said. “We have been praying for you for a long time. But you have a greater need than to be healed of this illness. If you believe in my God, the One we have told you about, He can heal you forever!”

“I do believe! I have watched your family for years. You are different from everyone else I know. You care

25

yes

The most important yes of your life comes when God speaks to you, and you respond in believing faith.

for others, not just yourself. You have a power no one else has. Yes, I have decided to believe in your God.” There it was. Yes. I was ecstatic.

But Jeff responded wisely. “Isaac, here is your problem. You want my God to take care of you. You have asked us to pray for you before. But I have been to your house and seen many idols there. My God is Jesus, and He is the only true God. Do you believe this?”

“Well, yes, but those idols are part of my family religion. It would be disrespectful to my family not to worship other gods. But I will make Jesus a very important god in our home.”

Jeff stood and put an empty chair in the middle of the room. “Isaac, this represents the ‘Jesus chair.’ No matter what gods you worship, in reality He is the only one who can sit in this chair.

Only Jesus. He is here, and He is speaking to you right now. He is calling you to say yes to Him—and only to Him. “When your car breaks down, you want to put your keys in the Jesus chair for Him to fix it. When you have financial problems, you want to put your wallet in the chair for Him to re-supply it. And now that you are sick, you want to put a medicine bottle in the chair so He will fill it and make you well. But Jesus wants you. All of you. Will you bring all of yourself to the Jesus chair?”

“I want to. But to leave behind all my gods . . .”

26

lifeaction.org/

“Isaac, I have watched your wife dust off the idols in your home. What kind of god needs to be dusted off? You will have to choose Jesus alone, over all your dusty idols.”

Jeff’s words to Isaac at that point in the conversation were among the most powerful statements I have ever heard anyone make.

At that moment Isaac’s phone rang, and he chose to answer it. The next half hour or so of the conversation was filled with one distraction after another. We could literally feel the war in the spiritual realm going on, the intense battle for the soul of a man.

Finally, all was quiet, and Jeff looked intently at Isaac. “Isaac, what is your decision? The real God, the only God, is calling you right now. Will you say yes?”

Isaac slowly stood up and walked to the chair in the middle of the room.

He looked at it for a moment and then sat down in it. “Yes! I choose Jesus, and only Him.”

YOUR CHOICE Now it is your turn to respond.

The most important yes of your life comes when God speaks to you, and you respond in believing faith. But that yes is followed by many more opportunities to respond. Everyone who receives Jesus as Savior becomes His follower and friend.

“I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

Get Your Copy of Yes Changes Everything

These words tell me that God is always speaking to us, telling us what He is doing, calling us to join Him, inviting us to say yes to His love and to His mission. “God wants to speak to us today, and every day, through his word.

God’s word is not simply ‘once spoken.’

God’s word is always ‘now speaking.’”* Do you hear Him now? He is not silent. He is not far away. He is calling you. And the most important thing in your life, now and forever, is to hear Him and respond with a resounding YES. That one word can change everything. Are you ready?

From the Editors: If you like this article by John and Donna Avant, you'll love the book it introduces: Yes Changes Everything: Opening the Door to Spiritual Transformation. As our long-term readers are aware, we’re passionate about inviting people to say yes to God in every category of their lives. This book will be a strong addition to your library, and fresh inspiration for your next YES.

at LifeAction.org/Yes

*Matt Brown, “Don’t Say God Is Silent with Your Bible Closed,” article on DesiringGod.org.

John and Donna’s book Yes Changes Everything (Life Action Ministries: 2020) is all about how surrender to God can transform, revive, and breathe hope into any situation. Learn more, and find videos, additional resources, and updates at LifeAction.org/Yes.

27

REAL WORLD WE RECEIVE THOUSANDS OF TESTIMONIES EACH YEAR FROM OUR LOCAL CHURCH EVENTS, EACH REPRESENTING SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, OFFERING A FRESH YES TO GOD. HERE ARE A FEW SAMPLES:

SOUTH CAROLINA Thank you all so much for being here this week! At school I always really struggled with falling into gossip and saying hurtful things about others. I have always wanted to break this terrible habit, but I haven’t put it into action. When you guys came, I felt like God had put this enormous weight on my heart to pray about this. Then on Tuesday night, the youth speaker

28

lifeaction.org/

talked about sin and how it rips us apart. This made me realize just how serious my sin is. I kept praying and praying. Today at school was my first step—I didn’t respond to any gossip.

to God by meeting with Him every day in His Word. Having communion time with Him. I am saying yes to God by spending more time in prayer.

ANONYMOUS

TENNESSEE I admitted to my husband of nine years some lies I told him when we first got together, and I asked for his forgiveness. I AM FREE! Now, I am saying yes

I was ready to quit. I come to church, Bible study, and worship wearing a mask. I don’t want to be here because I feel like a fake. An imposter. Like everything is okay. It is not. My husband is

an addict, with alcohol his current drug of choice. He isn’t mean or abusive, it’s just not the life we portray to the outside world. I’m tired of hiding. So if I quit, I don’t have to hide anymore. I’m tired and don’t want to continue, but I will. Thank you for sharing your heart for Jesus!

VIRGINIA I am an elder in a church, a Bible teacher, a home group facilitator, all while finishing seminary. Because of fear, anxiety, and pride (afraid of what God would call me to do), I slipped out of the saddle and drifted into complacency, frustration, and bitterness. I’ve been saying no to God for years, but the Spirit has challenged me this week, and I have put Him back on the throne of my heart.

I’m committing every yes to Him. I am changed. Thank you!

COLORADO You have reminded me that my calling as a missionary is saying yes to God. It doesn’t mean having to say “wait” to God until my finances are stable or I have things all figured out. Saying yes is letting go of my pride and doing what God called me to. I am a missionary saying yes to God calling me to go.

Whether that is serving with Life Action or another team, I’m ready.

God doesn’t call the brave; He calls those He will make brave.

FLORIDA

I began this week self-reliant, skeptical, and even saying, in my most fleshly self, “Boy, I’m glad my church has me!

What would they do without me?” I don’t think I’d ever say that out loud, but I certainly lived by it. God said to me, “Look at Samson. You REALLY think his HAIR gave him strength? No; I did. I don’t need you, but I WANT you! I want you to trust Me. Give Me your time, talents, and abilities. I can do SO MUCH more with you than you

can. You’re proud in yourself. Humble yourself. Trust ME.” Wow. My pride has eaten my lunch! God is now breaking me, rebuilding me, and giving me clarity, guidance, and rest. Thanks for praying!

NORTH CAROLINA Thank you so much for letting the Lord lead you and use you. Earlier this week, God found me prideful, lacking trust and obedience, and anxious. God told me that I needed to repent from the pride and disbelief in my life. He told me that I needed to say yes to trusting Him and knowing that He was and is always going to be there for me. You all have invigorated and refreshed my desire and love for Jesus.

FLORIDA As a pastor’s wife, it was often easy to put the ministry ahead of the needs of our children. I feel that they were sometimes forced to “compete” with Jesus for our time and love. The Lord has impressed me to ask their forgiveness and tell them how much I love and cherish them.

MISSOURI I grew up in a church that taught that Christians have to always be good, and if they aren’t, then they aren’t Christian.

I still struggle with that. The lightbulb went on when the revivalist said we need to get close to God instead of just “being good.” I also was convicted to say yes to God before I know what He wants me to do. It doesn’t matter what it is. I just need to obey.

TEXAS During the Summit, I was able to say yes to God about doing something I was deathly scared to do: prison ministry! In fact, I’ll be leading a four-day weekend in one year. “God doesn’t call the brave; He calls those He will make brave.”

29

E V E R Y T I M E W E S AY

MAKING IT PERSONAL

YES TO GOD, WE OPEN A NEW DOOR T O FA I T H - F I L L E D ADVENTURE WITH HIM.

YES TO GOD’S WORD Obedience to God often begins with an open Bible and an open heart. Read and summarize the following verses to begin your YES life.

James 1:22-25 ______________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Five of my personal dreams or hopes for the future are: (e.g. debt payoff, career upgrade, marriage, etc.) __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________

Luke 6:46-49 _______________________ __________________________________

__________________________________

Take some time to commit each of these items to the Lord. Then ask, “Lord, is there anything else that should be on my list?”

__________________________________

_______________________________

__________________________________ 1 John 2:3-6 _______________________

YES TO GOD’S WILL

30

_________________________________ __________________________________

YES TO GOD’S WAYS Following Jesus isn’t always just about the steps in the process, but about the “way” forward—whether the steps are clear or not. Pray over each line below, and when it ref lects the attitude of your heart, check the box. ☐

When I don’t understand my circumstances, I will still trust You and obey You.

☐

When You say no to my desires, I will still say yes to Your mission for my life.

☐

If I must suffer for the sake of Christ, or to showcase Your glory, I will do so gladly.

☐

Whatever You call me to give up for the gospel, I will say yes to You, my Lord.

_______________________________ _______________________________

The will of God is His desire and plan for your life—in effect, it is your specific application of the truths of God’s Word. Prayerfully ask and answer these questions:

_______________________________

Do I regularly pray for God to direct my steps, and do I seek His will?

Yes / No

______________________________

When I face an important decision, do I take time to pray before making it? Yes / No

_______________________________

lifeaction.org/

When was the last time I sought counsel or mentoring from a spiritual leader who could help me pray and consider what God’s will for my life might be? ________________________________

_______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________

NEXT STEP

T O D AY ' S AWA K E N I N G

W

e are living, right now, in a Great Awakening.

All the signs are there— churches full of revived Christ-followers who will go wherever He leads, even unto death; believers who love each other deeply and live in unity; bold sharing of the gospel. And, as a result, millions coming to faith in Jesus!

And yet, for those of us in America, we have to get on a plane to see it. In America and other Western countries, we are largely missing out on the massive harvest God is bringing in during this moment in history.

Recently, an Iranian couple came to live in America. They left behind the fastest-growing church in the world— in the oppressed nation of Iran! After being here for about two months, the wife said to the husband, “There is a demonic lullaby playing in the churches here. The Christians here are sleepy. And I’m getting sleepy. Let’s go home.” And they did. Back to potential persecution and death. Because that was preferable to missing revival!

Are we that hungry, that desperate to experience a fresh move of God here?

Or are we content to stay where we are as long as we are comfortable?

The “demonic lullaby” is a religious song. It's playing constantly in many of our churches. And in many of our lives.

But there is a new song I am beginning to hear. It’s still a little bit like background music in the American church. But you can hear it if you listen closely.

It is the song of revival, the song of new life! It's a song of repentance, forgiveness, obedience, and joy.

At Life Action, we love to hear it, in special moments of surrender, witness, and testimony. Like a story I heard from Life Action Camp, where a man shared this summer that he had not

taken his wife on a date in fifteen years.

He confessed that he had abandoned his love for his wife.

But God renewed their love, and now everything is different. He took his wife to every place that was important in their love story—the place they met, the places they dated, the place where they married. And at each spot he renewed his love for her. God gave them a new love song!

We sometimes get to hear this new revival song in the churches we are serving. In North Carolina this year, there was a night where almost the entire church would not leave after the service ended, but instead relocated to the prayer chapel to cry out to God. The pastor said, “This has simply been one of the greatest weeks in my life and in the history of this church.”

Or the church in Florida comprised of sixty-four nationalities, where the people shared testimonies for more than two hours of how God had changed their lives and their church.

And twenty-one people came forward to give their lives to Jesus! One man said, “I don’t want the gospel to be a toy for me to play with anymore. It is now my call to join Jesus on His mission.”

I could share story after story; perhaps you could as well. The new song is growing in intensity.

But I don’t want to live the rest of my life telling stories of what God is doing in the rest of the world. I want to see Him at work here!

I believe God is ready to revive us.

All He asks is that when He speaks, we say yes. An unqualified, uninhibited, unconditional YES. Like Isaiah in the temple: “Here I am, Lord; send me! Use me! Revive me!”

If you’re ready for adventure, faith, and possibly even revival, your next yes to Him is right around the corner.

CHURCHES FULL OF REVIVED CHRISTFOLLOWERS WILL GO WHEREVER HE LEADS, EVEN UNTO DEATH.

JOHN AVANT President Life Action

31

PHONE / ONLINE

MAIL

269-697-8600 www.LifeAction.org

P.O. Box 31 Buchanan, MI 49107

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOURBON, IN PERMIT #29

Our mission is to inspire your next yes to God.

Learn more about leading your church toward spiritual renewal and mission. www.LifeAction.org