2019: TIMES OF REVIVAL – TIMES OF REFRESHING

As the curtains fall on 2018 and systemically, the doors of 2019 opens, I find myself racing to want to see, to want to know – to more or less have a preview of what 2019 contains. 

Earlier today, I shared with my two boys that I am very expectant of what 2019 holds for me.  This was based on meditation of Hebrews 10:35 that points out that, “Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence, for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward.”

As I look at 2018 (as highlighted in my previous articles), I see the blessing of the Lord.  I am overjoyed just to consider the faithfulness of God, which is for me, an anchor to my faith.  God’s faithfulness is my shield and buckler. 

The writer of Hebrews, reminds his audience in verses 10.32-34, of their earlier days in faith – what they had borne.  In the last part of verse 34, he notes that, “You knew you had better things waiting for you in eternity.”

It is on the basis of this last part, that he then tells them in verse 35, not to “fling away”, not to “throw away” – their confidence in the Lord.  The previous happenings determined how much they could trust God and have faith in him for the next season of their lives.

It is also on the same basis – the faithfulness of God all through 2018 – that I am expectant, that I have built my confidence to a higher level, even as the doors for 2019 open, barely in 48 hours. 

With the aforementioned, I still want to go back to continue reflecting – really take stock, I want to dig deeper into the goodness, the faithfulness; and the mercy of God in previous years, but specifically in 2018. 

Earlier today, I read Acts 3, as a reflection of Acts 4:13; and how amazing, it was to me – it gave birth to this article.  Acts 3 presents the story that many people have heard from their Sunday school days – Peter and John Healing the Crippled Beggar. 

After the healing miracle, the people were startled at this supernatural occurrence.  But Peter, boldly proclaimed to them, that it had nothing to do with their own power but, it was the God of Abraham, and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our forefathers that had glorified His servant and Son, Jesus Christ.  Peter further noted that this servant Jesus is the one the people had “… indeed delivered up and denied and rejected and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to let Him go.” (Verse 13).

In addition, Peter pointed out that the One that the people denied and rejected and disowned is the PURE and HOLY, the JUST and the BLAMELESS ONE.  Instead, the people demanded that a murderer (Barabbas), be pardoned and granted to them!

Not too long after pointing out these things, Peter called upon his audience to repentance.  The bible records in Acts 3:19 that:

“So repent (change your mind and purpose); turn around and return (to God), that your sins may be erased (blotted out), wiped clean), that times of refreshing (of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air) may come from the presence of the Lord.” (AMP)

As the Amplified bible puts it out so clearly in the above text, to repent is to change one’s mind, intention or purpose on something.  It is like to take a 180° turn such that if you were walking towards the South, you turn back and walk towards the North. 

Now, in the context above, Peter called on his audience – the people, including the religious leaders of the day, to repent on their ignorance in delivering up and denying and rejecting and disowning the Lord Jesus, to the extent of having him crucified.  Ignorantly, they asked that a murderer be released for them. 

(It is through this ignorance that these people did not take into account, that the Lord Jesus, whom they denied had paved way for them to be heirs of the blessing of our father of faith, Abraham.  They did not take into any account of any “good” that Jesus had done.   They just wanted to do away with him).

Please note that, there were times of revival, times of refreshing that awaited them – but only after they repented – turned away from their evil deeds.

In our context today, God has given us a whole set of 365 days in 2018 – let’s take stock by simply counting our blessings and acknowledging him.

More importantly, let’s find out:

Are there ways in which we have delivered up Christ Jesus?

Did we deny Him?

Did we reject Him?

Or did we disown Him?

Are there areas that we did not allow him to reign – we did not allow him authority in our lives – might it be in our decision making?  Might it be in our relationships?  Might it be in our families (spouses and children, siblings and parents)? 

Are there habits and hobbies that are not aligned with the word of God that we have carried all along and it is taking too long to disconnect from?

Did we reject Christ Jesus when we rejected that old mama, or that lady that made such and such a request? 

Did we deny Christ access to our thoughts?

Did we deny Him when we decided to do a certain thing in the office/home and not the other?  Did we deny Him?

Did we disown Christ in our way of life with our friends simply because we wanted acceptance from them? 

Have we denied Christ by any use of our social media?

Did we ask for a “murderer” instead of embracing Christ?  Did we embrace a lifestyle that leads to death (spiritual and physical)?  Did we embrace friendships that disconnected us from our relationships with Christ?  Did we take up jobs that made us turn back on Christ?  Did we get ourselves into destructive lifestyles by disowning Christ?

Are there ways in which we have delivered up Christ Jesus?

Did we deny Him?

Did we reject Him?

Or did we disown Him?

Dear reader, it is not all lost.  Our God is a God of second chance, many chances indeed.  And the good news is that there are times of refreshing, times of revival waiting for you in 2019 – in fact, any time now.

You only need to take stock and come back to the Lord and REPENT.  Let Him erase, blot out and wipe away your thoughts and actions that led you to deny Him, to reject Him and to Disown Him!

Change your mind, change your intentions, change your attitude, and change your purpose.  Change your lifestyle!  Change your friends if you have to.  Change!  Repent and enter a new season of revival and refreshing!  Be refreshed from the heat of 2018, be renewed and get a new perspective of life in Christ Jesus in 2019.

Join me, let’s expect in great anticipation, the revival and the refreshing of Christ Jesus in 2019!

Amen!