So many people talk about wonderful revivals in the past and how they are praying for revival now. And, that’s great, but there is only one thing that will bring true revival. Hunger for God—only the pure, authentic, relentless hunger for God will bring revival to our churches and our lives.
Many of you know that Covid has shut down our jail and prison ministry. I miss it so much. We often had revival in our jail services, God moved in power. Ladies were saved, healed, delivered, baptized in the Holy Spirit and experienced other miracles. I began to wonder why we often had such powerful services in jail, but we rarely experience these things in our churches.
I soon began to see what the difference was—hunger for God. When these ladies come into the services in the jail, they are not coming because it’s a fancy building with a bunch of modern conveniences. They don’t come because they are expecting expert musicians, and extremely gifted singers. They don't come to hear a dynamic speaker, or to be entertained. They don’t come for the coffee because we certainly don’t have any. They come for one reason only.
Many of them have come from painful backgrounds. They have experienced, abuse, abandonment, trauma, and other things that often lead to their endless search for peace and happiness. The terrible things that have happened to them and the search for joy and acceptance has caused them to run to every option Satan has offered them to ease their pain.
Satan’s options land them in jail feeling even more lost and hopeless than before. So, when these ladies come into the jail services they are coming because they are desperate. They have tried everything the world has had to offer them, and all of it has failed them and left them empty.
They come in with a hunger. They want answers to their problems, and peace for their souls. When Jesus see’s their desperate hearts pleading for love and acceptance, He pours it out all over them. And when they receive His forgiveness and ask Him to be their Savior that hunger only grows. They are hooked. They come to each service afterwards hungry for more and more of God. And as they continue to come hungry for more of Him, they continue to be filled.
But look at us. We come to church wondering what songs the worship team will sing. Will they be to our liking? Will the music be too loud, too soft, too high or too low? Will the temperature be to our satisfaction? Will the coffee be hot, and will the Pastor preach something that entertains us for more than five to ten minutes? Will we get out in time to beat the crowds to our favorite restaurant? And we continue this routine week after week.
Is it any wonder why so many people are absolutely sick of going to church? Yes, I said it, people are sick of going to church because they are going for all the wrong reasons. If we could ONLY realize that we must stop seeking God’s hand and start seeking His face—if we would truly HUNGER for His presence, and if we would tune out everything in and about church and come relentlessly seeking Him—then we would see revival.
God is not stingy with His presence and power, He longs to pour it out. But, He isn’t wasteful either. He shows up where He is truly wanted. He comes in power to the places where He is desired. He comes to people who are desperate for His presence. He comes to the Hungry.
Oh, that we would become hungry and desperate for Him and His presence! If we would only see that we are absolutely bankrupt without Him. If we would fall on our faces and ask Him to forgive us of our worldly fascinations, and repent for all the idols in our lives—If we truly want HIM more than anything else…Then! Then we will see true revival where people are changed for eternity. Are you hungry?
Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
John 6:33-35
“For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, always give us this bread.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’”
Many of you know that Covid has shut down our jail and prison ministry. I miss it so much. We often had revival in our jail services, God moved in power. Ladies were saved, healed, delivered, baptized in the Holy Spirit and experienced other miracles. I began to wonder why we often had such powerful services in jail, but we rarely experience these things in our churches.
I soon began to see what the difference was—hunger for God. When these ladies come into the services in the jail, they are not coming because it’s a fancy building with a bunch of modern conveniences. They don’t come because they are expecting expert musicians, and extremely gifted singers. They don't come to hear a dynamic speaker, or to be entertained. They don’t come for the coffee because we certainly don’t have any. They come for one reason only.
Many of them have come from painful backgrounds. They have experienced, abuse, abandonment, trauma, and other things that often lead to their endless search for peace and happiness. The terrible things that have happened to them and the search for joy and acceptance has caused them to run to every option Satan has offered them to ease their pain.
Satan’s options land them in jail feeling even more lost and hopeless than before. So, when these ladies come into the jail services they are coming because they are desperate. They have tried everything the world has had to offer them, and all of it has failed them and left them empty.
They come in with a hunger. They want answers to their problems, and peace for their souls. When Jesus see’s their desperate hearts pleading for love and acceptance, He pours it out all over them. And when they receive His forgiveness and ask Him to be their Savior that hunger only grows. They are hooked. They come to each service afterwards hungry for more and more of God. And as they continue to come hungry for more of Him, they continue to be filled.
But look at us. We come to church wondering what songs the worship team will sing. Will they be to our liking? Will the music be too loud, too soft, too high or too low? Will the temperature be to our satisfaction? Will the coffee be hot, and will the Pastor preach something that entertains us for more than five to ten minutes? Will we get out in time to beat the crowds to our favorite restaurant? And we continue this routine week after week.
Is it any wonder why so many people are absolutely sick of going to church? Yes, I said it, people are sick of going to church because they are going for all the wrong reasons. If we could ONLY realize that we must stop seeking God’s hand and start seeking His face—if we would truly HUNGER for His presence, and if we would tune out everything in and about church and come relentlessly seeking Him—then we would see revival.
God is not stingy with His presence and power, He longs to pour it out. But, He isn’t wasteful either. He shows up where He is truly wanted. He comes in power to the places where He is desired. He comes to people who are desperate for His presence. He comes to the Hungry.
Oh, that we would become hungry and desperate for Him and His presence! If we would only see that we are absolutely bankrupt without Him. If we would fall on our faces and ask Him to forgive us of our worldly fascinations, and repent for all the idols in our lives—If we truly want HIM more than anything else…Then! Then we will see true revival where people are changed for eternity. Are you hungry?
Matthew 5:6
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
John 6:33-35
“For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” Then they said to Him, ‘Lord, always give us this bread.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’”
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