Fresh Encounter: God's Pattern for Spiritual Awakening
Authors: Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King
Chapter 15 Review - Worship and Revival
In chapter 15 the authors challenge us to have a biblical view of worship. We learn that worship is not limited to music. Worship is a lifestyle. Romans 12:1-2 (NASB95) says:
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Paul is reminding us in Romans 12:1 that worship is centered around a life completely surrendered to God. Not just moments of singing or only at church services...every moment of every day is an opportunity to worship. In verse 2 Paul gives us some details on what a life surrendered to God generally looks like: (1) not conforming to the world but (2) being transformed by the renewing of your mind. Therefore, you cannot embrace the world or the ways of the world and be worshiping God.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB95) we see these amazing words:
Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
In light of this verse we read on page 193:
Biblically you cannot encounter God and remain the same.
Encountering God and living for His glory will never leave you in the same place you are currently. Yes, come as you are...but then expect God to change you. If you have no desire to change...beware...because you need to desperately seek the Lord in prayer. Believers should always be changing. But not just any type of changing. We should be changing in such a way that we begin looking more and more like Jesus.
Chapter 16 Review - Counterfeits to Revival
One would think that revival would cause the enemy to go running. But in reality we learn from Scripture that the enemy goes on the attack all the more in times of revival.
On page 210 and 211 the authors say:
Often it is not the attack on revival that harm it most but those who claim to be its allies and spokespersons.
One would think that in the midst of a mighty moving of the Holy Spirit, God's enemies would be in full retreat. But that is when they are most dangerous.
Often the attack is not outright obvious. The attacks from the enemy are often disguised in a sliver of truth. Since the beginning Satan has been slightly altering the Word of God. We see it in the garden and in the temptation of Jesus...Satan misquotes and misuses Scripture.
On pages 212-219 the authors explain how the enemy can take common things and slightly change them to deceive people:
Signs and Wonders, Emotionalism, Unity, Music and Institutional Building
How do we know if the enemy is using these things to deceive us? We test everything according to the Word of God. The authors also give us some warning signs on pages 220-224:
Self-centered Rather than Christ Centered, Lack of Repentance/Holiness, Unbiblical, Experience Driven and Extremes.
What do you trust in? Your emotions, experiences, feelings, logic, advice from others, books... There are a lot of places we can go for information but there is only one place that has complete truth...God's Word. Anything else is either counterfeit or incomplete. We MUST test everything to God's Word. Just because we experience something doesn't mean it's from God. Just because we have a dream doesn't mean it's from God. Just because we feel at peace doesn't mean it's from God.
A good passage of Scripture to memorize is 1 Thessalonians 5:16-21 (NASB95):
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.
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