Revival

At this morning's leader's prayer meeting, Ps Ronald showed us a documentary entitled "Transformation". It talked about real modern revival that is happening in the world and it's not in Toroto, Pensecola or Singapore. It happened in the most unexpected places according to human standards, but it's the most fertile soil for the harvest. The city it talked about today was Cali, Columbia.

It all started not in celebration, but in tears. It started not in times of prosperity, but at a time when crime rates were high and an average of 15 murders happens everyday before the revival started. Cali is the home of the Cali Cartel. The home of the rich columbian drug lords. People get killed over drugs, it's crazy! It's not a place u'll expect to find more fearful men than faithful men. It's probably a place that u'll least expect to have a revival. And it started with one man who started the revival in himself by repenting and reconciliating with his Evangelical brothers. I do not know if they shared the same doctrinal statements, I dun think that was the issue. The city was in turmoil, it's a time when Christians ought to unite in prayer and make a difference in the city.

One man made the difference because he had the right attitude. It started with personal revial; a personal victory over pride which helped conquer the worse enemy besides the devil, that's his own pride. Broken before the Lord, he reconciled with his fellow evalgelicals and organised prayer meetings (as oppose to celebrations). Thru strategic planning of the churches in Cali, the various regions began to pray for their location. Every part of the city is being prayed for! They repented first then when they have repented, they interceded for the city. Then the newspaper started to print the very words that the Christians were praying about, specifically "Stop Homocide!". The next day, for the first time in the city's history, there were not a single murder!! It didn't end there, the authourities took tough actions and acted against the drug lords and arrested many of them. It didn't end there for the church either. The continue to pray and held meetings. Many people came to know the Lord. It wasn't just in one church alone, but thru strategic planning of the churches in Cali, they prayed and prayed and united in prayer at Stadiums which sits 60,000 people (Full-capacity!). The security personnels had to turn people away, but those who were not allowed in were not dismayed. Did u know what they do? They didn't go home, but instead organised a prayer march around the stadium!! Even the mayor of Cali went up on stage at one meeting to declare that Cali needs Jesus!

So what are signs of real revival?

• It is not short-lived
• Where more tears flowed prior to revival rather than confetti
• It affects the individual first then as a united body, the whole community (Repentance + reconciliation)
• When crime rates really fall
• When the government give u the use of the stadiums for free
• Where authourities truly show favour to Christians
• When all evangelical churches are experiencing growth (not just one church)
• More people attending overnight prayer meetings not a worship celebration (there is a time for it though)
• When Jesus is preached in ernest

Oh, we all really need to repent of our spiritual blindness of the churches in Singapore! Ps Ronald said that Singapore faced a problem that is as bad as Cali. They have a drug problem, we have a luke-warmness problem. The problem is as bad as the drug problem in Cali, me thinks that our problem is probably worse! When u are too comfortable, u think everything is alright. Who would have thought we need to repent? Some Christians will say I am in error by saying we should repent. They advocate that we should thank God for forgiveness and celebrate and "love singpore to God".

I dun care what other churches believes now. I repented for my "pride". Of always speaking my mind without thinking; for putting my shoe into my mouth when I speak. I repent for not praying and complaining. I repent for not praying and interceding for Singapore and R-age when I know I have to! I repent for not taking action.

I repented, now is time for action! Time to pray and intercede. Time for the saints to rise and stop persuing things that rust and moth destroys! Time to seek God! If it's an experience that they want, let it be an experience of a changed life that comes thru the Holy Spirit. To stop seeking the gift, to stop persuing tongues, miracles or healings. Let the greatest gifts be gifts that blesses people and not confuse them; let the greatest "tongues" be ur own native language that's used to speak the truth; let the greatest miracle be the miracle of being lukewarm to being on fire; let the greatest healing be the healing of our hearts and the great crack that has emerged between all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ!

We don't need no special speakers to preach to us! I am sure there is a prophetic voice waiting to call the church to repentance! We don't need no special programmes! We just need some good ol' intercessory prayers to be offered to God on behalf of our city. It starts with one person and that's ourselves. I hope there are many other like-minded people in Singapore. It's now time to show real spiritual hunger.

The crowd and queue outside the indoor stadium at the weekend should not be a barometer to measure our spiritual hunger. Let us not be deceived. Let's continue to pray and wait. I will pray and I will wait!

Ps Ronald said one statement that surprised me. He said that the initial evidence of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" (since we're pentacostal, allow us to use our lingo) is not speaking in tongues... but a changed life!" He later came to pray for me that though I may not speak in tongues, God will continue to help me in my growth as I continue to change for His glory!

Lord, is this a sign? Is this the start gun that u have fired for us to start off the starting block?

The sprint has begun! Yes, it's not a jog in the park, it's a sprint! We're running for our dear lives! We are running as if our lives depended on it! We run like never before! I suddenly feel the need to speed up! Speed up to pray and to intercede! Hurry up to wait upon the Lord!!