Week 51:
A Formula for Revival?
You see, I have people saying, "Why don't you write a book about some methods of revival." No, no. I can't do that. We don't need to find the formula for revival. The formula for revival is in the Word of God or else there isn't one. The formula of revival is: Preachers need to hit the altars and weep because they have no tears. Groan because there is no moving of the Spirit of God. Apologize to God that we've kind of manipulated the supernatural. Now, I am not just thinking of miracles of twisted limbs and other things. I think the greatest miracle that God can do is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world, and make that unholy man holy and put him back in an unholy world and keep him holy. But we are more afraid of holiness today in the church than we are of sinfulness.
If an unclean man with an unclean spirit does unclean things, if a man that's vile does vile things because he has a vile spirit, surely the man who has the Holy Spirit in him will live a holy life. I don't ask people if they are saved anymore, forget it, everybody is "saved;" it doesn't mean a thing. Don't ask a man if he is born again, just look gently at him, it doesn't matter who he is, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Methodist or Mennonite, just say, "Brother, does Christ live in you?" Well, isn't that the standard of the New Birth? Isn't that what Paul says, "Christ in you the hope of glory"?
I hear an awful lot about gifts of the Spirit, that's all right. I hear less about the fruit of the Sprit. I hear less still about having your fruit unto holiness. I hear less still about bringing forth fruit meet for repentance.
You know why some people don't believe in our converts? Because they don't go back and clear up the dirty mess that they've made as far as they can. Restore the stolen money...maintain the baby of the girl they got into trouble... some other thing they should do. Bring forth fruit. A healthy tree doesn't bring forth fruit. It's the tree that has all the flowing life that brings forth fruit.
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