Most Christians Will Miss Revival

0:00:00 – (Steve Gray):  We see some great things starting to happen in America in the spirit of God. Is it revival or is it revival just starting to rumble? I’m going to teach you that on the next More Faith, More Life podcast.

0:00:12 – (Steve Gray): You were made for more than the status quo. I’m Pastor Steve Gray and this is the More Faith, More Life podcast. This podcast is for Christians with an ambitious heart who want to be more for their family, do more with their career, and see more of God’s promises in their life. I’ve spent many years as a worship artist, minister, nonprofit leader, bold truth speaker, and most importantly, father and spouse. When I was in my early 40s, I was craving more, more from God and more from life.

0:00:42 – (Steve Gray): I’d done everything I was supposed to do. My life was good, but it wasn’t good enough. So I spent the following years diving into the word of God and searching for the biblical principles that would bring me closer to God and help my purpose and life flourish. That’s what I want to share with you. In every episode, you’ll get practical tools based on real life experiences that you can put into action to redefine your faith and ultimately your life.

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0:01:24 – (Steve Gray):  Hello everyone, and welcome to another More Faith, More Life podcast. Your voice for revival. And we are going to talk about revival today. We’ll start talking a little bit about it now and then we’re going to talk about it again on the tail end after we get some Bible teaching. Today we’re going to talk about Jesus walking on the water. If we get to it, unless we get sidetracked, I’m going to try not to and give you some great lessons.

0:01:46 – (Steve Gray):  So let’s start talking about a little bit about revival. We have what I call the rumblings of revival. The reason I call it that is because if you study real revival historically, then it is far advanced in the presence power, glory, commitment, repentance, all those things way beyond what we have today. Okay, so can we call what we see today in our country, can we call it revival? Well, I think we can because people are. We’re seeing a revival of religion, a revival of pulling people in.

0:02:26 – (Steve Gray):  But most of it is outside of our churches. We haven’t really, we’re not really seeing revival in churches. We’re seeing mostly revival outside of churches and in new places. I’ve seen on news channels people talking about prayer, talking about Revival, talking about getting God back. And, you know, our president is pulling us into prayer, you know, himself, and talks about prayer and religion and things. So, yes, it’s a revival of interest, let’s say that.

0:03:00 – (Steve Gray):  But is it a revival of the power and presence of God that we’ve seen historically? No, that means good sign. That means we may be moving towards that. But are you ready for it? You probably are ready for what’s happening today. Because what’s happening today is nothing new. It may be on a larger scale. It may be pulling people in that weren’t in a year ago or two years ago or whatever, and pulling youth in and college kids and high school and different kinds of meetings and attitudes and, you know, all kinds of good signs.

0:03:36 – (Steve Gray):  So. So. But it’s like the revival’s starting to rumble and it’s all good signs. But is it the final revival of what we’re going to see with the presence and power of God and what the nation needs to see to actually turn those who are God opposers, those are anti God. Okay, so what we see today, maybe it’s affecting some people in that, you know, that group. But I don’t see it on a scale like all of a sudden a bunch of them are starting to go to worship meetings down at the Coliseum or something, you know what I mean?

0:04:12 – (Steve Gray):  So we’re not there yet. And their hearts are so hardened and so deep into so much cynicism and hate and anger that what we’re seeing on our end as a revival is. Is very comfortable for us. There’s nothing really new happening. It’s happening in new people and it’s happening in new places. But what’s happening is not new. What’s happening has been happening in lots of churches all over America for years, where people come together and worship and raise their hands and some of them jump and shout and some of them don’t.

0:04:50 – (Steve Gray):  So it’s a comfortable revival right now, but which is good. That’s okay. We need to start someplace. But are we prepared for God to take another step forward or bring it to a higher level? Why would he do that? Well, he’s bringing it to a higher level, which brings us to a higher level of commitment and loyalty. I mean, you still have. While we’ve got good signs of revival, we’ve still got churches that advertise, come as you are, you’ll be out in an hour.

0:05:16 – (Steve Gray):  And people are coming. Oh, well, okay, if it’s only an hour, I can. Yes, I can afford an hour. And that’s not Commitment. That’s not loyalty. That’s not loving God with all your heart. Not seeking the kingdom of God first. It’s not seeking the Lord while He may be found. It’s not your first love, obviously. Cause you want to hurry and get it over with. Okay? So we’re not there as churches either. But we do see what’s happening outside of churches has been happening inside of churches. So it’s sort of a comfortable revival, right?

0:05:45 – (Steve Gray):  Not. Not causing too much trouble, right? But what we want to do, we want to raise it to another level. So that those who are outside of what’s happening, those that are angry and in the streets and just confused and they, you know, they believe what they believe. And what’s going to change their mind, right? So something bigger than what we have is going to change masses of people’s minds and hearts. Because that’s what America needs. We need a heart change. We need something that gets to the.

0:06:18 – (Steve Gray):  We cannot change the heart of America by legislation and laws. You can’t try to. In other words, you’re going t change America by making sure a certain group gets elected, okay? And your group’s going t get elected. Then you’re going t get your group to pass the laws or release the laws, whatever it is to satisfy you. And that’s going t change America. But it doesn’t. Laws do not change people. Laws can change the behavior of people, but they do not change people.

0:06:47 – (Steve Gray):  And so what we want to see is a move of God, a revival of the power and presence of God that’s unmistakably manifesting him. That overwhelms the spirit of some of the people in our nation. Their attitudes, the spirit. It’s just too big and powerful that you can’t deny it. You know, some others, revival. I’m trying to think of it. The Welsh Revival, Azusa Street Revival. You can study those on your own.

0:07:15 – (Steve Gray):  But at first, newspapers were not favorable to it. Now, I don’t really think that we’d see newspapers if we still have newspapers today. I haven’t read a newspaper in a long time, but I don’t think we had reporters like newspaper reporters today going into some of the services that are good and they’re youthy and all that. That they would go and write a terrible article like this is terrible. Those kids were in there with their hands up in the air and singing songs to Jesus and it was terrible.

0:07:47 – (Steve Gray):  And it’s, you know, it’s not going t happen. It’s pretty favorable, right? And even, you know, Christian television networks are saying they’re Favorable and all that kind of stuff. But if we really saw an outbreak of the kingdom of God and the power of God, what would happen? Well, back then on those two other revivals too, the newspapers started reporting on it in a negative way. They didn’t like it. They didn’t think it was good.

0:08:11 – (Steve Gray):  Also, the prayer revival of 1857 that elected, got Abraham Lincoln elected. It was negative reporting at first, but as it grew and as it got bigger and stronger, all of them, then newspapers had to just. They finally had to just give it over because there was no denying of the changed lives and the changed families and the changed towns. There was no getting around. People were being transformed. And they started reporting that they didn’t necessarily like it, but they reported it. And so that’s the kind of thing I’m saying, if we get to that, where people are really being transformed and the people that are nominal and lukewarm get transformed, come on fire for God. And those that are anti God come to know Jesus and.

0:09:01 – (Steve Gray):  And those that are bringing other religions into our country, and many of those that have other religions are starting to run some of our cities. And we want them to experience the real God, the real God and be converted and know that. And it’s going to take some power to do that. It’s not, you know, we’re not just going to be able to invite them to Sunday school and they’re going to go away completely transformed, you know, or a nominal church that has an hour service, they sing three songs and do the offering and have a sermonette, you know, an announcements and sermonette, little prayer at the end and you’re out.

0:09:38 – (Steve Gray):  And the next people come in. That’s not going to do it. We got to have something bigger than that. All right, so here’s. So let’s get to this then. What? What? Why am I bringing out Jesus walking on the water? Well, before we get him on the water, let’s back up a little earlier. In Mark, chapter six, where they feed the 5,000, you know that, you know, the fish loaves and fish, they didn’t have but a few.

0:10:02 – (Steve Gray):  And they don’t know how they’re going t feed all these people. 5,000, probably more. That’s probably just the men, but it doesn’t matter. It’s a lot of people. And the disciples are panicking. How can we feed these people? It would take a year’s wages to feed these people. And so all this is going on and Jesus says, listen, just get him, sit. Get him to sit down, get 12 baskets and we’ll put a little in each basket of what we got, which wasn’t much.

0:10:31 – (Steve Gray):  And then he said, now you go give them something to eat. So Jesus sounds like he sat down, he had a little snack, you know, sat down and just let the power of God go through to disciples. So that means they’re walking around with a basket that never goes empty and feed 5,000 or more people. And it’s happening while they’re holding it. It’s happening in their hands. Maybe they handed some of it to people and it just multiplied as they handed. And it says it just happened and happened and happened until everybody had enough.

0:11:04 – (Steve Gray):  And then there was even 12 baskets left over. There was even leftovers. And that’d be good for Jesus and the boys to have a midnight snack, wouldn’t it? All right, so there were leftovers. All right, so this, to me, if I was there, I hope it would change my life forever. I hope I’ve had things happen between me and God that changed my life forever. And I would hope if I ever was, if I was one of those 12 in a basket and I watched it and it multiplied and we fed 5,000 people.

0:11:38 – (Steve Gray):  I wouldn’t be able to be quiet about it. I’d write another book. I’d write a book on feeding the 5,000. I was there and. And I would tell the whole world what I saw and my family what I saw. I mean, I would think that it would be some effect on me. Okay, so that happens. That takes place. And then it says in the Bible and here in Mark, it says. And then immediately he tells them to go get in the boat and go to the other side or go out and start rowing.

0:12:08 – (Steve Gray):  And they do. And so they get out. And it sounds like they’re out there pretty far. Middle of the lake anyway. And it’s a big lake, so however far out, but. And a terrible storm comes up. And the Sea of Galilee is known for storms that whip up suddenly. And I was sharing with somebody a little bit ago about that, how storms whipped up and when they would whip up like that suddenly, fierce storms, where in other places in the Bible, the disciples say, wake up, Jesus, help us, we’re going t die.

0:12:41 – (Steve Gray):  That’s how bad the storms get. And these are fishermen. Four of them are good professional fishermen or were. And so they should be able to take care of it or know what to do. You know, they’ve certainly been in this before. So this terrible storm whips up. Well, in their culture, they believed that when these storms whipped up, it was demonic chaos. Demonic power whipped up these storms. Okay, that was just in their culture. I don’t know where it started. I don’t know who told them. This is like something everybody knows.

0:13:10 – (Steve Gray):  Everybody knows these storms whip up and that’s just demonic, chaotic powers that are in the sea. Okay? So anyway, Jesus sends them out there and this storm whips up. So now they’re caught in it and they really can’t get anywhere. It says they’re straining against the oars. They know how to row. They’re probably pretty good rowers. They’ve been doing this a long time, some of them, but they’re stuck.

0:13:32 – (Steve Gray):  They can’t get out of the storm. They can’t row themselves out of it. And if they let go, I guess they’re going t be blown away. And if they. But they. And if they keep rowing, it only keeps them in the same spot. They’re not getting anywhere. And I think that’s where. Why we need an increase of the presence and power of God, a true revival starting to really get going. Because we even have Christians that are just in a life not going anywhere.

0:13:59 – (Steve Gray):  And then we have people that are. That are anti God and they are organized. And so we got the Christian group that’s sort of lukewarm, just stuck where they are not going anywhere. And then we’ve got the anti-God people that are fired up. And so this isn’t going t work if it stays the same. You understand what I’m saying? Well, anyway, they’re stuck out there in this storm. And the Bible says, now Jesus then comes walking on the water.

0:14:27 – (Steve Gray):  All right? Now he comes walking. And the normal thought for most Christians would be, well, he’s going to do what he always does. He’s going to walk out there and he’s going to, you know, silence the storm and calm the waters and tell them everything’s going to be okay, and then they’ll be on their way. He’d done it before, you know, he’s. He silenced storms and he does all kinds of things. So that’s probably what he’s going to do.

0:14:52 – (Steve Gray):  And we see that in our own lives, right? We get into a storm, we get into a situation, we get into a thing that’s uncomfortable or scary or whatever. And our only thought is that we need Jesus to come and take the storm away, quiet the storm, settle things down, let’s get it over with so we can just go on with life. That’s what we think he should do and that’s what we want him to do. So let’s just Go on life on our present level.

0:15:22 – (Steve Gray):  Because we want to be happy and just steady as she goes. So I want you, Jesus, to get rid of this storm, silence the storm, so I can just kinda get on with my life, you know, the way it was. And so that’s kinda what we think is happening here. Jesus walks on the water and he’s walking toward them at least, and they’re terrified. Remember? Now what’s their thought? What were they taught about the sea? So when they see this person walking towards them, I think they couldn’t. I don’t think Jesus is disguised.

0:15:53 – (Steve Gray):  It’s that their old way of thinking and the culture thinking and the way they believe in the water and the sea and the demonic and the chaos and all that. You know, you get into a tough situation, a scary situation or a challenging situation. Most people go back to what they’re familiar with. They get unfamiliar. Cause they’re not familiar with this storm, but they’re familiar with other things that the. The way they’ve done things in life.

0:16:19 – (Steve Gray):  So Jesus comes walking on the water, and what do they do? They say it’s a ghost. Now I don’t know if I’d do that. I don’t think so. I don’t think I know very many people. They might not know what it is, but I don’t know if they just automatically say it’s a ghost. Maybe it’s a ghost. Is it a ghost? But anyway, that’s what they do. Now why do they do that? Because that’s what they’ve been taught. Ghosts are here when the storm comes up.

0:16:45 – (Steve Gray):  It’s demonic powers and it’s demonic things. It’s chaos. And so they feel the storm, they see the storm, and then they see something, somebody, some frame of a person walking on water, and they say it’s a ghost. It all makes sense to them, okay? So they now are really terrified. They’re not only in a storm, they’re in a ghostly storm, you know, and so now they’re really terrified. So then if we just look at the end of the story, then it says, then Jesus got in the boat, he silenced the storm, and everything’s calmed down. And they go to the other side, okay?

0:17:26 – (Steve Gray):  And we pretty well think that’s what we want to happen, that’s what we would hope to happen if we were in that storm. But most people miss a very short line that is in the gospel here, all right? So it says Jesus comes walking on the water, intending to walk past them. Oh, I don’t understand that. Because isn’t that his job, to silence the storm when he sees I’m in a storm. But it says he intended to walk past them.

0:17:59 – (Steve Gray):  That’s because he’s trying to have them experience something that changes their mind about a lot of things. So he’s going to walk past them. Why would he do such a thing? Well, he’s going to demonstrate that he is Lord of the sea, that he’s Lord of all. He’s Lord of the land, He’s Lord of the sea. He’s Lord of feeding people. You know, he’s lord of all. All authority. All authority, not some authority.

0:18:27 – (Steve Gray):  So when they were on the land and feeding 5,000, they saw his authority at work. But now they need to realize all authority, including the sea. So it’s my view that Jesus put them out there without him on purpose to put them in a place. And why wouldn’t the boat move? It’s cause Jesus put them in a storm that wouldn’t let it move. Why? Because they’re supposed to have a front row seat to a demonstration that Jesus is Lord with all authority, all power, knowledge, all those things.

0:18:58 – (Steve Gray):  And he is Lord of the land, He’s Lord of the sea, He’s Lord of all. Okay? And when they sit there and they see this and he’s walking on the water and they see him go by, they’re supposed to be affected by that and say, wow, he is Lord of all. He’s Lord of the sea. The sea is not what we thought it was. He’s Lord of all. And then I think they would have had a demonstration of his divine nature. And then when he gets past him, probably the storm would cease. Cause the storm was only there to hold him in place for a demonstration of his power.

0:19:32 – (Steve Gray):  So imagine that. Could that be happening in your life? Could it be that you’re experiencing something that’s scary or a storm or confusing, you don’t understand what’s going on. And all you want Jesus to do is get it over with so you can go on with the life as is. But Jesus is saying, no, I’m holding you in place. I’m trying to show you my divine nature, that I am lord of everything in your life. And all authority has been given to me. And I’m going t give you, you got some authority too, through me.

0:20:01 – (Steve Gray):  I want you to learn to start using your authority in scary situations. It’s all Jesus, but he’s giving his. He’s sharing his authority with you, as the Bible teaches. So we get in a storm, we get in trouble, and we Mislabel it. Like, oh, maybe God doesn’t love me. I thought God loved me. But here I’m in this trouble and he’s not doing anything. And maybe he’s trying to hold you steady so he can demonstrate who he is and demonstrate to you who you are in him, right?

0:20:33 – (Steve Gray):  Well, it didn’t work that way. Jesus did get in the boat and they missed the demonstration. It was over, right? Show’s done. They didn’t get to see it. They didn’t get the revelation. And so we realize, well, what happened? Well, Mark gives us a clue then he says, look, here’s what happened. Remember yesterday when the loaves and the fishes and they were feeding and all that kind of stuff? Yeah, I remember that. He says, well, the Bible, Mark teaches it in the Bible.

0:20:59 – (Steve Gray):  They didn’t get it. They didn’t understand the loaves and fishes. And it says their hearts were hardened. So rather than have it a life changing experience where they’re going t go tell the world, well, guess what I just saw. I just saw this miracle take place. A feeding of 5,000. They hardened to it, misunderstanding it, not knowing especially maybe because it was happening in their hands, like maybe it didn’t even happen. Maybe I’m a lunatic or something crazy, I don’t know. But Mark lets us know that their hearts were hardened.

0:21:31 – (Steve Gray):  So because their hearts were hardened, they did not see Jesus as he was. They saw what they wanted or what normal people would see, trying to figure out what’s going on. And they thought he was a ghost. So they missed the power of God, the demonstration of the power of God, because they missed understanding the loaves and fishes, which tells us what? See, if we don’t get on the ball today and begin to understand the glory and power and awesomeness, if we just go into church and sing Amazing Grace like we always do, and we sing a few songs that we always know, that we know.

0:22:04 – (Steve Gray):  And we don’t ever put our heart, soul and mind. We don’t bless the Lord with all that is within me. We’re just normal singing, mumbling songs, right? Well, you’re missing the glorious God of today. He’s the glorious, wonderful, powerful God of today. He’s not going to get more powerful tomorrow. He may demonstrate his power tomorrow in a new way, but today he is Lord of all and authority of all. So what we want to do is capture God every day.

0:22:33 – (Steve Gray):  Because as we watch in this story, if you miss what God’s doing today, you’re never going t understand what God’s doing tomorrow. And that’s what Mark teaches. You see, Jesus came walking in a way they’d never seen before. They’ve never seen anybody walk on water before, right? He came. Jesus came walking in a new way, and they didn’t know it was him. You see, God could begin to give an upswing of his power and his presence. And all of a sudden, manifestations and power and freedom and people that have been yelling on the streets, all of a sudden, you know, all their demons flee and they get a mind change and they become loving God and there are different people and all this thing’s happening.

0:23:15 – (Steve Gray):  And so now we think, oh, yeah, that would be great. But if your heart is hardened at what God’s doing today, you’re not going to get it tomorrow. Because Jesus, if he ever comes walking a new way, you’re not going to see it as Jesus. In fact, you may see it as the devil. You may say, that’s, that’s. That’s the devil. I know when today we have, for the years of these big cathedrals, these great big pipe organs, you know, you’ve seen them and how magnificent they sound and look and the person just going at it and pedaling and everything on those things. Right.

0:23:48 – (Steve Gray):  Did you know when the first organ came and was put in a church in America, they said it was of the devil. The organ was of the devil. And it followed along. I remember as young when drums first came into the church, drum sets, you know, and people said, oh, that’s the devil. The devil’s brought drums into the church. And so if we’re not on target with who God is now, we mislabel. So Jesus came walking in a new way, and they didn’t know it was Jesus.

0:24:17 – (Steve Gray):  And Jesus may come walking in a new way in your lifetime. It may be just a little ahead of us. We may see the rumblings of revival today. And we’re just now getting to now where he may break out through these rumblings and increase his presence, his power, his glory, his might. And you have to be careful that you don’t labor long. Oh, that’s not God. That’s just emotion. That’s just noise. They’ve gone too far and miss the demonstration of God’s power of what’s coming.

0:24:47 – (Steve Gray):  So you got to get what God’s doing today so you don’t miss what God’s doing tomorrow. And especially if he does anything new. Are you going to know it’s God? You’re going to know it’s Jesus. I hope so. Well, the new book will be coming out soon. You’ll be watching for it. But in the meantime, we have other books, and Mighty Like Gideon is still selling and getting read. It’s still a great, great book. But I’m excited about this book because I’m going t be talking about politics and the spirit of God on America and what it means to America and politics.

0:25:18 – (Steve Gray):  So it’s really good. I mean, I’m working hard to finish it. So I hope you’ll get that there’s other things, there’s music and that. But most of all, just keep following us because you’re getting. God is using this podcast to prepare you for something greater that he’s going t do so that your mind is ready just from this teaching today, you go like, oh, okay, I. I need to get what God’s been doing in my life and really get onto it so that he can do something else. And I won’t get confused.

0:25:43 – (Steve Gray):  I wonder if that’s God. You know, when you get around the real things of God, you either oppose it or accept it. You don’t go, Maybe it’s like, okay, people oppose Jesus, and then people follow Jesus, right? And so we want you to be a follower of Jesus. So anyway, grab these, tell your friends, subscribe, follow us, do all those things you’re supposed to do, and you can stay on track with this as God is preparing you for revival to come to the nations. Till next time, bye-bye.