Instruments of Revival

Ray A. Seilhamer
Bishop, 1993-2001

October 1997

In the Bible, revivals were led by spiritual leaders at the top. For that to happen, spiritual leaders need to have their hearts prepared. They need to experience personal revival in their lives. That is what I want to talk about this month.

Serving as a leader over God’s people is a very special privilege and a great responsibility. God works through leaders to call people back to him, and he looks for a person whose heart is right toward him and who will, in turn, look to God for leadership. This is what the apostles did—they constantly turned to God in prayer and to his Word for direction.

The crises we face in our churches and in our nations require God-prepared, Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-empowered people. Such people can be used by God to lead people to revival. But how does a leader get to that point? Following are some thoughts.

Allow God to Shape Your Life

Work diligently on getting rid of any pride in your life. Humble yourself before the Lord. Don’t allow pride to keep you from any action that God calls for. Determine, from the beginning, that you are more interested in pleasing God than yourself or others.

Surrender your will and every aspect of your life to God. Ask him to reveal any sin or impurity that keeps you from being useful to him. Ask God to make your life a "highway of holiness" over which others may travel in coming to the Lord.

Find a godly pastor or other leader whose spiritual maturity and spiritual consistency you respect. Let that person come alongside you as a prayer partner and counselor. This will be invaluable help.

Listen for God’s Conviction of Sin

Sin gets in the way of personal revival. If you have shown anger, if you harbor bitterness, if you have abused others in some way, if you have governed harshly, if you have lied or stolen—then you have sinned, and you need to go to God for forgiveness.

God wants repentance. You may need to say, "I’m guilty, I have sinned." You need to be broken over the grief you have caused your heavenly father and say, "I will not live that way again." Then you need to change your actions in ways which demonstrate that you have changed, that you don’t intend to repeat the sinful behavior.

God is more than able to help you change. Let God demolish any stronghold which Satan has built in your life. Christ, who lives within you, puts divine weapons at your disposal.

Experience God’s forgiveness and cleansing. You need to be made right with him once again.

Guide God’s People

As a shepherd, are you guiding God’s people to be what God wants them to be as his people? Are you being faithful like Samuel, who didn’t fail to apply any of the words God spoke to him (1 Samuel 3:19)?

Do you love the people? Do you lead them gently? Or do you have hard feelings toward them and treat them harshly (Isaiah 40:11)? Are they stronger or weaker because of your leadership?

Do you experience God in an intimate and personal way? Let God make you a shepherd after his own heart. Let God mold you into a leader who understands God, his purposes, and his ways.

Be Conformed to Christ’s Likeness

Jesus set the model for us, and God wants us to become like Christ. This is a high standard. You need to be above reproach, both inside and outside of the church, in public and in private. What kind of reputation do you have with outsiders? Are you temperate? Self-controlled? Respected? Hospitable? Gentle? Able to restrain your anger? Patient? Encouraging? A person of integrity?

Spiritual leadership calls for a holy life and a pure heart. God will use many types of vessels, but he prefers clean and pure ones. Seek purity in your thoughts, attitudes, motives, and actions. As you do, you’ll find God working in your life at a deep level...and personal revival may be just around the corner.