Revival or Kingdom?

So, which would you prefer? God's kingdom truly here and present or a revival? What does either of those terms really mean? Can't we have both?

Before looking at either of these two terms, please ask yourself this question: what relationship with God are you looking for? This will inevitably lead to answering the question of revival or kingdom without you lifting a finger. The reason?

In the nature of relationships, what we desire to come out of that relationship will shape the approach we take to fulfilling the relationship. If all I was interested in was a quick personal satisfaction physical relationship with someone, my approach would probably be quick, hook deep and, if there is no likely satisfaction, quickly move on to the next spot. If however, I am looking for something a little more sustained, I will likely spend more time testing, in conversation, looking for details, getting to know, and the like. I will be far less likely to pack up my gear in a hurry if I don't find what I want right away. Instead, I might even come back to the same spot several times. Of course, there is always the danger of getting what I thought I wanted and finding out that even that is not what I wanted to begin with and thus the whole problem starts all over again.

What might this have to do with kingdom versus revival? Well, our faith is about a relationship with God our creator. Our faith explores the broken relationship between Creator and his creation and the way in which the Creator then continues to make moves to restore his creation back into relationship with himself. His ultimate fulfillment of this is when he brings into the world his son who then removes the problem of sin (or more accurately the wrath due to sin) and in so removing brings with him the kingdom that has the sustained relationship with the king. It is within the context of this relationship with the king that the problem (wrath) is kept from coming back for the members of that kingdom. Jesus' work on the cross isn't just a blank check written to cover your errors that might be upsetting to God. Jesus' work on the cross was a finality to the price for sin that ushers in a new kingdom. This kingdom is one of power but that power comes through relationship. It is manifest here in the midst of us, yet just our of reach. The more we surrender to the King and his reign in our lives, the more we allow the kingdom to be made manifest. It manifests first within us, then through us to the environment around us. The purpose of this kingdom is restoration of relationship between Creator and his creation. In the context of kingdom we find that we are able to be transformed. Why? Because kingdom is "the King's Domain", where he, the King, has full authority. If he has the authority, then his law is sovereign. When his law is sovereign, then his word goes forth and "will not return to me empty but will accomplish that for which it was purposed and prosper in that for which it was sent."

Revival, on the other hand, isn't quite at that level. To revive something is to bring back something that was lost. In most cases, I assume (dangerous I know), that most often what folks are meaning by revival is a bringing back of the relationship between Creator and creation, God and His people. However, the emphasis so often seems instead to fall on the manifest signs of the Presence of God, the charisms associated with Holy Spirit. Please do not think that I have no joy in seeing someone healed. I love to boast of God's manifest presence when we see Him operate sovereignly to heal someone or to set someone free from oppression. The concern that I have is that to revive something, to bring that which is now faint or passing back to life, means that life had to be present to begin with.

What occurred on that day of Pentecost, circa 33 AD, was not a revival. It was the manifest presence of the Kingdom as promised by Jesus himself. His words "repent for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." Whooossshhhh, there it is.....fire that doesn't consume but transforms instead, elegance of speech from the uneducated, translation of language without an intermediary who speaks the common language, instead the ability to hear what is needed to be heard in your own way that you need it no matter the language it is originally being delivered in......gold and silver I do not have, but what I do have I give to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, get up and Walk!!! This is not revival, per say, this is manifest kingdom.

I pray that we spend out time focused on the model prayer we were given, "thy kingdom come". To have that, however, would mean we first have to have the acceptance of and submission to a King. His name is Jesus. Where the King is present, there the kingdom is. Pray for revival of those who once knew and have since "fallen asleep". Yet pray more fervently for the King to have his way and for his reign to begin. First in ourselves, then in our homes, then our communities, and ultimately in a new heaven and new earth.