Dear Friends,
Everyone who is called to go on to a new level with Christ will experience an unlearning process. For some of us, the unlearning is harder than the learning. We form ideas, concepts, and “convictions” from people who know more (or less) than we know. If they know more, we are blessed. If not, we may live the rest of our life in misconception.
“Revival” in its purest sense is getting back to Jesus. And it’s not times as usual. What God permits one time He may not another. We learn and unlearn more in revival time.
Don was being challenged and rapidly growing from “faith to faith.” However, when the stripping is in process, it doesn’t feel good or look nice. In fact, those who have not discerned you may look and say, “What is that?”
The Lord allowed Don’s “new normal” to be in full evidence to his congregation. There was no place to hide and quietly metamorphosize. He’s not too good about that anyway. He’s more honest and apt to throw his whole bucket of bolts on the table.
The Lord called us to a church that stagnated with little growth and few conversions. Don’s creativity inspired him to bring together all the records of the past, challenging the congregation to break the former records. To accomplish this, a huge sign comparing the numbers was hung on a wall behind the choir—high enough so all could see. The sign showed each week how much we were surpassing the old numbers. We were trying to grow any way we could, and we did. However, when the Spirit of the Lord appeared in revival, Don was learning that “it’s not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord” (Zechariah 4:6).
The Lord asked Don to do three things:
l. Don was to take down the huge sign of comparison and never replace it.
2. Don was not to use his hands and arms or excessive actions to demonstrate his message. He was to stand still behind the pulpit and trust God alone. (I am so glad this “new normal” wasn’t normal long. It was so un-normal for Don.)
3. When leaders from the nearby college, Church Headquarters, or other dignitaries attended our services, Don was not to recognize or call attention to them.
In a few months, even though we still had broken all previous records, we were decreasing in attendance to an embarrassing low. Sometimes other pastors used it as a point of ridicule. While on a trip together, a couple of pastors were using Don for their punching bag. “Hey, Polston, what happened to you and all those big numbers?” Don wanted to explain and prove that we were in hot pursuit of revival. In fact, we were more spiritual now. But the Spirit warned that if he tried to defend himself or his church by attempting to prove the depth of his faith, God would remove His anointed Spirit from the church and from Don.
This was the beginning of Don’s going out from the familiar and the favorable of building a ministry. From this point, he was shut up to God and faith alone, with no other guarantee of success. When he would question the Lord about anything, God would say, “What is that to thee? Follow thou me.”
It was a jolt to us all when Don stripped off the framed attendance records and goals. We were both going to our own funeral, but we weren’t going alone. The Lord brought us fresh converts who knew nothing except revival and the Spirit was bearing witness. They grew so rapidly it couldn’t be denied, and many older in the faith were also moving to new faith levels.
It was an awesome sight to see people walking to the church, sometimes with umbrellas, in inclement weather. They came in the dark and the wee hours of the morning. We stopped unnecessary church activities in favor of prayer meetings. I didn’t shop, except for groceries and necessities, for nearly three years. Revival is consuming!
Bonheoffer said, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die” (to participate in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ). The resurrection follows death (Romans 6:3-6).
Most people will never know the spiritual sacrifices of another; some have borne a thousand deaths, but kept walking. Others may know there is something different, but can’t put their finger on it. Sometimes it’s so radical you can hardly identify it yourself. Such is the “mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
Joshua and the priests led three million Israelites through a dry Jordan River. They carried twelve stones to establish themselves on their newly gotten land. Little is said of the twelve stones planted in the middle of the Jordon. The stones on Canaan side could be seen and revered by their children. “This is where it all began—with our fathers’ faith!” (Joshua 4:5-10).
The waves held in the grip of God were released when His people were safely on Canaan side. The returning waves have long since covered the stones in the depth of the Jordan, hidden from the gaze of others but visible to God. He remembers those who put their feet in the waters first. Pilgrims are those whose faith stones are so deep that no one sees it but God. They have learned His ways so others may enjoy His acts (Psalm 103:7).
Time and eternity keep the faith alive. We never pull up the seed to see what’s happening. The Word says we can go to sleep and the seed comes up (Mark 4:27). “First the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear” (Mark 4:28).
It has come! See you next time.
Ruth Ann