Many followers of Jesus hope for the day when the kingdom of God’s reign will finally be established in the realm of our human existence. We hope for the reality of Heaven coming to Earth. This passion often stirs our souls and yet there is a subtle false finish line in merely being stirred for the hope of revival to come. We’ve all heard promises broadcast from pulpits that move us to cry out for God’s invasion of our lives. We’ve heard things like:

“When we see radical miracles, then revival will come!”

“When governors, mayors, and politicians stand for the truth, then revival will come.”

“When preachers preach the full gospel message, then revival will come.”

I’ve heard declarations such as these shouted to crowds of zealous souls throughout my twenty-eight years of preaching the gospel. Although each statement has an element of truth, each of them points to an action that many cannot enforce.

Here’s what I have found to be true.

God’s Spirit will not move in any degree of lasting impact until you change your day-to-day activities to seek His face. Until you set aside your food, entertainment, personal aspirations, and hopes for a “good life” in pursuit of the holy life you’re called to live, little will change. When holy is all you can be because of your overwhelming love for Jesus, you will become the revival you seek.

You may sing about revival, pray for it, and read about it, but until you consistently sacrifice for it, all your activity will only lead to exhaustion.

You must decide if you’re willing to lay down your life for Jesus or if you’re only shopping for a good experience in which you can enjoy a momentary glimpse into the sacrifices others are making for Jesus.

When Jesus comes, he’ll not return for a Church that is proud of her identity and popular among the kingdoms of this world. No, He’s returning for a bride clothed in humility, madly in love with Him, and thoroughly infused with His identity.

The self-love gospel has crippled the church for far too long. We must stop singing about what God can do for us and how we feel about ourselves and shift our affections to Jesus. Rather than trying to win large crowds and culturally relevant trophies, repentance should be our cry and Jesus our reward.

A shift within this community is coming soon, and those who live passionately in love with Jesus will fuel the fires of the coming revival. Others will blindly believe that there are better things to pursue and live oblivious to the hope that our King is coming soon.

This week you can shift your schedule and spend more time seeking Jesus, or you can reluctantly think about it and act like it is someone else’s responsibility to fuel the fires of revival for your family and community.