A quote from Ravi Zacharias yesterday on American Family Radio:

“The difference between warfare in the world and the spiritual warfare of Christians is this:

The purpose of warfare in the world is to destroy the enemy.

The purpose of the spiritual warfare of Christians is to win the enemy over.  This is much harder.”

CHRISTIANS—IT’S GAME DAY!

WAKE UP!

RISE AND SHINE!

This is the day you’ve been training for.

This is the day you’ve been waiting for.

This is not the day to stay home and study the playbook.

This is not the day to show up for practice.

This is not the day to show up in street clothes (camouflage).

This is the day to get your uniforms on and be identified.

This is the real thing.

This is the first real game for most of you (in America).

Don’t get me wrong—you will need your playbook.

This is the day it sure would help if you had your playbook memorized.

This is the day the Coach will not be pushing you through tough drills.

This is the day you will be tested by the opposing team.

This is the day you signed up for.

This is the game day the Coach scheduled.

This is the opponent the Coach arranged.

This is “the game,” and it will get ugly, bloody, and desperate.

This is the day you find out if you’re on the team, or just thought so.

This is the day many will look for another team.

This is the day you find out how much you need the Coach on the field.

Don’t quit.

What is “The Remnant”?

(a few thoughts before I answer the question)

Sometimes the remnant is in the majority—

.          —then the remnant falls asleep.

Sometimes the remnant is persecuted—

.          —then the remnant strengthens.

Sometimes the remnant wins—

.          —then the remnant relaxes.

Sometimes the remnant loses—

.          —then the remnant wanders.

Sometimes the remnant is focused—

.          —then the remnant is powerful.

Sometimes the remnant loses its focus—

.          —then the remnant searches its soul.

Sometimes the remnant tries harder to fit in—

.          —then the remnant loses its identity.

Sometimes the remnant identifies with a political party—

.          —then the remnant loses its message.

Sometimes the remnant is afraid to speak out—

.          —then the remnant becomes weak.

Sometimes the remnant is divided—

.          —then the remnant loses its influence.

Sometimes the remnant thinks it is losing—

.          —then the remnant becomes discouraged.

Sometimes the remnant thinks it doesn’t count—

.          —then the remnant thinks it is too small.

Sometimes the remnant is hit with “divide and conquer”—

.          —then the remnant individuals say, “I’m the only one left.”

 

On that note I shift from singular to plural.

Sometimes the remnant forget who they are—

Sometimes the remnant forget whose they are—

Sometimes the remnant forget why they are—

Sometimes the remnant forget how to revive—

Sometimes the remnant forget how to recover their influence—

 

So, now we have three questions:

What is “The Remnant”?   (actually, What are “The Remnant”?)

How do they revive?

How do they recover their influence?

 

N0w, here is where I’ll lose some of you to “ho-hum” or “defensive.”

 

The Remnant exist continuously through all history, and today.

The Remnant are usually a minority, with potential influence far beyond their numbers.

The Remnant go through all the phases listed above, and more.

The Remnant are often invisible, with usual mistaken identity.

The Remnant are always on the winning side in the end.

(please re-read all the above after you read what follows—and think)

 

What are “The Remnant”?

The Remnant are those people who surrender everything to Jesus, and who live that way no matter what the cost or consequences.  The Bible is their guide for everything in life, and it works just as it is written.

 

How do they revive?

The hard fact is that God’s people, His true followers, wander and lose their focus on Him and His Word.  They fall under the world’s influence, and God has to bring them back—with whatever it takes.  Sometimes “the goodness of God leads to repentance,” sometimes the warning of God leads to repentance, and sometimes the judgment of God leads to repentance.  The longer the frog stays in the heating water, the harder it is to get out, and some don’t make it.  So the remnant get refined before they get revived.  Refined means everything not pure is gone.

 

How do they recover their influence?

Business as usual does not restore the remnant’s influence.

Trying harder with some of the world and some of God doesn’t work.

The rightful influence of the remnant on the culture is automatically restored when supernatural changes happen inside individuals—seeking God over deep, convicting sorrow for sin.  When everything lukewarm and double-minded gets purged from a person, that person will pray like never before, read the Bible like never before, and the fire inside will make a difference to others.

 

And back to the title of this piece:

When The Remnant restore their identity with God, revive their intimacy with God, and recover their influence from God, their revolutionary impact on the world, will follow.  Then, . . .

. . . read the postings on

3-7-12     USA—AT THE CROSSROADS

9-11-12     REVIVAL ?

10-17-12     ELECTION CORRECTION—SOLUTION OR DREAM