Wanting to Help: The Opposition
Note well in Ezra 4:1–3 that opposition first comes in the guise of help. Such enemies agree with the message of the cross, but live a lie—they accept the notions about the crucified life, but still live for self in the name of Jesus. These individuals have no clue as to their spiritual poverty and become your worst enemy, once God shines the Light on their true condition.
These men claimed to want to only encourage revival, and many others who hate the cross will be glad to help you repent. Be cautious of the religious who try to compel you to come down off the cross in order to save self. There are many and their voices are loud.
- Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” (Mark 15:29–30)
There will be many false Christians who will want to help with the revival happening in your church, ministry, or life. They come with all the right sounding words. They will talk of sacrifice and love for God’s Word but know nothing or little of the crucified life. Such types agree with everything about the gospel and even applaud correct doctrine but know nothing of the crucified life. They will say “for we, like you, seek your God.”
- …they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God; and we have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.” (Ezra 4:2 NASB)
Only those who know the cross of Christ in their lives will see through them and reject their offers. Remember, two thieves hung next to Jesus on the cross. Both cried for salvation, but only one asked for true redemption. The wicked thief wanted salvation from the cross, while the good thief embraced the crucified life.
Of course, once you reject Satan or the world, these false Christians will turn on you. Remember, one sign of revival is the judging and rejecting of those who worship the Lord in name only. At this point, God tested the Israelite people to see if they had truly fallen in love with Him, or only in love with revival. Those more in love with their cause, church, or ministry will accept just about anyone’s offer to help. Those truly in love with Jesus, however, love His righteousness more than the cause and unrighteous offers of help.
Wait on the Lord to begin revival again. Don’t become discouraged when He delays or lets the opposition have its way with you. God wants to make sure that when He pours out His Spirit fully at the end of revival, you are totally ready to let go of self.
- Then work on the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it was stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (Ezra 4:24 NASB)
When revival pauses, search your heart, build yourself up in the Word, and look for unrepented sin in your life. Ask the Lord if you have stopped it or if this is just a pause before going on to the heights. Be assured that if you ask God in faith during these moments of trials, He will give you wisdom.
- Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (James 1:2–6 NASB)
Waiting on God
We must learn to wait on the Lord for everything and let go of works done for God in self effort. Revival brings the hard work of waiting upon God. Like Lazarus, though sick and dying, we must wait for Jesus to come to us. Although He loves us, Christ must linger, that we might be fully dead to ourselves.
- Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When therefore He heard that he was sick, He stayed then two days longer in the place where He was. (John 11:5–6 NASB)
Do not rush the work of revival; to do so brings self-will that tries to form God into what we want. Demanding revival only fashions it into an idol. Never force revival with human preaching and prayer, but in humility wait upon the Lord who works all good things in His time. After all, revival returns us to know that God is really God. Revival is not the returning of your peace, comfort, or assurance of salvation; rather it is the returning of God in your life. Satan will give you peace, comfort, and assurance if that is all you want.
Revival drives you to enter the “Sabbath rest” of God where you learn to wait upon Him for everything. Waiting on God is proven by the fact a man increases His obedience to the Word. After all, the acid test of a man’s Christianity is his acceptance of the Scriptures that he doesn’t like. It is proven by his obedience to the Scriptures he does not find comfortable.
- Revival: The Whisper Revival
- Revival: The Cross
- Revival: Receiving a Revival
- Revival: A Shameful Thing
- Revival: Revival begins
- Revival: In the Midst of Revival
- Revival: The Revival Cry
- Revival: Wanting to Help: The Opposition
- Revival: Revival Resumed
- Revival: The Acid Test
- Revival: The Whole Camp
- Revival: Words of Comfort
- Revival: The One Thing
- Revival: Discipleship: To Begin
Disclaimer
The Consider Podcast attempts to express opinions through God’s holiness. Nothing concerning justice or injustice should be taken as legal advice or a call to action. There is no political agenda. There is no individual moral life advice. Indeed, each person is solely responsible before God and man for their actions or inactions. The Consider Podcast is narrowly focused on one thing, and only one thing – the need for all to surrender to a life of repentance according to the whole gospel.
The Consider Podcast
Examining today’s wisdom, folly and madness with the whole gospel.
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