Dead Spirituality

"I know your works; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead." -Revelation 3:1 (HCSB)


Today we have more access to the greatest preachers, Bible scholars, study guides, worship music, and ministry tools than ever before, yet many churches are a reflection of the church in Sardis (Revelation 3).  


Dead.


Before our nation can experience spiritual revival and renewal, our communities must be revived, before or communities can be revived, our churches must be revived, and our churches will only be revived when individuals experience revival. 


The first steps toward spiritual revival are to realize what is leading, or has lead, to our spiritual death.


Why are we dead?


I think of Samson, he had made a vow of separation to God.  Yet, he repeatedly breaks the conditions of that vow.  Samson, mighty and strong, loses it all with his head in the lap of Delilah.  The main factor in spiritual death is, like Samson, failure to maintain separation from the world; failing to be in the world, but not, of it.  We start slipping to become, of the world, but not, in Christ.


We lack spiritual revival due to selfish PRIDE.


We must remember that the one mission of the church (and us, as Christians) is the salvation of souls. It is not about us.  It is not about what we look like, our social status, economic status, or position we serve in.


Many who are involved in the work of the church let themselves become more enamored with their performance and position, than with sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ.


GREED for gain is a strong factor in the dragging down of our spiritual lives.


It is easy to get caught up in this striving for monetary gain, and the wealth of the world.  Every where we look we are blasted with messages of materialism.  It serves us well to remember that all we have has been given by God.  We are merely stewards.  The Old Testament instituted a 10% tithe.  However, if you read through the New Testament there is no mention of a standard tithing amount.  The New Testament believers, "gave to anyone as he had need"; this giving mentality exceeds, by far, the 10% "standard".


An ever-increasing hindrance to spiritual revival is the growing IGNORANCE of God's Word.


Too many congregations are full of people who merely do their "church" duty on Sundays.  They have been in church their whole lives, yet know nothing of the Word of God.  To experience revival it is imperative that we spend time daily in His Word.  We spend time reading, studying, and praying the Bible.  God's Word is the sword by which we can defeat those spiritual enemies that hinder spiritual renewal, and it is only by wielding this sword regularly that we are strengthened enough to defeat these enemies.


The final hindrance we will discuss is the absence of PRAYER.


Everything rises and falls on our prayer life.  Weak prayer life = weak Christian.  Strong prayer life = revived Christian.  Prayer is our connection to the Source.  Prayer is what affords us the opportunity to connect with the Restorer, the Renewer, the Reviver, Jesus Christ.  Without this constant connection we lose all spiritual power, and become dead.


In generations past, trolley cars were a main source of transportation through metropolitan areas.  These trolley cars were connected to a power cable.  Occasionally, one of these cars would "jump the line", and all would go black and dead.  So it is, with our prayer life.


If we desire to see revival in our land, we must first be individually, in our own hearts, be revived.


"Connect with God's Holy Spirit by prayer, and the power-house of Heaven will send down the power.  God help the church, pulpit and pew to rise from the dead, and be endued with the power." -Len Gaston Broughton