Revival Fires Blog

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

For a $50 a month or more partnership receive the Spirit of Israel Bible, a powerful new resource prepared to help you understand the prophetic and spiritual links between the US and Israel and the connection between Christianity and ancient Biblical traditions.

HELP US TAKE THE GOSPEL TO OUR U.S. SOLDIERS

April 1, 2020
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on DON’T BE AFRAID OF THE CORONAVIRUS, JESUS IS RISEN!

IT’S TIME TO MARCH FORWARD

Are you stuck in a rut or have you settled for less of an existence than you were called by God to live? Have you ever thought, “Is this all there is to it?” It’s time to march forward!

The Children of Israel were in that place. They experienced the Lord delivering them from Egypt, they came up short in entering the land of promise, the land flowing with milk and honey.

Has something got you stuck in mediocrity? Are you sidetracked or dismayed to the point of paralyzation? God wants you to march forward like the Children of Israel did.

The great theologian A. W. Tozer said, “Refuse to be average. Let your heart soar as high as it will.”

The Apostle Paul realized that marching forward was a constant pursuit of all that God had for Him, “The prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:12-16

Consider these things from Joshua 1; the Children of Israel are urged to march forward, after 40 years of running in circles in the wilderness because of their lack of faith, their murmuring and complaining.

Verse 1 – After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: 2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them – the children of Israel.

Death and disappointment aren’t the end but the beginning. The Children of Israel loved Moses, yet it wasn’t until he died that they were able to march forward. They probably thought that without Moses it was over, however God up to something.

Don’t allow a “let down” to cause you to stay down. It’s merely a new thing God is doing and he wants to show you that you can trust Him. When things appear devastating it gives God the opportunity to reveal to us that He is all we need.

Verse 3 – Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.

Paul said in Philippians 2:12, , “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

God has so much for you that you can keep aggressively marching forward. Not that we won’t have setbacks, and go through different seasons in our walk with The Lord, but as we keep persevering we will never exhaust the wealth of God’s goodness that is available.

He welcomes us to move forward, and then to keep moving forward, and then to keep moving forward!!! There is continual revelation and new and awesome things He wants to reveal to you. Go for it. If someone or something has stopped you from doing what God wants you to do, get up and get going. You will find your strength and renewal in Christ.

Verse 5 – No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.

You are unstoppable when you are in God’s will. You may be fearful of trying new things. You may have been burned, or let down. You may have a fear of being defeated. Regardless, “Be strong and courageous” because where God commands you to run is where you are invincible.

Patience is good, but never let patience turn into keeping you from marching into what God has for you. When it’s time to move, go in the boldness of The Lord. Nothing can stop you.

Verse 7 – Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. The way forward is to follow Christ in simple obedience. When you focus on obedience, you will always be marching in God’s direction.

Verse 8 – This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Your success and prosperity is connected to the Word of God. We have this promise; if you live according to God’s Word it will result in success. The key is on “doing” the Word. It’s not just reading it, and listening to it, but it is living according to it. Marching forward, then, is maturing in God’s Word and making it applicable to you.

Verse 10 – Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, saying, 11 “Pass through the camp and command the people, saying, ‘Prepare provisions for yourselves, for within three days you will cross over this Jordan, to go in to possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

Preparation is of paramount importance. When God compels us to march forward, He has also prepared us for what’s ahead. He will never lead us to a place but what He has already equipped us to go to. If God is moving, that means you are ready.

Much of what happens to us is to prepare us. So don’t complain during these times that may be difficult. Embrace them by faith, knowing that you are being prepared to march forward.

Verse 12 – And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh Joshua spoke, saying, 13 “Remember the word which Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is giving you rest and is giving you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land which Moses gave you on this side of the Jordan. But you shall pass before your brethren armed, all your mighty men of valor, and help them, 15 until the Lord has given your brethren rest, as He gave you, and they also have taken possession of the land which the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and enjoy it, which Moses the Lord’s servant gave you on this side of the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

When you are on the highway to marching forward there are a lot of obstacles. It’s not the easy highway of the least resistance but the hard road of great resistance. The devil is determined to prevent our growth and maturity.

Satan knows how great our path is so he throws up roadblocks along the way as we march forward. You can look at the roadblocks in your life as a mark of Godly maturity. God’s Word says, “All those who desire to live Godly lives will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

The Children of Israel were stuck because they were afraid of the enemies they were up against in the Promised Land. Instead of trusting God, they retreated into disobeying God.

Don’t back up as faith will always carry you to the next level. God has given you every weapon of warfare you need to march forward in victory, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.” (Isaiah 54:17) “If God be for you who can be against you?” (Romans 8:31)

Verse 16 –So they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”

There will be plenty of reasons to stop, but none of them are good reasons. The way to march is forward. Do not allow anything to distract your focus and don’t have any boundaries. The sky is the limit, especially with God wants to do more than “you” can ever hope or ask for.

My prayer for you is that this year will be a year of new normals, greater territory, higher heights and deeper depths. May you look back this coming December and see 2020 as the year you marched forward into the fullness of everything God has for you!

Iran has promised severe revenge for the United States’ killing of Qasem Soleimani, the country’s powerful military commander. Across the Middle East, these threats of confrontation have put on high alert the bases, ports and other installations where U.S. troops are based or pass through. They are more receptive to the Word of God when they are in harms way than at any other time in their life. As you know, Revival Fires has been given permission to provide Bibles for every U.S. soldier!!!

The Pentagon just announced that it was sending an additional 3,500 troops to the region, while troops in Italy were put on standby, according to defense officials. The troop escalation came just days after President Trump ordered an additional 750 U.S. soldiers to the Middle East and 3,000 more to be on alert for future deployment, after pro-Iranian forces stormed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as part of a worsening cycle of violence.

The United States has tens of thousands of military personnel at bases and aboard ships across the Middle East, as well as arrangements with various countries to move soldiers and military equipment through airstrips and ports. We plan to be sure that everyone of our brave soldiers are armed with a copy of God’s Word!!! Please pray with us for our U.S. troops safety and for their families back home. Pray that God will speak to the hearts of His people for the necessary $17,500 to provide Bibles the the 3500 soldiers being deployed to the Middle East right now. PLEASE PRAY!

We are in the process of GIVING AWAY thousands of Truth for Youth Bible to young people that have never had a Bible! PLEASE PRAY FOR YOUTH TO BE SAVED!

The Truth for Youth can be purchased or you may donate to help us distribute them by clicking the link below or with a credit card by call 318.396.HOPE (4673).

HELP US CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BIBLES FOR TEENS IN AMERICA

We continue to make sure the precious people of Cuba that don’t have a Bible receive one! Cuba’s Department of Religious Affairs approved Revival Fires International distributing one million Bibles throughout Cuba! PLEASE PRAY FOR SOULS TO BE SAVED!

HELP US CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BIBLES FOR PEOPLE IN
CUBA WHO HAVE NEVER HAD A BIBLE

We will continue to preach and provide Truth for Youth Bibles for inmates and help all those affected by crime to heal and flourish. PLEASE PRAY FOR SOULS TO BE SAVED!

HELP US CONTINUE TO PROVIDE BIBLES
FOR PRISON INMATES

Please pray for a massive harvest of souls as partner with TAG Church in Little Rock, Arkansas to preach and give away Truth for Youth Bibles in a large baseball stadium. PLEASE PRAY FOR SOULS TO BE SAVED!

HELP US TAKE THE GOSPEL TO THE PEOPLE
OF DELICIAS, MEXICO

Airs on American Family Radio’s 181 stations in over 30 states with 10.5 million listeners!!! RFI Broadcast also airs on TALK RADIO, KMLB AM and FM at 7:30 am every Sunday, following The Dave Ramsey Show. PLEASE PRAY FOR SOULS TO BE SAVED!

HELP US CONTINUE TO BROADCAST THE GOSPEL
LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

March 2, 2020
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on IT’S TIME TO MARCH FORWARD

ARE YOU WALKING UNDER A CLOUD OF GUILT?

Do you have the faith to believe that God is your healer, deliverer, peace giver, your savior, your Holy Spirit baptizer? That God has every good thing for you and your family, but you don’t feel worthy to receive those things?

A lot of believers are refusing the great things God has for them through Jesus shed blood because they have this mind set they are unworthy. As a result of sins past and mistakes, and the sins past and mistakes of others, they do not feel good enough to benefit from a righteous God.

If you’ve been having trouble receiving healing, financial breakthrough or anything else you need from the Lord, and you struggle with feelings of shame and unworthiness, you may be living in unnecessary condemnation.

What Is Condemnation?

Condemnation is guilt, shame, regret, fear and unworthiness…most likely a result of a past mistake or experience. These past sins could have happened a long time ago or yesterday. When we make a mistake, and none of us are exempt, the devil works overtime to attach condemnation to us. How should you respond? Have faith in God, believe and stand firm on God’s Word!

· The Bible declares in Romans 8:1 that those who are believers in Christ Jesus can no longer be condemned.

· Psalm 34:22 declares But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins, he forgives us and cleanses us from everything we’ve done wrong. (1 John 1:9).

God said He will not remember your sins anymore. (Isaiah 43:25).

He has not treated us as we deserve for our sins or paid us back for our wrongs. (Psalm 103:10).

You must understand that there’s a difference between conviction and condemnation. The Holy Spirit will let us know when we’ve messed up by convicting us of sin from our past or present, but He is gentle. He doesn’t try to attach guilt, unworthiness and fear to us, but instead, He leads us to repentance. Correction usually comes by a quickening from the Holy Spirit as you read and study the Bible, or through a minister or pastor teaching or preaching from the Word. It can also come from a fellow believer who is walking in love.

Condemnation, on the other hand, is brought on by the devil, and he wants to make you feel all the bad things—unworthy, afraid and guilty. He will often invade your thoughts or use people to accomplish his mission.

But there’s good news! You don’t have to live in condemnation, because Jesus poured out His blood on the Cross for you to walk in freedom! Are you walking in condemnation? Satan is very clever, so it’s always a good idea to check and see if he’s been playing mind games on you and trying to keep you from the victory Jesus came to give you.

Here are some DANGER SIGNS to help you determine if you may be living in condemnation.

“One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead.”

–Philippians 3:13 (NASB)

Do thoughts of your past seem to creep up out of nowhere? Sins and mistakes from a long time ago? Or maybe you keep reliving a hurtful experience from the past. Maybe you’ve even thought over and over that you wish you would’ve handled something like this, instead of the way you did handle it. And you beat yourself over the head.

The number one danger sign that you may be living in condemnation is if you think about your past sins and the negative experiences of your life a lot. Rehearsing these memories can leave you feeling guilty, ashamed and like you’re never quite good enough.

This is why God tells us to leave what’s in the past in the past, and to press forward into our future. God wants to do something new and wonderful in your life, completely apart from your past, but you have to stop looking to your past in order to receive it!

How do you do this? Know that Jesus already took the condemnation for your past on Himself. As a born-again Christian, you have been made free from every sin you’ve ever committed. Jesus bore all your sin, shame and guilt on the cross, so you could live free of condemnation—FOREVER!!!

It isn’t enough to just mentally acknowledge this truth. As long as you keep allowing yourself to replay bad experiences you’ve had, you’ll keep yourself spinning in circles.

Here’s your solution : Take your thoughts of the past captive and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). When a condemning thought from your past crosses your mind, stop it by speaking the Word out loud. Say, “No. I don’t live in the past. Jesus has made all things new and given me a prosperous, guilt-free future. I am living fully in the present, and I look forward to what God is doing in my life right now.”

This might be a daily effort at first, so don’t give up if the thoughts of your past don’t immediately stop. In addition, there is a devil that doesn’t want you to succeed, but remember, he’s already lost the battle! So, whenever the devil tries to call you with reminders of past mistakes—block his number. Inform him that he’s been placed on your Do Not Call List, and you will not be receiving any more of his communication. Leave the past behind, and focus on the here and now, and your glorious future!

“Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.”

-2 Corinthians 5:17 (GWT)

If you are constantly hitting yourself over the head after you have fallen, that’s a good indicator that you may be walking in condemnation, and something’s just not right. Feelings of rejection, fear of failure, insecurity and depression are all connected to condemnation.

When you became a Christian, you literally became a new creation, a species that has never before existed. The old person you were is gone, spiritually speaking. The best news is that all of your past mistakes have been blotted out by the blood of Jesus! If Jesus can forgive you for past sins, who are you to not forgive yourself?

To forgive yourself, you must renew your mind to the truth of God’s Word that says you are forgiven and have been made new.

Remember, when you sin or miss the mark, confess and repent as soon as you realize it.

Next, receive your forgiveness and cleansing from the Lord, (1 John 1:9), and then take the next step and forgive yourself! Holding onto guilt and shame is refusing to receive God’s forgiveness, and it just wouldn’t be right to refuse this free gift! In addition, the devil will take anything that you’ve not forgiven yourself for, and beat you senseless with it. But if you forgive yourself, he’s neutralized.

This is so important for to you grab hold of. You may need to spend some dedicated time with the Lord to inquire of Him and search your heart for any areas where you have not received God’s forgiveness and have not forgiven yourself.

If you find that you just can’t seem to forgive yourself, it’s a good time to ask, “Why?” What do you lose by letting go of the past and accepting the truth that Jesus washed away your sins and mistakes? What do you gain by holding onto past hurts?

Walking in condemnation because you don’t forgive yourself is ‘self-focus’, and receiving forgiveness is ‘God-focus’. So, turn your focus back on God, forgive yourself because Jesus has already forgiven you, and start walking in victory!

“Otherwise, you will be judged by the same standard you use to judge others. The standards you use for others will be applied to you.” –Matthew 7:2 (GWT)

An additional danger sign that indicates you may be walking in condemnation is if you have a judgmental and critical spirit toward others. What is a judgmental and critical spirit? It is one that looks for flaws in others and forms a verdict or opinion about them. When you pass judgment on others it makes you feel superior in areas in which you feel you have the upper hand. You may think, “At least I don’t do that!”

Why would this be considered a danger sign that you are walking in condemnation? Many times, we judge people because we ourselves “feel” judged either by God or by people. When we feel judged, feelings of condemnation abound. However, often, we are only feeling judged by others because of condemning thoughts replaying in our heads. If we knew the truth of the matter, we’d probably be surprised to find out that the person we “felt” judged by didn’t ever give us one thought!

If you find yourself observing, judging and criticizing the faults in people—spouses, friends, family, co-workers, political leaders—or even pointing them out to others, the Bible has some advice for you: Stop it! The Bible clearly warns us of the dangers of judging others. When you sow judgment, you will reap judgment (Matthew 7:2), leading to more condemnation. It’s a vicious cycle!

Most of all, God loves you so much, He sent His one and only Son to die for you. Because you have accepted this free gift, you are no longer condemned; therefore, you are free from the thoughts and judgments of others. God says there is now no condemnation for you because you belong to Him, so His Word and love for you trumps everyone else’s opinion.

Other signs of a critical spirit fueled by condemnation include:

· Having a spirit criticism of yourself and comparing yourself to others

· constantly requiring affirmation from the people around you

· Feeling threatened if others are complimented and at the same time craving compliments.

How do you get set free from a judgmental and critical spirit?

Repent. This means to change your ways to God’s ways! Ask Him to show you the root of the critical spirit. If you truly believe someone is in error, refuse to criticize him or her, but pray instead! The Scripture says, “Who are you to criticize someone else’s servant? The Lord will determine whether his servant has been successful. The servant will be successful because the Lord makes him successful. ” (Romans 14:4, GWT).

Refuse to gossip or speak negatively about anyone, ever (Ephesians 4:29). Be cautious of what you share about others, knowing that love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 2:8), which means it doesn’t highlight or gossip about the failings of others

Walk in love by choosing to speak life and build others up with your words. Go out of your way to say something nice to or about someone. When you’re living free from condemnation, you’ll find yourself eager to build others up. Refuse to walk under a cloud of condemnation!

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

February 10, 2020
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on ARE YOU WALKING UNDER A CLOUD OF GUILT?

TURN YOUR BURDEN INTO A BLESSING THIS CHRISTMAS

Have you ever felt like, “I gave my very best. I put my whole heart into it. I searched after God aggressively and followed Him. I didn’t turn my back on Him in spite of the huge burden. I continued to keep my eyes on Jesus and moved forward…” only to slam into an even more devastating trial?

Have you ever become aware that when you give it your spiritual all, suddenly, you get this mindset that God should give His all too?

Maybe you don’t speak it out loud but in your mind, you begin to think: “I’ve been praying. I’ve been fasting. I’ve done what God required of me. Now God needs to come through and do His part. God, you brought me this far. Now don’t leave me hanging in the middle of this trial.”

Somehow, we convince ourselves that our following, trusting, and abiding with Him DESERVES an instantaneous response from God like some sort of a hot fudge sundae with a cherry on top.

The Lord’s blessings are not determined by our demands. His blessings are always good, but not always the easiest route. God’s blessings are given and not demanded. His blessings are not earned and, many times, are unexpected. A lot of times God doesn’t always payback hard work, because he wants to payout the better gift.

Consider Mary. She was just a young girl. Did she ever think that an angel would be visiting her from on high? I doubt it. However, it was a blessing. “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:30

She may have thought that having a baby without being married was more of a curse than a blessing. But it wasn’t a curse, it was a blessing. “You will become pregnant, give birth to a son, and name Him Jesus.” Luke 1:31

Is it possible that Mary may have been somewhat let down by the fact that realistically, Jesus seemed to be less great and more humble? He was a King nailed to an old rugged cross. Seemingly a curse, but really a blessing. “He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His ancestor David.” Luke1:32

Many times what we view as a burden is really a blessing in the process of coming to fruition.

Sometimes blessings can look like nails. Sometimes blessings come in the form of a cross you are required to carry. However, when it is all said and done, what comes forward from the agony of a cold winter is the warmth of fresh spring weather – an abundance of God’s majestic strength. “The Lord rules as king! He is clothed with majesty. The Lord has clothed Himself; he has armed Himself with power. The world was set in place; it cannot be moved.” Ps. 93:1

For a spotless lamb the excruciating pain of the cross was seemingly unfair, but it was a blessing that would change the world for eternity!!!

As Mary’s son was being nailed to that old rugged cross, as he cried out in pain, she likely wondered why it all had to come to this – she was being blessed.

What burden are you faced with as we approach celebrating the birth of our Savior? What burdens seem to be nailing you? Might it actually be blessing you? I’m praying with you right now that what the devil has meant for bad in your life is going to end in being a blessing.

As we approach Christmas and the 2020 New Year, we have the opportunity to recall and celebrate God’s many blessings through the ministry of Revival Fires International that came as a result of your faithful prayers and financial giving. Your support has been vital for the work we do in the United States and around the world.

This year has been one of the most incredible and productive global ministry opportunities for us at Revival Fires International with evangelistic crusades around the world, Bible distribution to our U.S. soldiers defending America in the war on terror, and to the people of Cuba that have never had a Bible and many other regions of the world. CLICK HERE to help us give Bibles to the people of Cuba that have never had a Bible. -and- CLICK HERE to help us continue to provide Bibles for our troops.

On the domestic front, we have launched an evangelistic Revival Fires radio program on Talk Radio that airs weekly, immediately following Dave Ramsey, that is producing a tremendous response as we are reaching people that don’t have a relationship with the Lord. Several of these programs have also aired on American Family Radio as well. We also launched a weekly evangelistic Revival Fires Podcast. CLICK HERE to help us continue to bring the Gospel to America through radio ministry

In addition, this year we crossed over the ONE MILLION Truth for Youth Bible mark in our 19th annual national campaign on American Family Radio to get God’s Word into the hands of young people across the nation. This brings our total to more than 2.5 million Truth for Youth Bibles to young people that committed to give them to unsaved friends in school! To date, we have received more than 25,000 decision cards from youth that have been saved for the very first time!!! CLICK HERE to help us continue to take the Gospel to the youth in America.

We have also been privileged to preach and distribute Truth for Youth Bibles to inmates in prisons across America. A huge part of God’s blessing has been providing us with people like you who join us in this vitally important Kingdom work, encouraging us, praying for us, and generously supporting us. More than anything, we want to thank you. We pray that the Lord will bestow His richest blessings to you and your family as you celebrate God’s goodness and the birth of our Savior this Christmas season! CLICK HERE to help us continue to give Bibles to inmates in prisons across America.

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

For a $30 a month or more partnership receive the Spirit of Israel Bible, a powerful new resource prepared to help you understand the prophetic and spiritual links between the US and Israel and the connection between Christianity and ancient Biblical traditions.

HELP US PROVIDE TRUTH FOR YOUTH
FOR AMERICA’S TEENS

December 12, 2019
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on TURN YOUR BURDEN INTO A BLESSING THIS CHRISTMAS

WHAT IS REAL REVIVAL?

Probably the best definition of real revival found anywhere in the Bible is in the letter to the church at Sardis. Jesus said, “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things which remain, which were about to die…” (Revelation 3:1-2).

This church was dead! That doesn’t mean they were lost or separated from God, as Ephesians 2:1 says. Instead these people were genuinely converted to Christ. Their deadness meant they had lost their spiritual passion and fervency for Christ. They were flat and devoid of spiritual power. By outward appearances, they looked religious and sounded pious. But realistically, they were dead.

Jesus called them to wake up. That’s what real revival is—it is a spiritual awakening of those who are lethargic, apathetical, indifferent toward Christ. It is a sleeping church—unconscious, unresponsive, unexcited—waking up to the presence of God and returning to full spiritual vitality. It’s waking up to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to strengthen what spiritual life remains.

Playing church can be deadly! Sad to say, too many are doing just that—playing church. Unfortunately, they are in the house of the living God to worship the risen Christ. Tragically, to many people are just going through the empty motions of playing church. To many are playacting. Pretending. Role-playing. Dressing the part. Playing one-upmanship. Pretentiously puffed up with pomposity and pride! Following a rehearsed script. Turning in Academy Award-winning performances.

That’s precisely what the word hypocrite means. In the ancient world, this Greek word meant one who walked onto a stage, put on a mask, and played a part according to a script. While on stage, he pretended to be someone he wasn’t. But once the play was over, he walked off the stage, took off his mask, and resumed his true identity. That’s a hypocrite.

That’s exactly what Jesus called the Pharisees of His day (Matthew 6:5). They had mastered the game of playing church. They knew how to look and sound the part. When they fasted, they put on a gloomy face. When they gave, they blew a trumpet. When they prayed, they acted out a performance! The people were spellbound. These performances were absolutely captivating. Trouble was, it was all a game. The Pharisees were hiding behind masks of pretense. Sound familiar?

Two thousand years have lapsed, and little has changed. Churches today are still filled with play actors. They come Sunday by Sunday and put on their masks at the front door. The pastor follows his script, and the people play out their roles. They say their rehearsed lines perfectly. All the while hiding behind a mask. And when church is over, they stomp off the stage, take their masks off, and go back to being who they really are. Now, that’s playing church!!!

I am all to familiar with this stage production. As an evangelist, I work very closely with churches all across America and the world for the past thirty-two years. Amid the true worshipers, I see the bit players. I have traveled from coast to coast and have spoken to thousands of pastors and church leaders. And wherever I go, I see the same. Many in our church buildings are just playing church!

Why do grown-ups pretend? Why do people go through the empty motions of such a masquerade? Simple. They don’t have the real thing. In the absence of a growing knowledge of God, void of the fullness of the Spirit’s power, they put on their masks and parrot their lines. Anything to look the part. Anything to sound spiritual.

Worse, in the absence of any real spiritual power, pastors are turning to the latest gimmicks and current fads to generate church growth and hold their “audiences”. Church leaders are desperately trying to jump on the latest bandwagon to fill the vacuum. But all the while, they neglect the real thing—a genuine work of the Holy Spirit of God in the hearts of their people.

Quite simply, the need of the hour is revival! We need the real thing—a spiritual awakening to sweep through our slumbering congregations and put us back on our knees before the living Lord! The word revival conjures up different pictures to different people. If you have lived in the South, as I do, a revival means a week-long series of meetings at the church held by an evangelist. Each of these revival meetings are primarily designed to reach unbelievers for Christ. I have preached revival services for more than thirty-two years, however, that is not what revival is.

Evangelism is not revival. That’s regeneration. Revival is strengthening believers in the church. Reaching the unsaved is the by-product of revival. Revival is a sovereign work of God in His own people, bringing back to full spiritual fervor the hearts of believers that are now dormant and dull. It cannot be coerced, nor manipulated. It is a supernatural work of God in His church that restores her lost purity, devotion, and power. Revival restores to full health the spiritual life that is already present in the church. It is the renewing, purifying, replenishing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the church.

In reality, revival is a time of divine visitation. It is an invasion from Heaven that manifests the presence and power of God in the church. It ushers in a renewed, conscious awareness of God’s awesome holiness that produces holiness in the church. Now that’s the real thing! That’s real revival!

Please pray with us as we continue to give Truth for Youth Bibles to every teenager who commits to give the Bibles to their unsaved friends in school. Over 2.5 million Truth for Youth have already been distributed and more than twenty-five thousand young people have received Christ through these efforts! Thank you for helping us provide Bibles to be distributed to teenagers all across America!

Every person is made in the image of God! No life is beyond His reach! Revival Fires is reaching out with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ to all those affected by crime and incarceration, and to see lives and communities restored in and out of prison…one transformed life at a time!!!

Our Prison Revival at Cummins Unit in Grady, Arkansas was a Kingdom success!!! The altars were filled with inmates weeping before God as they received Christ as their personal savior! Please pray with us as we have several upcoming prison revivals scheduled. Every inmate should have an opportunity to surrender their life to Christ and receive a Bible!!!

HELP US PROVIDE BIBLES FOR PRISON INMATES

We are giving thanks for God’s gift of love and the joy we share through Christ our Lord! May God bless you in abundance with the good things of life, not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year. Happy Thanksgiving from the Todd family to yours! “Whatever You do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

CLICK HERE to partner with us financially to help take the
Gospel to students in our nation.

November 6, 2019
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on WHAT IS REAL REVIVAL?

STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH

Does it ever feel like you just keep ending up right back where you were in your trials and situations where you need breakthrough in your marriage, home, family, children, finances, physical body or your job? It is God’s plan for you to walk in miracles, signs and wonders continuously!

It is imperative that you make certain that anything that is in opposition to faith has no place in your life. You have to be saturated with a climate of faith so that you have a radical transformation in your actions!

My prayer is that this message is going to help you to speak LESS doubt, believe God for victory in every area of your life, not to be comfortable with sickness or owing money, and fulfill the things that God promised you perhaps even long ago!

God wants to saturate you with everything you need to accomplish this. It’s time to transition to receiving what God says over your life without allowing the ‘business as usual’ to affect you anymore!

“But first, be concerned about his kingdom and what has his approval. Then all these things will be provided for you.”
Matthew 6:33 GWT

Radically rearranging your schedule to spend time with the Lord demands an investment of your time. When an individual enlists in the Army, they have intense Army Basic Combat Training that lasts nine weeks. This length of time doesn’t count time span in reception, nor does it count time spent in job training. Training is all they are participating in.

Do you really mean business about strengthening your faith? It requires for you to radically rearrange your schedule. I would recommend that you set aside about a month. If you can take off of work, great. However, most people can’t do that. If you can’t, then just modify your routine to center your attention on God’s Word!

If you have a job, get up earlier in the morning to spend time reading the Word before you go to work. Instead of just eating with friends at lunch hour, slip away during that time frame and spend time in the Word. Radically rearrange your routine so you can totally saturate yourself with the Word of God!

I will not put anything wicked in front of my eyes. I hate what unfaithful people do. I want no part of it.
Psalm 101:3 GWT

After radically rearranging your routine the next requirement for you to strengthen your faith is to make an assessment of what you are taking in each day.

Pretend that you are attending a birthday party that has a beautiful chocolate cake with chocolate icing and a lot of ice cream. I know you are probably getting hungry for cake and ice cream just picturing this in your mind. A big slice of the chocolate cake is put in front of you. You are sitting there with your fork in hand, ready to dig in. As a big scoop of the ice cream is placed on your cake, your host says, “Oh, and by the way, there is just a little bit of dog poop that managed to end up in the cake mix before we made it. It is such a small amount that you certainly won’t be able to taste it.”

How would you respond to that?

My thoughts are that you would push the cake and ice cream away and say, “No thank you.” What about other areas of your life? Do you watch out for excrement and steer clear of it the same way you would the chocolate cake?

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart.” However, many believers look at ungodly influences just like the person putting on the birthday party with the chocolate cake that has excrement in it. Just a little bit of cursing in your favorite band’s lyrics. Just a little bit of sexual content and violence in the programs you view on television. Just a little bit of fear, anxiety and gossip spewing from your acquaintances. You get this mindset that it’ll be okay because it is just a little bit and you are not the one who is actually doing it. We try to reason it out and justify it.

The same way you would push the chocolate cake away, that smells and looks so good, is the same way you need to push anything away that would be considered excrement in God’s eyes…even it is just a little bit! Satan does not need a large door in your life. It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. So, all the devil requires is “just a little” region of compromise to get his nasty head in the door.

Don’t forget, the Army Basic Combat training requires nine weeks of intense training. Training is all they are participating in during that time frame. If you want to experience the quickest way to strengthen your faith and be someone who is victorious on a regular basis you’ve got to get rid of the things in your life that are in opposition to what the Bible says, especially during your initial time of intense training and saturation.

Let me suggest that during the initial month of intense training you do without the following: social media; movies, secular television such as sitcoms, news programs; music other than worship; non-Christian magazines and books; social gatherings with those who don’t speak the language of faith; any other area of your life that may be sending you messages opposite of the Word of God.

Once you finish the month, decide if any of these should come back into your life at all. I certainly do hope you continue to read our Revival Fires Newsletter, Facebook, Instagram posts, and listen to our podcasts. Whatever is used as an instrument to disable your faith is not worth its limited entertainment value.

So faith comes from hearing the message, and the message that
is heard is what Christ spoke.” Romans 10:17 GWT

As you carry on with strengthening your faith, your intense training voyage has to include packing yourself full of God’s Word.

Since I’ve given my heart to the Lord, I have had a thirst for truth and a thirst for miraculous Kingdom results! I’m thankful that I came up under my dad, Cecil Todd, a mighty man of God. In November he will complete his 70th year of full-time ministry. I have witnessed God perform miracles, signs and wonders in and through his life and ministry throughout my entire life!

I have dedicated my life and ministry to surrounding myself with mighty men and women of God that are like minded in the faith. Let me encourage you to totally saturate yourself and pack yourself full of God’s Word. Make up your mind that for an entire month you are going to totally commit to radically rearranging your schedule, guarding yourself from excrement, and packing yourself full of God’s Word. This will strengthen your faith to a higher level than it has ever been.

The Bible is a precious gift. It reveals God’s plan for salvation to rescue and renew a lost world filled with darkness. But many people in Cuba live in Bible deserts, places where Bibles are scarce or illegal. Millions of people in Cuba have never seen a Bible, much less owned one themselves.

Your sacrificial gift will help us send the precious people of Cuba their very first Bible as a Christmas present in the first part of December. Many people in Cuba have no idea that Jesus came to bring them new life. When you give Bibles, you meet a tangible need and offer eternal hope. You send the message of God’s love into Bible deserts, showing the Cuban people they are important to Jesus.

You can get involved by giving a gift to help us provide 20,000 Full Bibles for the people of Cuba that have never had a Bible. A $100 gift will provide 20 full Bibles; a $200 gift will provide 40 Bibles; a $500 gift will provide 100 Bibles; a $1000 gift will provide 200 Bibles. Any size of a gift will help us reach the precious people of Cuba with the Word of God.

Placing a Truth for Youth Bible in the hands of every Christian young person who commits to give it to their unsaved friends in school is a task that the global body of Christ can accomplish in this generation. Here at Revival Fires International, we are committed to making it happen in cities across America where Christian youth are being persecuted for their faith. Thank you for helping us provide Truth for Youth Bibles for the young people in America!

Please pray for our Freedom Revival at Cummins Prison in Gould, Arkansas October 24-26. We are expecting a tremendous harvest of inmates getting saved!

If you are not already a monthly Flame Partner, please prayerfully consider partnering with us to take the whole Gospel to millions around the world before Jesus comes!

For a $30 a month or more partnership receive the beautiful, leather, God’s Word Translation, Deluxe, Large Print Bible, an exceptional resource perfect for devotional reading, in-depth study, outreach, discipleship, memorization, preaching, and teaching.

· Elegant, two-tone matte gray, Deluxe, Duravella gender-neutral cover
· Beautiful metallic silver gilt edging
· Debossed abstract oat stalk design
· Deluxe silver-gray ribbon
· Single-column paragraph format
· Easy-to-read large, 12-point type
· The Teachings of Jesus index
· Application index

October 14, 2019
Categories: Revival Fires Blogspot . . Author: revivalfires . Comments: Comments Off on STRENGTHEN YOUR FAITH

GIVE YOUR WORRY THOUGHTS TO THE LORD

How in the world am I ever going to get through this situation?!? Has that been an overwhelming feeling in the middle of a storm you are in? A stressful situation that has to do with your marriage, or your children, a devastating report from the doctor, an all out attack on your finances. A lot of times, when we say, we are concerned about something, we are really worried about it and we just don’t want to admit it. Then we begin to fear and it stresses you to the point of misery.

This is not God’s plan for your life! The Lord has destined for you to have the peace that passes all understanding and complete victory in every area of your life. The Lord hates stress. He hates anxiety. In Matthew 6 the Lord preached in opposition to worry. Paul preached in opposition to worry. The entire Word of God is in opposition to being anxious and burdened. Stress, anxiety, worry is absolutely from the devil!

The Bible says in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything” John 14:1 says, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled” In Matthew 6 Jesus said three times, “Don’t worry”. This is a starting point. However, a lot of people carry themselves as if these are just suggestions from the Lord. These are not suggestions. Worry is a sin. Romans 14:23 says, “Whatsoever is not of faith is a sin.” Worry is not of faith, therefore worry is a sin. The Bible gives us a divine directive NOT to participate in worrying.

It is an act of trusting and obeying the Lord for you to not only declare, but to also, follow through with, casting your cares on God. It may not be easy, but it is essential if you desire to walk victoriously.

Starting today you can walk with complete victory over worry, stress, anxiety and fear. Make a choice that that from this point forward you will do whatever you have to do to throw all of your concerns on Jesus and put them in His care. Use these five practical ways to throw your worries on Jesus and make this the first day that you never carry a worry again.

***We take every thought captive so that it is obedient to Christ.***
***— 2 Corinthians 10:5***

Your mind is the place the war between worry and peace, or fear and faith, go into motion. Anything that captivates your mind will be a ruler over your life. With that in mind, to be victorious over the things you think about, you have to resist satan when he tries to put seeds in your mind that are in opposition to God’s Word.

With that in mind, you have to cease having anxiety in your thought life even before they begin!

You are already aware of how it plays out. Bad news comes by way of cell phone, email, mail box, etc… All of the sudden, your mind starts trying to figure out what to do. Then comes a fork in the road, and you have a decision to make: Are you going to start being anxious – OR – are you going to stand strong in your faith and command satan to get lost? The only way to accomplish making the devil take a hike is to take that thought captive—quickly! Stop it dead in its tracks, and to not allow it to roam freely in your mind.

When you really begin to do this effectively it will feel like you are doing this every few seconds. A worry thought will come into your mind, and instantly, you need to rebuke it! A few seconds later, another worry thought will come and you will have to captivate it. You have to consistently say, ‘No, I refuse to take the care of that. According to God’s Word, Jesus, I put that care on You, because I know You care for me.”

It may be tough at first, but the truth is, if you will consistently wage your wars against worry by keeping the Word in your heart and in your mouth, you will come to the place where the Word and the knowledge of God’s faithfulness are so large on the inside of you that it will come naturally. Once you have captured a thought, when that worry attempts to sneak back in, immediately begin praying in the Spirit. You can’t worry when your spirit is in line with God’s Spirit.

***Never stop reciting these teachings. You must think about them night and day so that you will faithfully do everything written in them. Only then will you prosper and succeed.***
***— Joshua 1:8***

Another important step to throwing your worry thoughts on Jesus is to allow the Word of God to take the place of your worry thoughts. A lot of individuals desire for the Lord to miraculously take away their anxiety, however that is not the way to acquire God’s peace. You acquire peace by acting on the Word of God that tells us to throw every ounce of our worry and anxiety over on the Lord. It is imperative that you allow God’s Word to take the place of your worry thoughts. Philippians 4:8 commands us to focus our thoughts on whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report. “If there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Only you can be in control of what you are thinking about, however, you are not by yourself! You have the best help! The Bible declares that God’s peace looks out and patrols over your heart and mind according to Philippians 4:7. The Holy Spirit that is on the inside of you will lead and direct you as your walk in submission to letting God’s Word take the place of your worry thoughts.

When you are faced with trouble, be armed and prepared with a response with what God’s Word says. Without exception, the Bible has an answer to every trial or situation! The more time you spend saturating yourself with what the Bible says, the faster you will be with your response to satan, just as Jesus was when satan attempted to tempt Him. Regardless of what the devil said, Jesus quickly spoke the Word. You need to do the very same thing!

Don’t try to fight worry thoughts with more worry thoughts. You fight worry thoughts with words, God’s Word. When you have worry thoughts, declare the Word audibly—the Word never fails.

***Be humbled by God’s power so that when the right time comes He will honor you. Turn all your anxiety over to God because He cares for you.***
***— 1 Peter 5:6-7***

In 1 Peter 5:6-7, the Lord declares that it takes humility to throw our worry thoughts on Him. What is humility? Regardless of the misconception that some may have, true humility is NOT having the mindset that you are not worthy to receive God’s provision. To the contrary, it’s humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God—God’s Word, and making it a top priority.

Having the mindset that you are required to have the solution for your own tribulations is also bogus humility. Don’t forget, when you have worry thoughts, you work, and God rests. When God carries the burden because you have relinquished it to Him, He works, and you rest.

When you humble yourself before God and throw your burdens on Him, you are allowing yourself to be submitted to Him and fully recognizing that Jesus is a whole lot smarter than you are and that He has unlimited resources and power to address your trial. You have given your life to Jesus, trust Him and obey His every command. Anything less is pride.

In addition, 1 Peter 5:6-7, the Bible says to cast ALL (100%) of your cares on Him. He doesn’t say to cast PART of your care on Him or everything with the exception of anxiety for your children. God didn’t say, “cast all, but your finances.” Absolutely not, unequivocally, God directs you and me to throw all of it, every ounce of anxiety over to Him. You are humbling yourself before Him when you line up with this, and you can fully anticipate God working for your own good and He will exalt you when it’s time.

Imagine you are standing a distance from an individual. If you throw your house keys to that person, those keys are still real, but they are no longer in your possession.

This is exactly what you need to do with everything you are concerned about. You’ve got to throw them over on Jesus and not take them back! When the devil attacks your mind with worry thoughts, declaring, “What if…,” then you can tell the devil to have a conversation with the Lord about it. The situation is in God’s hands, not yours!

When you are able to come to that place, transition will begin to happen in your life. Trials you’ve been worried with for a long time will begin to be settled. We bind the Lord’s hands when we have worry thoughts. His power can start to function when you’ve stepped out and trusted Him and thrown your burden on Him!

***Put on all the armor that God supplies. In this way you can take a stand against the devil’s strategies.***
***— Ephesians 6:11***

To engage in a war without the whole armor of God is not a good idea. Worry thoughts are not the exception to the rule.

1 Thessalonians 5:8 declares to those of us who live in the light to be sensible, clothing ourselves with the helmet, the assuredness of our salvation.

The helmet of salvation rest over your mind. The helmet shields your thoughts from the devil’s deceits. The helmet also covers your ears—which prevents you from listening to the devils lies.

If you are a fearful person, take note of what you are exposing yourself to on television and on the internet. What are you hearing? Programming that is negative (like most news channels) or those that stir up a spirit of fear are not going to feed your faith and protect your thoughts. Shield your heart by shielding your eyes and ears from concepts that will make you think gloom and doom all the time.

Don’t go to bed consumed with worry thoughts! When you do, you are giving the devil a playground in your mind. Tell the devil, “No thank you devil. This situation is in God’s hands.” The thoughts will eventually go away if you will just be consistent in keeping God’s armor on.

***Therefore, encourage each other and strengthen one***
***another as you are doing.***
***— 1 Thessalonians 5:11***

If you really want to throw your worry thoughts on Jesus and have complete victory over the burdens you are facing, connect yourself to someone who is full of faith—an individual who will help you keep your words, thoughts and actions in check with the Word of God. Everybody needs at least one individual like that in our lives—somebody who lives and walks by faith and can help us climb to a higher level in Christ. Iron sharpens iron. Don’t get angry when you get corrected—a person who really cares about you will correct you. You train how you fight, and you fight how you train. So, connect yourself to a faith friend to train with, and you’ll fight the good fight with power.

Exercise these important steps to throw your worry thoughts on the Lord and this can be the last day you will ever entertain a worry thought. Life is full of occasions to be anxious. Just don’t participate in them. Now you have an operational plan to immediately discontinue worry thoughts before they begin. When you are obedient to do what the Bible tells you to do and throw your worry thoughts on the Lord, you will dwell in the midst of the peace of God. Jesus already paid the ultimate price for you to walk in the abundance of His immeasurable peace. It is already yours!

We crossed over the ONE MILLION BIBLE mark in this year’s 19th Annual National Truth For Youth (TFY) Week on American Family Radio!!! This vitally important TFY Bible distribution project began Monday, August 12 and continued through Friday, August 16. (Since the conception of TFY we have given away a total of more than 2.5 million TFY!!!).

During this years campaign on the 250 American Family Radio stations across America, thousands of Truth For Youth Bibles were GIVEN to teenagers who committed to give the Bibles to their unsaved friends in school.

America is rapidly distancing itself from the morals, principles and values our nation was founded and built upon. We took the Bible and prayer out of our public schools in 1962 and 1963 and America has never been the same.

A liberal agenda is being embraced aggressively in America’s public schools, HOWEVER, young people distributing the Truth For Youth Bible is helping to turn the tide!

The Truth For Youth consists of the entire New Testament in the God’s Word translation, along with powerful full color comics that are packed with “absolute truths” regarding issues young people are faced with, such as: Evolution, Sexual Purity, Homosexuality, Abortion, Pornography, Drugs, Drunkenness, Peer Pressure, School Violence, Suicide, Sexting, Cutting, Bullying and many others. God’s wonderful plan of salvation is incorporated into each of the stories.

Student’s Legal Rights on Public School Campuses are displayed on the back cover of the Truth For Youth to inform school administrators and young people that they have the right to give Bibles away on campus during non-instructional time.

The popular Truth For Youth has been enthusiastically endorsed by Michael Reagan, T.D. Jakes, Rod Parsley, Pat Boone and many other prominent leaders.
AFA Vice President Buddy Smith said, “American Family Radio is excited about our vital partnership with Dr. Tim Todd and Revival Fires International to get the living and powerful Word of God into the hands of young people who desire to share Christ with their friends at school.”

I believe that if we want to bring America back to God – and we do – we must reach a generation of young people! To give a special gift to help us reach the youth of America with “the truth” of God’s Word – OR – to order the Truth for Youth at a discounted cost you may CLICK HERE.