A WARNING ABOUT REVIVAL
By W. G. Guy
I have personally observed revivals and moves of God over the past fifty years of ministry in the churches. My second book, AWAKENING THE SLUMBERING SAINTS, was about how to recognize true revivals.
I have also seen that Satan works to discredit nearly every move of God that is aimed to bring about a revival, an awakening, or a movement that takes people deeper into Christ and His Word. Why? Because he is in fear of what the revived saints can and will do to him and his efforts to continue to corrupt mankind and take them into further darkness. The devil hates the light, and works to put it out, and to keep it from shining.
He uses infiltration of his false preachers, prophets and teachers who introduce false doctrines and errors. He also brings in unscriptural supernatural manifestations that appear spectacular to draw people’s attention and mesmerize them. He especially likes to operate among those who accept the supernatural works as gifts of the Holy Spirit; as he likes to disguise himself as the spirit being at work; and most people lack the discernment to recognize him as the source. His effort is to stop a revival and discredit its acceptance.
This is also what Jesus referred to as the false prophets and wolves in sheep’s clothing when He gave the warning that “by their fruits ye shall know them”.
Matthew 7:15-16 & 20 – Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Jesus declares that such preachers are not of Him, and He does not know them, meaning they are of the devil, and represent Satan in doing his deeds.
Matthew 7:22-23 – Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Thus such preachers are servants of the devil who falsely operate in and among the churches. Religious leaders that are not truly of God work to thwart the move of God in and among true believers.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
John 8:44 – Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
These false ministers prefer to be known by their supernatural “gifts”, but they lack the required fruit, which is the character and nature of Christ and the Father. Instead they operate motivated by their carnal nature, the flesh; mostly for personal gain of money, influence and notoriety. Here is the “fruit” that Christ’s ministers are to be known by:
Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
These false ministers lack the life of Christ flowing through them that produces the Fruit of the Spirit.
John 15:1-5 – I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
When a revival, or new move of God begins, be sure to look for the evidence that it is truly of God and not the efforts of man or the enemy. Keep on the look-out as Satan will certainly try to put a stop to it. Revival is spiritual warfare that brings the light into the darkness, and the darkness hates the light since the light exposes that which is evil, wicked, sinful, and opposes God and His Word.
Another effort that the devil uses to make churches ineffective is to deny the power and working of the Holy Spirit in the churches.
2 Timothy 3:5 – having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
This effort of Satan is the opposite of performing false manifestations of spectacular and supernatural events. It works to deny such powers operating in and among the saints. They use the claim that such IS NOT FOR TODAY. However, God does not change, neither does His Word, which has no expiration date, but endures forever.
Matthew 24:35 – Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Many churches deny the power and the nine supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. They fail to recognize what the Bible says about them as they are introduced and identified.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 – For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
These gifts are to be in effect until the return of Christ because they are the power that is needed to witness for Christ’s supernatural resurrection and our marvelous redemption.
1 Corinthians 1:6-7 – ….even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Churches that deny the Holy Spirit’s gifts actually deny the power that changes lives. Thus you have churches that do not have a moving of the Holy Spirit and are merely a religious social club or fraternal gathering.
2 Timothy 3:1-5 – This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Where do you see a form of godliness but no power? In churches that say such things are not for today. They fail to recognize that the work of the Holy Spirit brings conviction of sin, righteousness and judgment.
John 16:7-8 – Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
This brings people to Christ for salvation from sin and into total redemption. Unfortunately, these same churches that deny the power also deny that healing is in the atonement that Jesus provided. This is also contrary to scripture.
Isaiah 53:5 – He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities (our sins): the chastisement of our peace was upon him (our mental state); and with his stripes we are healed (our bodies).
Psalm 103:2-3 – Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy disease;
This covers total redemption for spirit, soul and body. When we are born of the spirit our sins are forgiven. We receive peace of mind (soul) as our mind is renewed in Him. Our physical bodies are healed by Him enduring the thirty-nine stripes He received. Medical science has determined that all diseases and maladies fall into thirty-nine categories – one stripe for each kind of physical affliction.
Thus we receive total redemption: but too many churches deny what Jesus did for us by the power and working of Holy Spirit. If there is no conviction of sin, then there is no repentance, and no changed lives. So people can go to church and continue to live like the rest of the world, just as stated in 2 Timothy 3, above.
It is a work of the devil to deny what Jesus accomplished on the cross, and what He has provided by the Holy Spirit. We must have the power that the Holy Spirit gives us in order to effectively reveal God’s love to win the world to Christ. Denying the power is to deny the work of the LORD in our lives and what Jesus did for us.
Acts 1:8 – But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Without such power we cannot be effective witnesses to sinners, no revelation; no move of God; no revival; no real life (zoe) of God manifesting in such churches.
What did the apostle Paul instruct us to do regarding such churches that deny the power to change lives? From such turn away. Why? Because they are nothing more than a religious social club or fraternal gathering; void of the presence of the LORD. Such a group may know about Jesus, so they consider themselves as Christians, but they have no personal relationship with Him. This is revealed in two scripture passages:
Matthew 7:23 – And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (doing your own rebellious thing).
Also in the story of the ten virgins:
Matthew 25:11-12 – Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
The conclusion of this matter is that we need to recognize what is of God, and what is not of God, regarding any new movement or revival. Discernment is much needed, and it is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, (that so many churches deny). Discernment is also a product of spiritual maturity in the knowledge of the Word of God.
Hebrews 5:13-14 – For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Or what is of God and what isn’t.)
