Here's an odd analogy for you....a typical election in a Democrat urban city....the precinct workers have an unction....they are constantly working and constantly thinking on how to get their people out to vote....or how to just get their votes. It's not good....the issues they promote are wrong....and their candidates are often off-the chart whacko....but they are dedicated to their cause.
We evangelicals can also be on a mission....with an unction....but that unction is no longer for the salvation of souls....but rather to take back the Congress or the White House or a governor's mansion or a state house. We might be persistent in condemning masks or vaccines....but we don't even have an unction to make sure that we are the redeemed of the Lord. Oh we want 'revival'....but we don't see any need for being revived ourselves. We just want to celebrate a revival....in between celebrating election wins.
Back in the days of Billy Graham Crusades....even the weaker churches would be training people to be volunteers....this could go on for months....and we would be tacking up crusade handbills and trying to get the unchurched to attend even for one message by Billy Graham. I suspect that if God does give us 'revival'....that the word won't even be used...for we will be too busy praising Him for the forgiveness and mercy and grace extended towards us.
For anyone who may be interested....who may want that unction....or that unction back....that they may have had when they first came to faith in Jesus Christ....I have a sure-fire way to get it. It cannot fail! This works for mature Christians....and pastors too!
Before I tell you what it is....let me explain why it is....sure-fire. When God converts a person....saves a soul....He first makes a dead heart beat again. That person is regenerated....before they are saved! The mistake that the modern church has made is that it believes that a person must first have faith....and then they are regenerated! The theological word for this is.....Arminianism. Just about everyone today is Arminian.....because the church no longer understands what it once understood.
So what I am about to tell you....that sure-fire method....if with it you start to earnestly seek this unction....if it dominates your desires....then guess what? God has already started renewing your mind! Praise Him for this! Leap with joy!
It is not in praying....although you will do that....rejoicing...and it is not in reading your Bible....although you will do that....devouring it. It is in hearing the preached Word of God....with power. You may now wonder....you already hear the preached Word of God? Correct....but you may be hearing that preaching by men....who need themselves to be hearing the preached Word of God.....with power.
We have that great resource available to us.....no matter where we are....if we but have a simple computer....or an iPhone. A Samsung will not work. I'm kidding here folks! On the very first day that an iPhone was put on the market....I bought one....not even knowing what it was.....so I always just use that brand name.
You can listen to a man preach the Word of God....with power....anytime that you want....either a great preacher of the past....like Spurgeon or Martyn Lloyd-Jones or J. C. Ryle or George Whitefield....or you can listen to men today.....who preach like men from the past....men like John Piper....or R. C. Sproul....or John MacArthur....or Alistair Begg....Or Sinclair Ferguson....Or Stephen Lawson....or Tim Keller....or Michael Horton....or Ken Jones....or Michael Reeves? I could go on and on. The question is....will you do this? Will you do this with an overwhelming desire and persistence....as if tugging on the cloak of Jesus?
I have to add a caveat here. There are some who will say that they have heard many sermons by men like this....maybe even these very men....but when they did this they were not as a deer....panting for water....nor apparently were they even thirsty! But if you read of these men....and must now hear what they have to say....then you have that thirst....and God has given it to you....and He will provide the stream of living water! God has already begun His work! That is why this is sure-fire!
