My days have taken on a familiar routine. I am aroused early for prayer. I usually work out after that and then spend my day praying and seeking God for His fresh word for each night of this revival. I return home to shower and change clothes before returning to the church for a prayer meeting before the service. At times I have been given messages I have never preached before. At other times the Lord gives me fresh insight into older messages I have preached in the past.
By yesterday afternoon I still did not have a clear direction about what to preach. I have been at this same spot so many times I can honestly I say I do not get stressed. I got up from my desk and lay prostrate on the floor. This is a position I have been in frequently over the past two and a half weeks. I love that position because it demonstrates my utter humility and dependence upon God. I do not know how to get any lower. In that position I cry out to God.
While seeking Him in this fashion I began to see faces of different people in our church going through different difficulties. I saw the faces of those grieving the loss of spouses. I saw those who need physical healing. I saw those who need a miracle to turn the hearts of rebellious children back to the Lord. There were also the faces of those needing God to restore their marriages, to provide, and those who need a fresh touch from Him. It was then I sensed the Lord leading me to pray about the blind man whom Jesus healed in Luke 18. Jesus asked that man a question that I am confident the Lord posed last night to His church. “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The service started with two more baptisms, a father and son. The wife of the man and his mother had no idea he was being baptized also that night. What a joy to step into those waters that have been stirred so many times over the past several days. It never gets old. It continues to be a celebration with people clapping and shouting in joy time after time.
Sean and our worship team were anointed of the Lord. The songs spoke to our hearts and drew us deeper into God’s presence. We are not singing for the ears of men but to the audience of One. God is the object of our adoration and the true source of our joy and enthusiasm.
Many people responded during the invitation. Many fell on their knees in prayer asking God to step in and intervene. Others fell in behind them to minister to those who needed a fresh touch from God. I spent the rest of the night praying for people. I prayed for two different people who lost their spouses in the last month. Both spouses died unexpectedly exasperating the pain. The tears flowed freely. I prayed for a lady to be physically healed and continue to pray even though she was not healed this morning. I prayed for a man carrying a heavy burden of a sick wife whom he had to put in an assisted living center. He pleads for God to heal her but it hasn’t happened yet.
It seemed just as much energy was expended praying for people as there had been preaching. When the last prayer had been prayed I sunk on the front pew in exhaustion. In those moments I find myself asking God if He is done or if there is more work to do. That has been my constant prayer for the past week. Nobody in this church wants to quit before God is through. None of us on the other hand want to meet just for the sake of meeting.
I met with our staff and a couple of deacons to ask them what they sensed the Lord saying to them about continuing to meet. None of them could say they had heard from the Lord about canceling the services. We decided to extend them through Sunday.
Tonight the high school football teams have a scrimmage. Saturday night there is a huge firework show and back to school bash scheduled. God still will not release me. In fact, I was handed a message taken by one of our phone counselors after church. This is the message, “A man called and said it is not over. He is praying for Matt’s strength and he will be here tomorrow night.” Is that the Lord telling me to press on?
To be honest it seems we have lost a great deal of the intensity we had in the first days of the revival. The crowds have begun to drop off slightly. We still have good crowds on most nights. Tonight most likely will be an exception. It is difficult to compete with Texas High School football for attendance.
The battle continues. There are obviously more people to be saved. One man told me this morning I was close to preaching myself out of a job. He asked me what I would do if all the sinners got saved. I commented we would spend the rest of our days learning more about God for there will always be something new to discover about the Lord. One lady asked one of our members how long is that preacher going to keep going. Until all the sinners repent? There are jokes, wisecracks, and many skeptics. I cannot tell you how many hours I have cried out for God to do more and show this town more of His glory. I did it again this morning.
At this point all I can say is God has not released me. I have to keep preaching. It does get disappointing when nights come and go without anyone being saved. We press on and pray on. What do I want Jesus to do for me? I want Him to intensify and spread this revival.
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