PREPARE THE ALTAR 8-16-26
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways…” (2 Chronicles 7:14). We often think about preparing for revival by preparing the building, making announcements, inviting people, and praying for God to send a great crowd. And we should do those things. But there is another preparation that is even more important. Before we prepare the place for revival, we need to prepare the heart. Before Elijah called fire down from heaven, he repaired the broken altar of the Lord (1 Kings 18:30). Before we ask God to revive the church, we ought to ask Him to revive us.
SEARCH THE HEART
David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me” (Psalm 139:23-24). Notice that David did not pray, “Search my neighbor.” He did not say, “Search my preacher.” He said, “Search me.” That is where revival begins. We are very good at seeing what is wrong with everybody else while overlooking what is wrong with us.
The Word of God is a mirror (James 1:23-25). A mirror does not put dirt on your face. It simply shows you what is already there. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God’s Word discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart. Sometimes the light of God’s Word reveals things we would rather leave hidden. But don’t break the mirror because you don’t like what you see.
Let God search you. Is there sin you have excused? Bitterness you have protected? Hypocrisy you have tolerated? Something God told you to do that you keep refusing to do? Before revival comes to the church, let it begin with an honest examination of your own heart.
SETTLE THE HURT
Jesus said, “And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him” (Mark 11:25). Sometimes the greatest hindrance to revival isn’t in the pulpit. It’s in the pew. Somebody has been hurt. Somebody has been offended. Somebody has been carrying an old wound for years. And every time that person’s name is mentioned, the wound opens again.
Paul said, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you” (Ephesians 4:31). Then he tells us to be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving (Ephesians 4:32). Forgiveness does not mean that what happened did not matter. It means you refuse to allow what happened to control what happens next.
Bitterness is like drinking poison and waiting for somebody else to die. You carry the wound while the other person may not even know you are still carrying it. If you need to apologize, apologize. If you need to forgive, forgive. If you need to make the phone call, make it. If you need to walk across the room and shake somebody’s hand, walk across the room.
“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). Before we ask God to heal the church, let us allow Him to heal the hurts we have carried into it.
SURRENDER THE HELM
The helm is the steering place. Whoever holds the helm determines the direction. And that is a picture of the Christian life. We cannot experience genuine revival while insisting on being the captain of our own lives. Somebody has to hold the helm. Either we do, or Christ does.
Paul said, “Present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). A sacrifice does not belong to itself. Once it is placed upon the altar, it has been surrendered. Jesus prayed in Gethsemane, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). That is surrender.
We often ask God to bless what we are doing when what we really need to do is ask God what He wants us to do. Isaiah said, “Here am I! Send me” (Isaiah 6:8). Revival needs people who will stop saying, “Lord, bless me,” and start saying, “Lord, use me.”
A dead sacrifice stays on the altar. A living sacrifice can crawl off. And sometimes that is exactly what we do. We surrender on Sunday and crawl off on Monday. We surrender during the invitation and crawl off when temptation comes. We surrender when the preacher is preaching and crawl off when somebody hurts our feelings. But genuine revival requires genuine surrender. Put your will on the altar and leave it there.
We cannot manufacture revival. We cannot command the work of the Spirit. We cannot manipulate God into sending revival. But we can prepare the altar. Prepare your heart. Don’t just ask God to touch somebody else. Ask Him to touch you. Get alone with God. Open your Bible. Get on your knees. Let Him search your heart. Settle the hurt. Surrender the helm.
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PRAYER
Father, search us and show us what we have refused to see. Reveal every sin, every bitterness, every attitude, and every area of our lives that does not belong to You.
Give us grace to confess what needs to be confessed, forgive what needs to be forgiven, and surrender what needs to be surrendered. Repair the broken places in our hearts and prepare Your people for revival.
When we gather together, let us not simply expect You to change others. Let us come willing for You to change us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
BDD
