Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusades for Christ said that there are three actions that Christians must take in order to experience revival. These are as important to the church as for every individual believer.
1. Embracing the cross of Christ, 2. Being filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, 3. Experiencing death to self.
We will expand on these three things today that bring real revival.
Bill Bright (founder of campus crusade for Christ)
Ministry serves more than 191 countries
26,000 full time employees
225,000 volunteers throughout the world
His Jesus film has been seen by more than 5.1 billion people in more than 234 countries and has been translated to more than 800 languages.
His booklet; “The four spiritual laws has been translated to more than 200 languages and distributed to more than 2.5 billion people.
Billy Graham said of the death of Bill Bright that; “While heaven is rejoicing at the homecoming of Bill Bright, our world is left a little bit darker without his presence.
James Dobson the president of focus on the family said; “With the exception of the first century Christians, there has been no one who has been more influential for Christ and has led more people to Him, whose work has reached as far into the cultures of the world as Bill Bright and the ministry of Campus Crusade For Christ.
There are three basic actions that help us experience true revival;
#1) Embracing the cross.
The cross is the instrument of reconciliation that God used to bring us back to Himself.
Without reconciliation there wouldn’t be any salvation or hope. Ephesians 2:16 says; “And (He designed) to reconcile to God both (Jew and gentile, united) in a single body by means of His cross, thereby killing the mutual enmity and bringing the feud to an end”.
Without the cross, the only thing to look forward to after death would be a hole six feet under the ground.
The cross of Christ brings hope to humanity. Colossians 1:20 shows that; “God made peace with humanity by means of the blood of the cross.
Not only is our relationship with God restored but we can declare that; “By His stripes we are healed”,
We are heirs with Christ, sons and daughters, a royal priesthood, a Holy Nation, a peculiar people.
God even used the instrument of the cross to change our citizenship, we were earth bound and now we are heaven bound. We are of the Kingdom of God.
Without the cross there wouldn’t be a Church or a body of Christ.
Without the cross there would not be any hope for the future.(the world would be a sad place indeed)
We are encouraged by Jesus to; “pick up our cross and follow Him”
#2) Being filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. (It’s more than speaking in tongues)
It’s also realizing that each one of us has an assignment to do
Acts 10:38, Luke 4
· Dr. Bill Bright said that; “To experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit a Christian must hunger and thirst for righteousness” (having a craving for righteousness).
· Jesus said; “Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousness (who pursue righteousness no matter what the cost is). For they shall be filled.”
· If we don’t walk in righteousness how can we expect to be filled with righteousness?
· How can we expect for others to be righteous with us?
· When we are hungry or thirsty we pursue that which we crave.
David said in psalm 42:1; “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee oh God.”(“Como el ciervo brama por las corrientes de las aguas, asi clama por ti , oh Dios el alma mia.”)
#3) Experiencing death to self.
· Galatians 5:22 says;
“But the fruit of the Spirit (the fruit of the Spirit is the work which the presence of the Holy Spirit within us accomplishes ) is love, joy(gladness), peace, patience(not becoming anxious, also means not becoming angry or violent), kindness, goodness(being willing to render good for evil), faithfulness(to the Lord first, then your loved ones, your church, your job, your friends and others), gentleness(meekness and humility), self control( not letting others or circumstances control your emotions). Against such things there is no law (there is nothing that can bring a charge to these).”
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with it passions and appetites and desires” (have put the human nature into subjection
