The Fire of Revival with Eddie Hyatt
Lathrop: Some people reject all manifestations, others accept them all. What should our response to these things be?
Hyatt: We should be open without being naïve and discerning without being judgmental. While not rejecting manifestations, we should not be afraid to do what the Bible has commanded us to do, to “test the spirits” and “judge prophetic utterances.”
Lathrop: Do you have any final thoughts that you would like to share with believers who are seeking the renewal of the church?
Hyatt: In the midst of praying for renewal/revival, allow God to purify our motives for wanting revival. Our goal must never be revival itself, but Jesus Christ and conformity to His will. In his Lectures on Revival, Charles Finney tells of the many invitations he had received from churches and pastors wanting him to travel to their communities to promote revival. He said, however; “When I came to weigh their reasons, I have sometimes found every one of them to be selfish. And God would look upon every one with abhorrence.”
Some wanted revival in order to raise their social status and influence. Others wanted revival to increase the numbers attending their meetings, which in turn would enable them to build new and larger buildings. Still others wanted revival so that they would feel superior to one or more congregations with whom they felt a sense of competition. They were not seeking the Lord. They were seeking revival, and that from self-centered motives. Finney rightfully refused their requests. So, as we spend time in God’s presence, allow Him to purify our hearts for, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).
John, Thanks for the opportunity to participate in this.
Revival Fire: Discerning Between the True & the False is a follow-up to 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity (Charisma House, 2002) and consists of Dr. Hyatt’s mature reflections on the state of spiritual renewal in America and the world today. He shows that the way forward is by striking a healthy balance between Word and Spirit and by taking the time to learn from revival movements of the past.
Visit www.EddieHyatt.com/bookstore.html for more information about Dr. Hyatt’s books.
John P. Lathrop, M.A. (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary), is an ordained minister with the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies. He is the author of four books: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers Then and Now (Xulon Press, 2008), The Power and Practice of the Church: God, Discipleship, and Ministry (J. Timothy King, 2010), Answer the Prayer of Jesus: A Call for Biblical Unity (Wipf & Stock, 2011), and Dreams and Visions: Divine Interventions in Human Experience (J. Timothy King, 2012). www.JohnPLathrop.org
Category: Pneuma Review, Spirit, Spring 2012