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Introduction:
Jesus said I will never leave you or forsake you. I am not discussing salvation in this article – I am talking about moves of God – revival, renewal and even some denominations. In the Book of the Revelation Jesus said some churches were in danger of having their candlestick removed – Jesus was speaking to churches as a whole not to individuals. Individuals are dealt with differently than corporate groups or churches. This article has in mind special times throughout history where there was a significant outpouring of God's Spirit.
When God Leaves a Movement
Sometimes what began as a genuine move of the Holy Spirit ends as a monument with the inscription:
“God Was Here”
Why does this happen?
I’ve heard it said, “The devil knows he can’t stop revival so he adds to it.” If the enemy can add the flesh, lies and heresies to what God is doing then the Holy Spirit will leave and let the flesh and the enemy have their way. And since people are all too often willing participants, moves of God tend to ebb longer than they flow. Also, detrimental to a movement is when devotion to Jesus Christ is replaced with programs, formulas, and laws. When this happens we enter into a man-made Christianity – true Christianity is Christ-centered and Holy Spirit lead.
Consider these two scriptures:
Galatians 3: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
James 3: Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
Notice how James says, every evil thing are there? No wonder The Holy Spirit backs off from a movement when we are trying to control it by the flesh; He won’t anoint the flesh – He anoints what is of His Spirit!
Quite some time ago a glacier dammed up the Columbia River in Washington State backing up the water into Idaho, Montana and Oregon; during this time the river took an alternate route and flowed over a cliff creating an enormous water fall nearly 10 times the size of Niagara Falls! After the glacier melted the Columbia returned to its previous channel leaving a scalloped landscaped and the now, awesome Dry Falls (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_Falls). We traveled to see this remarkable sight in the late 1990s and as I looked over to the chiseled cliff which was once the massive water fall the Lord spoke to me and said, “Where the river once flowed it flows no more.” Along with His Voice was the understanding that the Dry Falls is a monument to past moves of God – Where His River once flowed It flows no more!
I believe The Lord is in the process of raising up a people in these days who will not bow to the flesh and its desires but who will be a people on their knees; humble and led by the Holy Spirit, willing to do things His way, a people who can be trusted with gifts, power, and Anointing. Let us be those kind of people!
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time… 1 Peter 5
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