Touré Roberts - Revival

I believe with all my heart that we’re in a moment like that, and I’ll just call it, for lack of a better term or a term you might be familiar with, that we’re on the brink of revival. And what is revival? Growing up, I thought that revival was simply inviting a preacher to come into town for four or five days, preaching the same message to the same people. That was all I knew about revival, and while that is wonderful, there is nothing wrong with that, it’s not biblical revival unless something breaks out among the people during that preaching. The people must be empowered in such a way that the least of what they do happens within the four walls of the church, while the majority occurs in culture—it’s in Costco, it’s in barbershops, it’s in their families, it’s on the streets. Are you hearing me? It’s your time. I’m looking at you and saying you’re it. It’s time for you to break out, and the first thing you need to break out of is the mindset that God’s hand is on you just to make you feel better, that God’s hand is on you just to improve your life. If you hold that paradigm, you can never become all that God has called you to be, because you reduce God to being merely your encourager, and that’s it. The reality is that you can encourage yourself; I can recommend two or three books to encourage you. That’s not why God’s hand is upon you. See, encouragement comes automatically when you know you’re living for Him and walking with Him. It just comes naturally because the one who encourages is by your side. Therefore, encouragement is not the end, nor even the goal; it is simply automatic.

So what I am believing, fam, and I can’t wait for us to pray, is that we’re in a moment where God truly wants to reveal why He has His hand upon you and empower you in greater ways. Everyone wants favor, but favor is always assigned to the intention of God. Favor isn’t just something you can put on like a badge; you can’t just say, «I have favor.» No, no, no, the intention of God brings favor. If you are part of God’s purpose and intention, then that favor resting upon the intention of God will also rest upon you. It really isn’t about that. I already see what will happen today. Some people will hear the things God is saying, and you’re going to step into it. Your life will change, your influence will change, your access will change, your success will change—things will change. But you’re working with a new agenda, an agenda bigger than you.

I want to show you something real quick in the Scripture. We’re going to read it, and I may pull a couple of things out of it. Then, we’re going to pray, and that will be our service for today—take an offering, and that will conclude our service. Acts chapter 2, really quickly. Stay up here with me, baby; I just want… you know, during worship, don’t go too far because I don’t know what God’s going to do. We can’t assume we’ll know exactly what will happen. Can you get a nice, pretty chair for me? There it is, right there. Is it comfy, baby? Good back support? Yeah, yeah, bring it right here, and I might give the mic to you, and we can just joint prophesy here tonight. Is anyone afraid of ministry like this? You better not be! You see, we get into these little rhythms and know exactly what’s going to happen, and we end up missing God. That’s why they missed Jesus; they thought everything had to happen through the front door, but Jesus comes through the chimney, and they say, «That ain’t it—uh-uh, that ain’t it.» Why? Because they were in this rhythm, and we don’t determine the rhythm. We don’t set the rhythm. We simply have the sensitivity to hear Heaven’s rhythm, and then we align ourselves with it. That’s how you continue to evolve and grow.

Sometimes, you see these cathedrals built beautifully, masterfully, designed to seat 2,000 or 3,000 people. Yet, when you go to these cathedrals, there are only 300 people inside, and you wonder, «I don’t get it. I don’t understand.» This venue was built around the progress of the movement, and why are there only 300 people in a venue created for 3,000? Somewhere, somehow, someone monumentalized what God was doing. Oh, I feel Heaven now. They transformed what God was doing into a monument, and the form of what He was doing became the rule they lived by, which became irrelevant to the current moment. That’s why the building should have been knocked down and rebuilt anew. But by monumentalizing what God had done, they blocked themselves from seeing what God was doing. This also happens in our own lives; we often think that the best is what is behind us. No, the best is always in front of us.