recipe for revival

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

This is the FIRST verse I use to combat the enemy’s attempts to make me feel spiritually dry or ineffectual in ministry. Today I’m SO excited to walk through 3 key points with YOU & I mean it !! This is one of my most favorite verses in the entire Bible. I genuinely believe that if we got serious about preparing our mind, maintaining a sober spirit, & keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus we would see revival.

1— GIRD YOUR MIND

In Bible times, men wore long tunics. To maximize mobility, they would tuck their cloaks into a belt (called a girdle) so they could run without hindrances. Paul calls believers to do the same thing in 1 Peter 1:13. We are instructed to get rid of all distractions so we can be more focused & effective witnesses.

Hebrews 12:1 “…let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.”

Imagine if those men didn’t tuck in their tunics. Running would become extremely difficult, maybe even impossible, and stumbling becomes very likely. You & I have to be equally as intentional in preparing our minds. Getting rid of distractions is impossible without the help of the Holy Spirit. Pray Job 13:23 “make me know my transgression and my sin.” He won’t just point out your sin, he’ll extend mercy & forgiveness, & walk alongside you as you work to break sin patterns.

2— KEEP SOBER IN SPIRIT

‘Sober-minded' means you’re seeing things for what they are.

Some versions use ‘watchful’ which means awake & alert.

Paul sets forth the God-given standard of sobriety, but it goes beyond condemning alcohol consumption. After all, our battle is not against flesh & blood but against powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

2 reasons to stay sober-minded:: 1— we have an enemy

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Your enemy knows you better than your best friend. He is more powerful than you’d like to admit. Worst of all, he’ll do anything & everything to destroy your relationship with Jesus Christ. He speaks lies day after day to convince you that you're incompetent, undeserving, and foolish. We have a million reasons to praise Jesus but today I’m most thankful that His sacrifice has broken every chain that previously bound me to the enemy’s grip. The name of Jesus is a banner over my life declaring victory over every battle.

When we’re aware, we can more easily identify the enemy’s strategies and then develop defense mechanisms. Our spiritual perception & awareness must always be sharp. Notice that Paul is NOT calling us to mindfulness. Mindful is recognizing, but sober-minded people react. They have a plan; they deal with problems.

2— we have a mission

A lot of times, I think we’re quick to snooze the alarm that’s ringing loud and clear, the nearness of Christ’s coming. The harvest is abundant but the workers are few (Matthew 9:37). Because we have an enemy who will stop at nothing to steal our attention, purpose, endurance, joy, and confidence, I pray with everything in me that we DO NOT weaken our spiritual senses.

Let’s say you have an interview at 8am on a Monday. Sunday night, you’re gonna plan out your outfit and mode of transportation. You’ll probably wake up early Monday morning, giving yourself plenty of time to complete your morning routine and make yourself look presentable. You may even run through a few practice questions to be as prepared as possible.

The point is, when you have an important task, you plan! You maximize every opportunity! What if we had the same attitude to our task as believers? What if we spent time diligently reading the Word? What if we were more committed to prayer? What if we intentionally surrounded ourselves with nonbelievers? What if we woke up from spiritual slumber & actually devoted our every second of life to the glorification of our good and gracious Father? We can meet that challenge head on with spiritual sobriety>> actively choosing not to drink in the things this world has to offer us that desensitize our mind to building up the kingdom of God.

*** sober-mindedness isn’t dependent on circumstances

One final comment on sober-mindedness is that it’s not dependent on circumstances. We can maintain spiritual sobriety through sufferings, emotional stability, worry, & temptations. Clear thinking can only take place in a mind transformed as Romans 12:1-2 instructs. Our mind is quick to doubt and come up with excuses. THIS is why ‘gird your minds’ is the first step. We cant allow our circumstances to hamper our spiritual awareness. The ability to witness depends on the ability to respond clearly.

3— FIX YOUR HOPE

Once we get rid of distractions and become alert, we can set our hope fully on Christ. I LOVE that phrase— FULL hope. Not half-hope. The hope we base our lives on is all-satisfying. Where hope is found, strivings cease and contentment begins.

~~On my mirror, I have Isaiah 7:9 written out “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Have you made standing firm your priority?

Make this equation one to live by!

Gird your mind + keep sober in spirit + fix your hope = revival