The following is my note extract of a Bible Study from 03/21/2010.  (Luke 15:11-31)

Preamble:

As we continue in this season of revival, it is mandatory that we understand principles that will lead to and help us to maintain the spirit of revival.  One thing of note is that revival is not meant to be be temporary, but a lifestyle.

Life is a journey and we are preently running the race of life.  Life is meant to be enjoyed.  The heritage of those who fear the Lord, the Lord has promised to give to those who are members of His kingdom.

For you to remain in revival, ACCOUNTABILITY is very impotant.  You must live your life in a way that will bring glory to the Almighty God.  The choice of how you live your life belongs to you.  You need the fear of God to make sound choices.  You also need the GRACE of God.  The grace of God will help you to do things appropriately - and will help you you to do those things which are pleasing to God which you may not do ordinarily because of the flesh.

The Revival Principles from the  Prodigal Son

The want in the prodigal son\'s life led to steps needed for revival.  The SPIRITUAL AWAKENING is the  first step.  Brethren, it is important for us to AWAKE UNTO RIGHTOEIUSNESS.  The prodigal son came to this conclusion when he stated in Luke 15:18 that "I will arise".  There is  no revival without spiritual awakening.  Don\'t remain in the "same old -same old" state.  Your life has to change at that point.  It is also not a time to just say you will arise and make the necessary change but do nothing.  You have to make up your mind at that time to remove anything and everything that is unprofitable out of your life.  It is a time when you need evidence of God\'s glory in your life - not evidence of lack - and lack can be represented or manifested on many ways - not just monetarily.  Lack can represent abesence of good health, absence of progress or promotion and even absence of the ability to fulfill God\'s calling upin one\'s life.  The evidence of God\'s glory overcomes this evidence of lack.

The prodigal son also stated in that same Luke 15:18 "¹⁸I will arise and go to my father".  He was not deceiving himself.  He knew there was no revival without RECONCILIATION.  In some cases, in our own lives that reconciliation may require restitution. He was not going to live a make-believe life because he came to an understanding that there is forgiveness in that reconciliation.  It is mandatory to come to the end of yourself to come to this point in the principles of revival.  It is not a time to pray that God will go and touch the heart of someone so they can make your life a little easier.

Revival is awareness that you just have to obey God and not live a life of cover-ups.  OBEDIENCE is thus a key principle in the life of someone living a life of revival.

You must come to a PERFECT UINDERSTANDING that there are some things that you are doing or have done against other people that is a direct sin against God/  The prodigal recongnized this when he stated in in Luke 15:18 that "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee," because he knew God dwells in the heavens.

It is important to have GODLY SORROW when you have sinned so you can repent appropriately.  Some never come to the point of true repentance, but make up all sorts of excuses why they engaged in the sin.  An attitude of repenetance is required when one "blows" it.  This should occur when one is convicted of the sin by the Spirit of God.  The conviction should lead to Godly sorrow and then taking the prescription that the Lord prescibes for the situation.

YOU MUST DO YOUR PART.  Don\'t remain in an unaltered state. Luke 15:20 states - ²⁰And he arose, and came to his father. 

The spirit of COUNSEL is a key principle for revival.  Proverbs 20:18 states "Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war."  Fight a good fight of faith and take all your matters to the Lord.

When you make these good moves, there will be merry making in your abode as the prodigal son experienced in Lu 15:23-24. ²³And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: ²⁴For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

Don\'t postpone your salvation and revival.  Whatever you need to do - be it repenting, forsaking and using all of these priciples to come to the point of revival, DO IT NOW!!

ARISE!!! There is a revival - so much joy and a house full of singing on account of the steps you will and must take.

Praise the Lord !!\\

Shola Adepoju