Asleep in a Storm — E.A. Johnston

Abandoning Self-Effort in Revival

My friend, Ted Rendell, in the 1970s wrote a book called Fire in the Church, and in that book he said, God is looking for a man who will throw himself entirely on God whenever self-effort, self-glory, self-seeking, or self-promotion enters into the work of revival.

Then God leaves us to ourselves, and I believe that's where we are today, friends. God has left us to ourselves because we rely too much on money and manpower and human methodologies instead of God and Holy Spirit power.

Jonah and the Sleeping Church

Our day-to-day is kind of like a passage from Jonah, in Jonah chapter 1, which reads that the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

And then the text says, but Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship, and he lay and was fast asleep. I believe that's where we are today. Satan rages like a storm all around us in this country.

The whole country's become a God-hating nation, and the Church, where is she? Listen, friends. In 1740, when God moved through New England, it was called the Great Awakening. Revival has often been referred to as an awakening.

Gethsemane and the Crisis of the Church

At Gethsemane, Jesus faced the crisis point of his earthly ministry, and his disciples slept right through it. Today, the Church is in a crisis point, and we are sleeping right through it. Can there be a better comparison to today's ministers than the passage from Jonah?

Are we not asleep while the storm rages around us? Have we not run from the direct commands of God to go preach Christ and him crucified, and the commands to live a holy life? Are we still running from God?

Brokenness Instead of Professionalism

Much like poor Jonah, will God in his mercy have to cast us and our ministries into the foaming waves to get our attention? Listen, friends. Instead of professionalism, what we need today is brokenness before him.

Instead of memorized prayers, heart cries. Instead of dry doctrine with no heart, we need wet eyes and a broken heart. Instead of pride backed by academic degrees, what we need today is humility upon our knees.

Repentance and the Crucified Life

Instead of new buildings and more ball fields where there are churches, we need street preaching on corners and mission fields. Instead of easy believism during gospel invitations, what we need is repentance and consecration.

Holy Spirit Power in Ministry

Instead of living to please self and enjoy life, we need to be dying to self and living the crucified life. Instead of preaching with no power, we need men to get in the pulpit today with their own incarnate preaching and Holy Spirit power.

Heaven's Standard for Ministry Success

When are we willing to do the aforementioned? Until we do, we will lack power from on high, and our ministries will never be what heaven desires them to be. Why do we think that ministry success today is judged by the standard of the world through money, fame, and crowds, when in the light of heaven those who are in reality just wood, hay, and stubble?

Awakening Through Dependence on God

When will we awaken from our slumber? When will we seek God earnestly and cast ourselves entirely upon Him? That's what God's looking for. He's looking for a man, a woman, to cast themselves entirely upon Him.

I pray that the church will turn for her own self-reliance and get back to the God of the Bible. Let us pray.