When Darkness Prevails — E.A. Johnston

The Church’s Moral and Spiritual Crisis

I believe our country is fast spinning out of control in a moral free fall within a godless society that is focused on self-preservation in a time of national crisis. And I believe the church is facing a crisis point right now, friends, as her doors are closed to the public and her pastors are out of view.

Jonah’s Storm and Spiritual Slumber

In the book of Jonah, we read,. But 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. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship, and he lay and was fast asleep.

The Great Awakening and the Sleeping Disciples

In 1740, when God moved through New England, it was called the Great Awakening. Revival has often been referred to as an awakening. At Gethsemane, Jesus faced the crisis point of his earthly ministry, and his disciples slept right through it.

The Church Asleep in Conformity and Compromise

Today, the church is in a crisis point, and we are sleeping right through it, sleeping on our pillows of conformity and compromise, where pastors fear man more than God. Will God, in his mercy, have to cast us and our ministries into the foaming waves to get our attention like Jonah?

What national tragedy will have to occur to awaken us out of our spiritual slumber? What we need in the midst of this crisis is, instead of professionalism, we need brokenness before him. Instead of dry doctrine with no heart, we need wet eyes and a broken heart.

Brokenness, Humility, and Desperate Prayer

Instead of memorized prayers, we need cries of anguish birthed out of desperation. Instead of pride backed by academic degrees, we need humility upon our knees. Instead of new buildings and more ball fields, we need street preaching on corners and in the fields.

Repentance, Consecration, and the Bloody Cross

Instead of easy believism during gospel invitations, we need repentance and consecration. We need to preach a bloody cross on which the Prince of Glory died, as we hold up a bloodstained savior from sin.

Hope for Revival in the Darkest Times

I know things look grim all around us today, friends, as the spirit of Antichrist roams the land, but we must remind ourselves of the words of Jonathan Edwards, who said, "'God is faithful and never will forget the promises that he has made to his church, and that he will not suffer the smoking flax to be quenched, even when the floods seem to be overwhelming it, but will revive the flame again, even in the darkest times.'".

A Prayer for Renewed Spiritual Fire

Let us pray. Great God, revive the flame again. Revive my flame again. In the strong name of Jesus, I pray.