Genuine Revival Awareness (Praying for rain! United prayer)

In our zealousness to avoid the counterfeit spirit of revival, we need to be careful not to quench the true! “There is at the present time almost a universal state of unbelief in regard to the operations of the Holy
Spirit, especially in the manifestation of the gifts. Unbelief shuts the Spirit of God away from the mind. It quenches the Spirit, and leaves the masses exposed to the delusions of these last days. Again, those who by unbelief quench the spirit in these last days will be illy prepared to share in the great blessings which God promises by the prophet Joel, quoted by Peter (Acts 2:17, 18). ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy.’ The ‘Former Rain’ was given on the day of Pentecost, and enjoyed by the early Christians, to cause the Gospel seed to germinate and take root. The ‘Latter Rain’ is coming to ripen the golden harvest for the garner of God. Take care, dear

reader, lest unbelief in you quench the Spirit, and shut you away from this great blessing designed for “them that believe.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 19“
The baptism of the Holy Ghost as on the day of Pentecost will lead to a revival of true religion and to the performance of many wonderful works. Heavenly intelligences will come among us, and men will speak as they are moved upon by the Holy Spirit of God. But should the Lord work upon men as He did on and after the day of Pentecost, many who now claim to believe the truth would know so very little of the operation of the Holy Spirit that they would cry, ‘Beware of fanaticism.’ Theywould say of those who were filled with the Spirit, ‘These men are full of new wine’ (Acts 2:13). . . . The great sin of those who profess to be Christians is that they do not open the heart to receive the Holy Spirit. When souls long after Christ, and seek to become one with Him, then those who are content with the form of godliness exclaim, ‘Be careful, do not go to extremes.’. . . But while we should be careful not to go into human excitement, we should not be among those who will raise inquiries and cherish doubts in reference to the work of the Spirit of God.”  Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 322“‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of  great kindness; and He relents from doing harm.” Joel 2:12, 13 When we humble ourselves before God’s throne, confess our sins, and intercede for others, our hearts will break, and there will sometimes beweeping! However, the real sign that God is bringing true revival to our midst will be the transformation that takes place in our lives. “Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of love. When the doctrine we accept kills sin in the heart, purifies the soul from defilement, bears fruit unto holiness, we may know that it is the truth of God.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 146

Test the Scriptures (Praying for rain! United prayer)

As the darkness of deception spreads across the Christian world, the only way to keep from being deceived is to test everything by the Word of God.“‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them.’ Isaiah 8:20. The people of God are directed to the Scriptures as their safeguard against the influence of false teachers and the delusive power of spirits of darkness. Satan employs every possible device to prevent men from obtaining a knowledge of the Bible; for its plain utterances reveal his deceptions. At every revival of God’s work the prince of evil is aroused to more intense activity; he is now putting forth his utmost efforts for a final struggle against Christ and His followers. The last great delusion is soon to open before us. Antichrist is to perform his marvelous works in our sight. So closely will the counterfeit resemble the true that it will be impossible to distinguish between them except by the Holy Scriptures. By their testimony every statement and every miracle must be tested. . . . None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the last great conflict.”The Great Controversy, p. 593  

“God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines and the basis of all reforms. . . . We are living in the most solemn period of this world’s history. The destiny of earth’s teeming multitudes is about to be decided. Our own future well-being and also the salvation of other souls depend upon the course which we now pursue. . . . We need to humble ourselves 

before the Lord, with fasting and prayer, and to meditate much upon His word, especially upon the scenes of the judgment. We should now seek a deep and living experience in the things of God. We have not 

a moment to lose.” The Great Controversy, pp. 595, 601

“Satan well knows that all whom he can lead to neglect prayer and the searching of the Scriptures, will be overcome by his attacks. Therefore he invents every possible device to engross the mind.” The Great Controversy, p. 519

“The darkness of the evil one encloses those who neglect to pray. . . . Why should the sons and daughters of God be reluctant to pray, when prayer is the key in the hand of faith to unlock heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence?” Steps to Christ, p. 94

“The season of distress and anguish before us will require a faith that can endure weariness, delay, and hunger—a faith that will not faint though severely tried. . . . Those who are unwilling to deny self, to agonize before God, to pray long and earnestly for His blessing, will not obtain it. Wrestling with God—how few know what it is! How few have ever had their souls drawn out after God with intensity of desire until every 

power is on the stretch. When waves of despair which no language can express sweep over the suppliant, how few cling with unyielding faith to the promises of God.” The Great Controversy, pp. 621, 622