January 22 To the Sea

Matthew 4:18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 
 
WATER is a powerful image of God’s creative, cleansing and reviving power throughout Scripture. The first examples that come to mind are the Great Flood and the exodus from Egypt through the Red Sea. Many other examples are shown, especially baptism and Christ’s revival declaration in John 4:14 “but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 
    Let’s see from the book “Firefall 2.0 How God Shaped History through Revivals” by Malcolm McDow & Alvin R. Reid, how God brought revival “to the sea”.
   
Many reports of revival came from ships entering U.S. ports. It seemed there was “a definite zone of heavenly influence” across the eastern seaboard. The battleship North Carolina was anchored in New York City’s harbor with more than a thousand-man crew. Four sailors began a prayer meeting on the ship. The Spirit filled them to the point that they began to sing. Some of the ungodly crewmen heard the singing and began to mock the young believers. They were almost immediately gripped with conviction for their attitude, whereupon they began to cry for mercy. Night after night, meetings were held, and nightly, hardened sailors were broken in repentance and faith.
 
Ministers were eventually sought out from the shore to assist in ministering to the sailors. At this time, the ship North Carolina, a veritable revival center, served as a receiving ship for the navy. This ship served as the one through which crewmen changed assignments. Thus, the tide of revival literally spread across the seas.
 
    God’s will was being done on earth wasn’t it? Here is God’s dominion over all of his creation. After all, “The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalms 24:1) Revival from sin’s death into Jesus’ salvation is a picture of God’s creative life power demonstrated as he created the world: Genesis 1:2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
    Think of it! God, the Holy Spirit, hovered over the dark void to create the world. In the way the Holy Spirit hovered over the ships and “breathed into (men) the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” (Genesis 1:7) In his reviving, new creation power, God declared, “Let there be light," and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3) Then “the light of the world” (John 9:5) came into dark hearts. Indeed, in this new creation, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31)
    Yes, revival is very good, isn’t it? Let’s look at our own lives to rejoice that God has revived our souls. Let’s pray for God’s new creation for those we love, spurred on by the miracle, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17-18)
 
Prayer: Speak into my soul, Lord, that I will be truly revived in you. Speak and proclaim your good, new life into souls who need your new creation. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.