When Jesus Shows Up: Refiner
Jesus is coming. He is coming as Refiner!
Professor James S. Stewart said, “Revival is a new discovery of Jesus.” Could it really be that simple? Yes! It’s that simple. Yet, also, so much more than we even know to ask for. Revival is a fresh revelation of Jesus. It is Jesus coming among us in manifest Presence of God. But, will we know him when he comes? Will we recognize him?
John the Baptist said that, when Jesus comes, he comes with the Holy Spirit and fire. The revival that is coming will be a revival of holiness as the Spirit of Holiness and the consuming fire of God fall. Jesus is the Refiner.
Malachi 3 prophesies that when Jesus shows up, he is the Refiner and the Fire that refines. In revival, Jesus is revealed as the One who makes his people holy and acceptable again. As Refiner, he comes with unflinching justice against the enemies of God- drawing a line in the sand of your heart. Every work of darkness must go. Every place of compromise faces a decision. In revival, Jesus comes with fire in his eyes and releases a fresh conviction of sin. None of us will be able to stand in this moment – sinner or saint.
“The Lord (Messiah) you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 2 “But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. 4 Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.” Malach 3:1b-4 NLT
Like Isaiah, we will cry, “we are doomed.” (Isaiah 6) Like Simon Peter, we will fall to our knees confessing our sinfulness and ask Jesus to look the other way. (Luke 5) Like the businessmen sitting in Finney’s meetings, we will groan out loud under the weight of our sin. Like young and old on the Isle of Lewis, we will beg for the mercy of God. That’s revival!That is what happens when Jesus shows up. He is the Refiner and when he comes he will look at his bride with fire in his eyes to purify and make her holy again.
He is coming!
He is coming to refine.
He is coming to purify.
He is coming as fire to burn in the hearts of his people.
He is coming as a fire to ignite his Church with holiness.
He is coming to judge… to try our hearts by fire.