If you’re looking at the recent past feeling like a loser because you just barely survived, take a moment to remember that there’s no such thing as revival without survival. In the end, suffering through seasons of survival are the most remarkable victories you will ever achieve. I know survival doesn’t feel glamorous. Sometimes seasons of survival feel more like you’re sitting on death row waiting for your last meal. But, if you’re anything like me, seasons of survival force you to swallow that nasty pride and accept that others will criticize your inability to thrive. And to make it worse, social media often causes survivors to feel like the last people on earth who aren’t proudly standing on top of the world.
If you’re looking at the recent past feeling like a loser because you just barely survived, take a moment to remember that there’s no such thing as revival without survival.
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In the end, suffering through seasons of survival are the most remarkable victories you will ever achieve.
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Asaph lamented that his feet almost slipped when he saw the wicked’s prosperity (Psalm 73:2-3). He almost gave up, he almost fell backward, almost quit, but he went into the house of the Lord and remembered that temporary prosperity is a poor substitute for merely staying near God (Psalm 73:17-28). Staying near God is the key to survival in the worst of times. So when you’re gut-punched, and your whole world feels shaken, stay close to God. Stay in prayer. Stay in church. Stay submitted. Stay in the Word. Stay faithful.
Staying near God is the key to survival in the worst of times. When you’re gut-punched and your whole world feels shaken, stay close to God. Stay in prayer. Stay in church. Stay submitted. Stay in the Word. Stay faithful.
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Regardless of what life coaches, self-help gurus, and prosperity prophets teach, it’s ok to be in survival mode. The Bible is full of ordinary heroes who endured horrific hardships, but they survived their way into revival. The woman with the issue of blood had to crawl her way to revival (Mark 5:25-34). Noah spent over a year on a stinky ark surviving a worldwide flood (Genesis 7:11-13, Genesis 8:14-20). Jonah survived a mess of his own making (Jonah 1:1-17). David spent eight long years surviving the murderous hatred of king Saul. Paul was shipwrecked, stoned (literally to death), beaten, imprisoned, and survived vicious attack after vicious attack. The list is almost endless, but they all had one thing in common; they endured without quitting or giving up. Once you quit, the possibility for revival goes to zero. That’s what the Bible means when it says, “…and having done all, to stand. Stand… (Ephesians 6:13-14)”. Sometimes just standing takes more courage than moving forward. Refusing to give up in the face of crushing defeat takes more courage than winning with ease. Paul couldn’t have known that revival was about to break out on the island of Malta while he was hanging onto broken pieces of a ship (Acts 27:44). He just held on until the Storm was over and faithed his way into unexpected revival.
Regardless of what life coaches, self-help gurus, and prosperity prophets teach, it’s ok to be in survival mode. The Bible is full of ordinary heroes who endured horrific hardships, but they survived their way into revival.
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Once you quit, the possibility for revival goes to zero. That’s what the Bible means when it says, “…and having done all, to stand. Stand… (Ephesians 6:13-14)”. Sometimes just standing takes more courage than moving forward.
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Paul couldn’t have known that revival was about to break out on the island of Malta while he was hanging onto broken pieces of a ship (Acts 27:44). He just held on until the Storm was over and faithed his way into unexpected revival.
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There is a cycle of life that runs throughout the stories of the Bible. Today, the exact process plays out in our lives: surviving, reviving, thriving, and repeating the cycle. We’re always in one stage of that cycle. There’s never a guarantee of how long each stage of the cycle will last. Every mountain climber survived a valley. Everyone is either ascending or descending a mountain of victory. This realization is mildly depressing news for people thriving on mountain tops, but it’s terrific news for people surviving valleys. Thankfully, every valley prepares us for the next valley, and every mountain gives us confidence that we can get to another mountain top.
There is a cycle of life that runs throughout the stories of the Bible. The same process plays out in our lives today: surviving, reviving, thriving, and repeating the cycle. We’re always in one stage of that cycle.
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Every mountain climber survived a valley. Everyone is either ascending or descending a mountain of victory. This is mildly depressing news for people thriving on mountain tops, but it’s terrific news for people surviving valleys.
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Thankfully, every valley prepares us for the next valley, and every mountain gives us confidence that we can get to another mountain top.
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So, here’s a little key to mentally surviving the valleys. It seems overly simplistic and trite. It might even sound like a silly platitude if you feel trapped in a dark, unforgiving survival stage. But if you could somehow grab this concept and keep it close, it will pull you through terribly difficult times. And, if you stay faithful to God, you will look back and find that what I am about to tell you is profoundly true. Are you ready for it? Here it is: Every valley is an opportunity for another victory. Let me say it this way: Every season of survival is another chance for fresh revival. You will be revived, and you will thrive. And, then the process will be repeated until we reach our pinnacle destination; Heaven. In Heaven, we will thrive forever in the eternal presence of the Lord.
Every valley is an opportunity for another victory. You will be revived, and you will thrive. And, then the process will be repeated until we reach our pinnacle destination; Heaven.
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Don’t ever allow anyone or anything to make you feel like a loser because you’re simply surviving. Survival is just the beginning of a revival. When you’re surviving, you’re in the perfect position for God to work miracles on your behalf. Solomon wisely said, “Whatsoever your hand findeth to do; do it with all thy might… (Ecclesiastes 9:10)”. So, keep doing everything within your power and strength to do. And, when you’ve reached your limit, God will step in and pick up your slack. You’ll be hard-pressed to find any instance in the Bible where God did something for someone that they could have done for themselves. You’ll be even harder pressed to find an example where God did something for someone without requiring them to do something first. So, when you’re weak, barely surviving, at the end of your rope, and you have done everything you can possibly do, and you’re standing at a Red Sea with no solutions, take heart. Miraculous revival is right around the corner.
Don’t ever allow anyone or anything to make you feel like a loser because you’re simply surviving. Survival is just the beginning of a revival. When you’re surviving, you’re in the perfect position for God to work miracles on your behalf.
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Keep doing everything within your power and strength to do. And, when you’ve reached your limit, God will step in and pick up your slack.
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When you’re weak, barely surviving, at the end of your rope, and you have done everything you can possibly do, and you’re standing at a Red Sea with no solutions, take heart. Miraculous revival is right around the corner.
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A relevant apostolic resource that covers biblical topics of interest, ministry, Christian living, and practical insights hosted by Ryan French. An extension of the popular blog Apostolic Voice (www.ryanafrench.com). Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/apostolicvoice/support
Ryan talks about having COVID. Everything just feels like survival mode right now for everyone close to Ryan and his church. From the www.ryanafrench.com article Surviving Your Way Into Revival, Ryan encourages us to rip the stigma of surviving apart and understand that survival is really a vital part of revival. Ryan discusses the biblical and practical cycles of surviving, reviving, thriving, and repeating the process again.
Special Guest appearance by Nathan French (Ryan’s brother), host of the popular Noteworthy Podcast, member of the husband and wife duo Nathan + Rachel, and Youth Pastor. They talk about Nathan + Rachel’s newest song release and video, Won’t Let Me Go. You can keep up with Nathan + Rachel at www.nathanandrachel.org. Stick around to the end and listen to the entire new song.
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