And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by...

— Luke 5:17a

Jesus found Himself in a house teaching the Word of God, but surrounded by Pharisees and doctors of the law.  They were the most religious, critical, judgmental, and self-righteous people of that day, who came mostly to try to catch Jesus saying something wrong.  In the midst of these people and in a legalistic atmosphere, “the power of the Lord was present to heal...” (Luke 5:17b).  It is evident that Jesus, in the midst of this atmosphere, brought and carried revival into the place.  The anointing was so strong on Him that revival was ready to break out in a place full of people who were not even interested in the power of God!  He was not at Treasure Coast Victory Center with a group of people who are hungry and excited about God’s power and revival in the midst of a praise and worship service, but among a dry and hard group of people.  He carried the power of the Lord with Him!  You, too, have the power and presence of God on your life.  The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in you and on you.  You have the ability to manifest the power of God at home, on the job, in the midst of a dry and religious area.  As you give the anointing first place--the priority--in your thought life, your awareness of it in your life will make a way for it to manifest.  The power of the Lord is present wherever you are present.

...he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power... — Acts 8:15b-19

Simon was a man who was familiar with supernatural power.  He had been a sorcerer for years, and had impressed all the people with his sorcery.  He claimed to be some great one (verse 9), and all the people considered him the great power of God (v. 10).  But when he saw the anointing and genuine power of God in demonstration through Philip, he repented and became born again.  He desired to now have the true power of the Holy Ghost rather than the power of demons.  He saw the miracles Philip was doing (vv. 6, 13), he saw unclean spirits crying with a loud voice and coming out, he saw people with the palsy and those that were lame being healed by the power of the Lord (v. 7).  He witnessed the apostles laying hands on new converts and watched as they were filled with the Holy Ghost.  There is in the heart of every human being the desire for supernatural power and spiritual things.  You are a spirit, you have a soul, and you live in a body, so your greatest need and desire is spiritual.  Simon was no different, but because he did not know the real power, he gravitated toward the false.  The Church must start to understand and demonstrate the power of God.  Young people are turning to the occult, alcohol, drugs, gangs, and a myriad of other things because they need something to fill that void in their hearts.  That “something” is the Holy Ghost and power; it is a lifestyle of revival and communion with Almighty God.  How can they desire it if they do not see it in operation?  It is time for the demonstration of God!

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.   — John 10:10b

Jesus came to give mankind life.  He came to revive dead spiritual beings, to make them alive and keep them alive so they would live alive.  Not only did He come to give you life and revival, but He expected that revival life in you to grow into a more abundant life.  You can be more alive today than you were yesterday.  You can be more on-fire twenty years after being saved than you were on the day you were saved.  Many talk about their wonderful salvation experience, how God touched them, and how they could feel His presence.  But the initial “touch” was not a one-time experience; it was the start of a life of being “touched” every day by the power of God.  As you learn to live in abundant life, you will start to co-labor with the living God who is in you.  Soon the revival in you will start to spread to others around you.  Everyone with whom you come in contact will not be safe from experiencing the presence and power of God!  People will start to get saved, healed, and delivered just by getting too close to the fire that is “in you”!  People who have dried out and are backslidden will see and desire the revival that they see in you:  “I used to be on fire like you.”  There is no reason to be “used to be” on fire.  Jesus came to give you life and life more abundantly.  You are a revival-spreader!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:   — John 10:10a

There is someone who desires to steal your life, to put out your fire, to stop the revival in you.  The devil and his demons are agents of death and destruction.  In order to carry out their desire in your life, they must stop the revival in you.  How do they do it?  They come to steal it, to make you dead again, so your life will be destroyed.  There are situations, circumstances, people, problems, that come at you daily to put your fire out!  Discouragement, depression, lies of the devil all work to stop your revival fire.  The enemy comes against your soul to put the fire out in your spirit or to keep it contained within your spirit.  You can detect when something is taking life out of you; you can sense when you are headed in a wrong direction.  You will feel sick or “zapped” on the inside.  Change your thinking, hang up the phone, get away from that person, and rekindle the fire in you.  You must not only learn to feed the revival in you but you must also learn to protect the fire that is in you.  Stay around people hotter than you, people who will help keep you revived.  The enemy will use lies and error to try to get you into strife and unbelief.  Just go back to the Word and the Truth to feed your fire.  Quote the Word, shout His praises, pray in tongues, and avoid the what and the who that bring death to your revival.  The enemy hates life and will do all he can to stop it.  The thief will come, but he does not have to steal from you!