What’s the holdup?  Here’s a line you can use while waiting at the local gas station, but never at the local bank.  Not too long ago while standing in line waiting to cash my check at my bank, a gentleman at the window next to me began to grow impatient with the banks teller.  A bit angrily he asked her “What’s the holdup?”  Needless to say, all the banks employees immediately looked alarmed and worried.  They didn’t hear the entire question the man asked.  All they heard was the word “holdup”.  You can imagine why the bank’s employees became alarmed when the word holdup was used in this setting.  Especially when used with a bit of frustration from the customer.

What’s the holdup?  What is it that is stopping your church from having revival?  What’s keeping your ministry from fulfilling it’s vision?  What obstacles stand in your way?

Oftentimes we say we’re waiting on God in certain situations.  We say things like, “It will happen in God’s timing.” or “We’re just waiting on God.”   In reality, God is most often waiting on us.  He is not a God who is late or tardy.  He’s not so busy that He barely has enough time to get everything done in the course of a day.  His calendar is not so full that He has to cancel appointments at the last minute.  He doesn’t push your needs off to another day in order to meet somebody else’s needs.

He is all sufficient.  He’s always on time.  His resources never run out.  He created time, so time is not a problem for Him.  The heavens and the earth were created by Him.  Resources are never an issue for Him.  His ways are above our ways and His understanding goes beyond human reason.

God is not the source of delay.  It’s important for us to understand that at no point since His death on the cross has God delayed any good thing. The reason your church is not having revival today is not God’s fault.  He is not the reason visitors do not attend your church.  His desire is for every city, town, hamlet, village, neighborhood, or family to not perish but have everlasting life.  It is His complete desire that they would come to the knowledge of full Truth.   He wants them to join your church.  His complete desire is that every man, woman, boy and girl in your city would be in church this Sunday morning.

If God’s perfect will were performed this Sunday morning, there is no possibility that your church could contain the growth that God would give it.  The exponential explosion of growth that God desires to give your church is no doubt inconceivable.

God is not the hold up.  His will is not the hold up and neither are His ways.  The source of delay your church may be experiencing is entirely within your grasp of control.

• Human will
• Faith in God’s promises
• Spiritual warfare with demonic powers through prayer
• These are all the work of the church.

It is our responsibility to believe Him for the impossible.

So What’s The Holdup?

Sadly in most cases, we are.

Why do some churches barely grow at all, while others experience incredible growth and revival?  Is God weak in some churches and strong in others?  Could it be that revival completely hinges upon our own faith and will for it to happen?  Is it possible that human thinking thwarts the will of God and kills the potential of growth in a church?

In my many years of working with churches to see growth, never once were we waiting on God.     However, attitudes and selfish ambitions were always at work destroying any momentum of growth in the church.  If we could somehow cause the church to stop focusing on themselves, then realize collectively we have a higher calling, churches would grow.

Churches who are having revival preach revival.  They talk about growth.  They preach about the lost.  They preach to guests instead of to the “regulars”.  They preach vision and growth consistently.  They do not get sidetracked at every opportunity.  They stay focused on the prize.

One of my mentors once said “You get what you preach”.  If you want problems, preach about problems all the time.  Does your church need money, preach about giving and financial blessing.  However, if growth is what you’re after, preach revival and growth.  Don’t stop preaching revival and growth.  When revival and growth begins to happen, keep preaching revival and growth.  If it looks like the revival and growth God gives you is going to bury you with business, pause only to raise up leadership to maintain the growth.  Then keep preaching revival and growth.

Money will come to your church when revival and growth takes place.  Bad attitudes and poor spirits will fall to the wayside when revival and growth come to your church.  More helps and greater resources will become available when your church has revival and growth.  New church members who love their pastor and will support his vision will come when your church has revival and growth.

Stop fighting old battles.  Don’t dwell on old wounds.  Quit talking about the same old things.  let go of the issues.  There will always be old battles, old wounds, the same old things and church issues.  But, there will never be revival and growth in your church if you don’t constantly preach and talk about revival and growth.  Stop managing and start evangelizing.

Look beyond the battle you are fighting right now. Know that God has already decided He wants your church to experience a great revival before His return.  Set your gaze on His promises.  Allow His vision to become your vision.  HAVE REVIVAL!

You’ll find some great messages on growth and revival here.

Are you struggling to keep the momentum moving forward in your church? This tool is an absolute must.  It’s available in paperback, E download, and even a teaching set. Share it with your leadership team or your entire congregation.  Nothing kills growth like the loss of momentum in the church.