A Call for First Works

By K.R. Craig

The Spirit, like a breeze, swept across the place,
and the fire burned out of control.
It was kindled by His love and amazing grace,
flaming up within my soul.
— Ronny Hinson, I Began to Feel the Fire

Anyone who’s been around Pentecost for a while has some awesome stories — healings, miracles, visions and manifestations, things they’ve experienced themselves and stories they’ve heard from older saints.

I’ve seen people come into church drunk and leave sober. I’ve seen deaf ears opened, cripples healed, and the dead brought back to life. I’ve been in the presence of both angels and demons. But most of my flat-out miraculous experiences are from days gone by. I’m afraid I’m becoming part of the crowd who talks so fondly of how things used to be.

I remember when I first got saved 25 years ago, that others would talk about the moves of God they had in the “old days” and how much things have changed.

I also remember reasons people would give for why things changed:

• People just aren’t as dedicated as they used to be.
• Nobody knows what it means to “tarry” any more.
• There’s too much world in the church.
• People are just too busy for God.

Maybe some of that is true — someone smarter than me may know for sure, but what I do know, without doubt, is that I have changed.

In my own “old days”, back when I was first saved:

• I’d have rather gone to prayer meeting than to a steak dinner.
• I’d have quit my job if it interfered with church.
• I always read my Bible with a pen in-hand so I could underline verses I liked.
• I anointed everything I owned and dedicated it to God.
• I expected the Spirit to move in every church service.
• I knew how to “have church” even if I wasn’t at church.

But today:

• Prayer meetings seem like a chore.
• A runny nose tempts to stay home from church.
• I don’t mark up my Bible very often.
• It’s been a long time since I anointed anything (at least before it broke down).
• When the Spirit moves in a church service, I’m often a spectator.

The message to the angel of the church of Ephesus speaks to me.

Jesus begins by acknowledging the past work that’s been done:

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. [Revelation 2:2-3]

To me, Jesus might say, “I know your works. You’ve pastored. You’ve taught Sunday School. You’ve sat on church boards. You’ve prayed. You’ve fasted. You’ve persevered through some incredibly tough challenges.”

But Jesus doesn’t end there. He continues:

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. [v. 4]

He states the very thing that I already know about myself: I’m not like I used to be — I’ve cooled off, lost some zeal, slacked off on prayer and study. I may sing songs in church that say, “I surrender all”, but my actions don’t match the lyrics.

Fortunately, Jesus has a solution:

Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works... [v. 5a]

Rather than sit around lamenting the former days, I can reclaim them, re-experience them.

Jesus’ solution is simple: do the “first works”. Start doing things like I did when I first got saved:

• Show up for prayer meetings and pray earnestly while I’m there.
• Determine nothing will keep me away from the House of God.
• Start underlining Bible promises again.
• Anoint and dedicate my goods...before they break down.
• Pray and hope and expect that God will move in every church service.
• Show up early for church just to pray beforehand.
• Determine my own house will be a “house of prayer” and a “house of praise”.

Saints, I’m convinced if we all do some “first works”, we’ll see revival; we’ll have fresh, awesome experiences with God; and we’ll once again see the Spirit sweeping like a breeze while holy fire burns out of control.