I’m both burning with fiery passion and also deeply grieved in my spirit—the opportunity for a historic outpouring is here…but it’s only an opportunity.

It has been prophesied that there is the chance of a 50-year long outpouring hitting Detroit. However the disconnected, distracted wait and see approach many are taking threatens it. Both God and man have to participate at an extreme level for it to come to pass.

Has a prophetic alarm sounded in Detroit—or is the call to gather and contend for an outpouring simply a suggestion? Is it optional? Well, of course, it is optional as we each have a free will. However, if it’s a true prophetic mandate, the option to disengage carries with it severe consequences both personally and corporately.

Many, I’m sure, have thought, “Why should I participate in these meetings?” The answer is simple. The prophetic mandate is clear, and the cost of revival is great—it requires many to do much…it’s an ‘all hands on deck’ moment in history.

As I said previously, I’m exhilarated and burning because of the sudden and heavy manifest presence of the fire of God. I’ve been trembling deeply. In fact, I shared with the leadership team of The Fireplace (the new ministry made up of several churches that’s serving this movement toward outpouring in Detroit) that if this revival does in fact land, there will be a never-ending tremble in us…that will last until we leave the Earth.

So with such a powerful move of God drawing near, the question is, “Why isn’t every person in Detroit who’s hungry for revival showing up?”

Busyness. In an American culture that’s so entertainment driven, independent and non-stop, it’s no wonder that calendars are full of lesser things. In fact, I believe one of the primary time thieves for those in ministry is the demand of the local church (yes, I’m a local church leader!).

I shared this comment on Facebook last night after a powerful night of intercession at a church in Eastpointe:

Pastors-investing your primary time and energy in your local church will not result in revival. Primary focus must be regional with other leaders if you want more than local results.

As a local church leader I easily understand the potential for an overloaded calendar. However, we have to take dominion over that. I’d much rather let my church fail for the sake of participating in the greater, regional city church movement. However, if we keep our local church calendar healthy and full of flexible, Kingdom focused and regionally emphasized ministries, we’ll have the opportunity to freely participate in the demands of regional revival on a much broader scale. Simply, regional mandates trump local mandates. And, as we allow the reprioritization to take place, the local church will continue to develop with a much greater grace on it.

If we can't integrate into our schedules the costly, time consuming work of initiating revival on a daily basis with others in the region, we will remain alone in a stress-filled, powerless daily reality that is void of fire.

An excellent example of the problem that’s hovering over the church of Detroit is the mandate that’s been sounded for 1000 intercessors to gather together every Friday night for prayer (see www.revivallab.com). The 10pm-midnight time was chosen to ensure 99% of people had zero conflict. Most everybody should be able to show up each week. In a day when we’re still learning how to take dominion over our busy lives, we wanted to make it easy for as many people to participate as possible, and there are few necessary activities filling up the 10pm Friday time slot. It’s a slam dunk opportunity for everybody to be there.

While the movement is strong and exciting, we’re about 950 people shy of 1000 each week! Where are the leaders? Where are the intercessors? Do we not realize that the moment we have 1000 people showing up together… on site in a church somewhere in Detroit… every week… we’ll have the greatest prayer movement in the nation…or the world! Is that not worth the small price to pay to load up the kids in the car for a late night together in God’s presence?

Friday nights should be full. The 8-day outpouring meetings in Dearborn should be jam packed…not full of people wondering and waiting… even doubting that God might show up… but people who won’t take no for an answer. We need a team of burning people who are fully committed to taking dominion of their time, of their energy… and contending day after day until God breaks out. A lot of people are excited about the concept of revival, but few will do what it takes to get there. This reality may seal our fate of living our entire lives outside of revival. I can’t stand the thought of that.

God is looking for a people who will do the most, not the least. How many will pay the price to contend every night in Dearborn this week?

I also posted to Facebook:

People don't realize that their lack of participation will at best delay the outpouring others are contending for and at worst negate it all together.

Wow. One person’s lack of participation has the potential to stop a revival. One person’s failure to show up, to lock arms with others and contend until breakthrough can cancel a divine move of God.

Think about it this way. What if God gave a pastor a vision and a mandate to build a $1 million homeless shelter. This pastor then casts the vision, and that night ten wealthy people in the church have a vivid visitation of the Lord…and God asks them to each give $100,000. What if one chooses to disobey? The building project will not be completed on time…if ever.

Do you disagree? Consider the disobedience of a few people who were sent as spies into Canaan. The mandate was to move into the Promised Land, yet this small handful of people who refused to do so resulted in a massive and horrific death of innumerable others. They were destined for the glory of a new land, but experienced the radical opposite instead—death.

Today in a pastor’s meeting Brian Simmons asked, “If revival depended on you, how close are we?”

How close? Are you carrying the weight of a city on your shoulders? Are you in position and contending with extreme passion? Or, are you taking a wait and see approach?

Brian also said, “There is an open invitation from God to the pastors of Detroit to experience revival… but he's waiting for us. The planned move of God will only come to Detroit if we expect it to the degree that we build the fireplace to facilitate it. If you don't have an expectation for revival you won't get revival.”

How long will we have to wait?