The Strengthened Church
Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. 4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. 5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. 6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The reason for the strengthening is because their works were not found perfect before God. They had a form of godliness. They had a reputation for looking and acting alive but they were dead. This revival or strengthening is needed so we can become perfect (mature) and be restored back to our first love.
This is what God is looking for: Why do you call Me, "Lord, Lord," and do not do what I say? ( Luke 6:46). He's looking for obedience. When we obey God, we are acting in perfection.
James 1:21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls. 22 Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
The church will get strengthened or revived when we decide to go back to completely obeying the Word. When we get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil.
Here are a couple of ways the church strengthened
The Holy Spirit. Ephesians 3:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
The Word of God. The church is also made strong when those who are appointed of God go and deliver the Word of God.
Acts 16:4-5
What happens when the church is strengthened or revived.
Acts 16:1 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.6 Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
The church will be encouraged. Encouragement brings motivation. Motivation brings momentum. Momentum brings movement. Movement results in us going everywhere. The churches grew daily in numbers.
When the church is revived or strengthened it can finally go out into the world and really impact it. Multiplication of disciples will happen when we believe in the God kind of perfection and start living it out in front of the world.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.