The first one of these principles that was brought to our attention by the prophet was, "If My people will reverence My name, My presence and My house, I will begin to restore that which has been lost to the Church."
Some may think that it was a strange thing for God to rebuke our irreverence first. But let me say right here that this is right where we as Christians have failed, in our private lives as well as in many of our churches. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge." We shall never get things from God in a light vein of behavior. We must reverence the Creator. All too many times we have come into God's sanctuary boisterously, or after a service when God's Spirit has been blessing, we have drowned it out by talking about current events, light frivolous things and foolish jesting, which are not convenient as the Apostle Paul relates in his epistles. God help us to have more reverence. Not that we would do away with liberty and freedom in a service, but that it would not be on the level of fleshly expediency. God dealt with us very severely in the revival about irreverence.
There are many areas in our lives that are irreverent. We have cultivated a matter-of-fact attitude and we tend to take the presence of God for granted. We also have a self-sufficient attitude that does not provide a worshipful atmosphere. There must come a godly fear and appreciation, with a child-like reliance on God and absolute trust in Him, before He will restore to the Church that which has been lost. We must feel our great need of Him. The prophet said we must reverence Him and then He would meet our need.
Some may think that we only adhered to prophecy or what the prophet spoke. But let me say that in those days we judged all prophecy by the Word of God, which is the final authority. However, we must acknowledge that God has set prophets in the Church as well as the other four ascension gifts (Eph. 4:11).
Much more could be said about reverence. It is not my intention to write a lengthy discourse on any of these principles, only to provoke thought and set up guidelines.