REVOLUTION WITHIN

REVOLUTION WITHIN: A Fresh Look At Supernatural Living Dwight Edwards
c 2001 Waterbrook Press pp.194 price 17.95
DW- direct descendant of Jonathan Edwards. Senior pastor -Grace Bible Church, College Station, Texas.

Forward
Larry Crabb, a friend of Dwight’s, presents a challenge of a genuine, personal, spiritual, revival. He recommends this book as a catalyst in that challenge. The result would be a "Revolution Within".
Ch. 1 Ready For Release
The problem of knowing what to do and not being able to do it is a common problem for most of us. This book is about a journey that addresses that problem. It is not about fixing things. It has to do with "the discovery, appropriation, and release of the divine resources provided through the New Covenant:".p.8. It has to do with the releasing of our new nature which we recieved at salvation. The New Covenant (given through Christ) is totally void of law-based (Old Covenant) spirituality. Jesus did not come to keep the law but to replace it. There is a huge difference between being motivated by guilt or grace. "...the desire to do the will of God is the gift of God." p.14.
Ch. 2 First Things First; A Reputation at Stake
Foundational things are foundational. Don’t miss them. The question is not ‘is God on our side?’ but ‘are we on God’s side?. The reason for our existence is to glorify God. The point of human history is God’s glory. It will happen. We have the choice of being part of it. It is not our reputation that is the focus but God’s reputation. "We matter much to God but we don’t matter most." p.30.
Ch.3 Becoming Spiritually Provocative
Living in such a way as to glorify God will impact every part of our life, the work place, the home and it’s relationships, how we relate to those over us in authority, our prayers, etc. "Supernatural outcome (provocative spirituality) requires the unleashing of supernatural resources." p.40.
Ch.4. The Journey to Radical Dependence
Our fleshly nature ‘profits nothing’. This truth is basic to accessing supernatural resources. We have been given a new Godgiven nature. We need to become totally dependent on the new ‘heart’ as we realize the presence of the old ‘heart’.




Ch. 5 Releasing Your New Purity Purity is one of the four primary provisions of the New Covenant. They are all gifts from God. Since purity is a gift it is of no value unless accepted. God sees us through His Son. We are forgiven and cleansed. Again we need to remember that thi is a gift.
Ch. 6 Dangerous -and Worth the Risk
God’s grace, "defies comprehension.....but not experience". p.73. It’s power is transforming. "If grace doesn’t have the potential to be abused, it won’t have the power to transform."p.79 Such grace can only be appropriated by faith. It makes possible a turning away from wrong objects of trust and a turning to the right object-Christ.
Ch. 7. Releasing You New Identity
At conversion we were changed "legally, relationally,and inherently".p.87. We don’t change to become Godly, we change because we are already Godly. Spiritual wisdom is a gift not an acquisition. Our new spiritual identity come from our death, burial, and resurrection in Christ.
Ch. 8 Your Newness Goes Public
In labeling we need to separate identity from behavior. i.e. a procrastinator cf just procrastinating. What in our lives gives us our identity? How we see ourselves will determine how we live. The significance of accepting our identity in Christ is crucial. That is our true label.
Ch. 9. Releasing Your New Disposition.
With our new disposition, obedience becomes the new heart’s delight. God has altered our heart to fit His commands. That is why we can ‘love one another’.
Ch.10 Both Faith and Feelings.
With our new heart we have also recieved new desires. These respond to commands such as ‘be glad’, ‘be joyful’. Godly affections are a gift. His commands become a delight. They are no longer ‘shoulds’ but‘want tos’.
Ch.11 Releasing You New Power.
We have been given the same power, from God’s Spirit, that raised Christ from the dead. Part of appropriating that power is to embrace our personal inadequacies. It involves brokenness.
Ch.12 Dynamic Dependence
This dependence is expressed in the phrase ‘Christ living in us’. He is the vine we are the branches, etc.
Ch. 13. A Fresh Look at Intimacy With God
There is a big difference between knowing about God and knowing God. The first makes us a scholar, the second makes us a worshiper. The Spirit within us makes it possible to be passionately intimate with God and that is His plan for us. "Worship iasn’t something we do for God, but with God."p153.
Ch.14 A Fresh Look at Freedom in Christ.
A "Spirit-dependent lifestyle of liberty" p.158, is part of the New Covenant. Such freedom can also be defined as "purpose driven unrestraint". p.159. Freedom is having the right Master. Mature freedom focuses on what we are free for not what we are free from.
Ch. 15. A Fresh Look at Community
God says, ‘I will give them a new heart’. That is community, another New Covenant truth. Ministry without love (community) becomes manipulation. Believers mature in community.
Ch. 16. A Fresh Look at Ministry.
New Covenant ministry comes out of New Covenant realities. "We must be glad discoverers and possessors of a treasure we never dreamed existed in order to help others see and take hold of it." p. 182. New Covenant ministry is working withGod not working for God. It involves nourishing the new nature, exposing sin, and responding to the challenge of holiness.
Conclusion
The provisions of the New Covenant make possible a spiritual revolution. It will take time and it will not be without suffering. It will go by different names but the results will be the same; New Covenant living.

Comments
This book is a timely reminder of who we really are as participants of the New Covenant. Too often we are children of the King living like paupers. This book helps us deal with that problem. We would do well to read this book regularly. The revolution refered to is ongoing. I can recommend this book enthusiastically. As a matter of fact I bought it.