Episode 9
Awakening to Revival: Breaking Out of Routine
n this episode of The Kingdom Reformation Podcast, we unpack Glenn Bleakney’s powerful article, Awakening to Revival: Breaking Out of Routine, available now at KingdomReformation.org.
This is a clarion call for leaders and believers who are tired of lifeless religion and feel the stirring of a holy discontent. We explore the eight critical challenges Glenn outlines—consumer Christianity, burnout, fear of man, and more—and the courageous shifts needed to step into true revival. It’s not about hype or hollow gatherings, but hosting the presence of God with purity, power, and purpose.
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Transcript
Welcome to the Kingdom Reformation Podcast with Glenn Blakeney.
Speaker A:Here the fire of revival ignites hearts and fuels a supernatural move of God throughout the nations of the earth.
Speaker A:Join us each week for prophetic insights, apostolic teaching, and powerful conversations that will equip you to live fully awakened in your Kingdom purpose.
Speaker A:This is more than a podcast.
Speaker A:It's a movement.
Speaker A:Learn more about us by visiting kingdomreformation.org now let's dive into today's episode.
Speaker B:Welcome to the deep dive.
Speaker B:Today we're digging into a really potent article by Glenn Blakeney.
Speaker B:He's the founder of awakenations, and you can find this piece on his site.
Speaker C:Kingdomreformation.Org yeah, it's called Awakening to Revival.
Speaker C:Breaking out of routine.
Speaker C:And it really gets right to the heart of something I think many leaders are wrestling with.
Speaker B:Totally.
Speaker B:It's all about how you break free from, you know, just going through the motions, that kind of stagnant routine, and actually step into something authentic, something he calls genuine revival.
Speaker C:So our goal here really is to unpack the main obstacles.
Speaker C:Glenn points out the things keeping us stuck.
Speaker C:And then look at the.
Speaker C:The spiritual shifts he says are absolutely essential to move past them.
Speaker B:It's like his roadmap, sort of for seeing, as he puts it, heaven break in.
Speaker C:And he kicks it off with this phrase that really grabs you.
Speaker C:A holy discontent rising up in leaders.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Not just being fed up, but something deeper.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:He calls it a divine agitation, a real longing for something more than the usual round of programs and services.
Speaker B:Yeah, that divine agitation idea, it speaks to a kind of spiritual restlessness, doesn't it?
Speaker B:A desire for the real.
Speaker B:For God's presence to actually show up and change things in, well, ordinary life.
Speaker C:And he's careful to say, look, this isn't about hype or just making noise.
Speaker C:No, he defines it by actual results.
Speaker C:Hearts waking up, lives getting healed, sin being dealt with, and real Kingdom power flowing out into communities, even nations.
Speaker B:And he brings in that term the ecclesia, the church, but understood as this governing assembly, right?
Speaker C:Yeah.
Speaker C:Not just a gathering place, but an assembly meant to function in full authority, operating, governing in the spirit.
Speaker C:It's a much more active picture.
Speaker B:But then there's that tension he describes so well, that gap.
Speaker C:You mean between the power we read about in Acts?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:And the passivity that sometimes settles into the pews.
Speaker B:It's a real disconnect.
Speaker C:It is.
Speaker C:And Glenn puts it bluntly.
Speaker C:Yeah, the Lord's calling us to break out a routine and break into revival.
Speaker C:Like, you can't really have Both at the same time.
Speaker B:Which leads to his next point.
Speaker B:This isn't gonna just happen.
Speaker C:No, revival won't happen by accident.
Speaker C:He says it demands conscious choices, things like intentional alignment, radical obedience, and prophetic courage.
Speaker B:Prophetic courage?
Speaker B:That means we might have to challenge what's comfortable, what feels safe to actually step into.
Speaker B:The supernatural he's talking about.
Speaker C:Precisely.
Speaker C:So let's get into those critical challenges he lays out and the spiritual shifts needed to overcome them.
Speaker C:These are the keys, he argues, if we really want to see that breakthrough.
Speaker B:Okay, challenge number one.
Speaker B:He calls it consumer Christianity and shallow discipleship.
Speaker B:What's the core problem there?
Speaker C:Well, it's about a church culture that perhaps unintentionally has ended up valuing convenience over commitment.
Speaker B:People are happy to receive inspiration, right?
Speaker C:They'll consume content, listen to talks, read books.
Speaker C:But maybe resist the actual cost of discipleship.
Speaker C:The transformation part, and the impact of.
Speaker B:That is pretty stark, isn't it?
Speaker B:He says revival never thrives in shallow soil.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:It needs depth, needs roots to grow.
Speaker C:So the shift required the shift.
Speaker C:This part is a direct call to leaders.
Speaker C:Stop entertaining and start equipping.
Speaker C:Wow.
Speaker C:Less focus on attraction, more on building people up.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:He says preach the cross, not just self help.
Speaker B:Challenge people lovingly, of course, to die to themselves so they can truly live.
Speaker C:So the goal isn't just filling seats.
Speaker B:But raising up sons and daughters who walk in their kingdom, identity and operate in spirit.
Speaker B:Empowered authority.
Speaker B:It's about believers knowing who they are and living out of God's power daily.
Speaker C:That's a big shift, and it demands a lot from leaders.
Speaker C:Which kind of flows into the next challenge, doesn't it?
Speaker C:Challenge 2.
Speaker C:Leader burnout in isolation.
Speaker B:Oh yeah, this one's huge.
Speaker B:He says ministry can become a machine, just grinding leaders down.
Speaker C:How so?
Speaker C:What does that look like?
Speaker B:Performance, pressure, perfectionism, trying to please everyone.
Speaker B:Yeah, it leads to leaders leading on empty.
Speaker B:They're, you know, smiling in public, suffering in private.
Speaker C:That's a painful image.
Speaker C:And his point is so direct.
Speaker C:You can't lead others into revival if your own soul is dry.
Speaker B:You really can't.
Speaker B:So the shift here is absolutely critical.
Speaker B:Prioritize personal renewal, your own connection with.
Speaker C:God, guarding that secret place like your life depends on it.
Speaker C:He says, and just as importantly, building real covenant relationships with others who carry the same fire.
Speaker C:Don't try to do it alone, because.
Speaker B:You were never meant to run this race alone.
Speaker B:That's powerful.
Speaker B:Okay, Challenge three hits another nerve.
Speaker B:Fear of offending or losing the crowd.
Speaker C:Uh huh.
Speaker C:This is the temptation to put Attendance over anointing.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker B:Keeping things maybe light, safe, crowd friendly.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:But the problem, Glenn points out is that revival doesn't grow in controlled environments.
Speaker C:It's often messy.
Speaker B:And he connects fear of man directly to hosting God.
Speaker C:He said, if you fear man, you won't fully host God.
Speaker C:It's like you have to choose who you're primarily trying to please.
Speaker B:So the shift is courageous.
Speaker C:It is.
Speaker C:Choose presence over popularity.
Speaker C:Preach truth without apology.
Speaker C:Call people towards holiness, not just happiness.
Speaker C:God's looking for leaders focused on obedience over optics.
Speaker C:Doing what's right, not just what looks good.
Speaker B:Man, these first few challenges, the consumerism, the burnout, the fear, they really paint a picture of why things might feel stuck.
Speaker B:If you're listening and this is resonating that sense of holy discontent, maybe you're wondering how to actually make these shifts.
Speaker B:I really want to point you again to Glenn Blakeney's work@ KingdomReformation.org yeah, he.
Speaker C:Doesn'T just diagnose the problem.
Speaker C:He's all about equipping leaders.
Speaker C:The site has articles, resources, and even connects you with a global community through monthly zoom calls.
Speaker C:It's practical help for navigating this journey.
Speaker B:Definitely worth checking out.
Speaker B:Kingdomreformation.org okay, let's move to challenge four, prayerlessness and programmed services.
Speaker C:Right here, he's looking at what actually happens when we gather.
Speaker C:His concern is that we sometimes squeeze the spirit right out of our services.
Speaker B:How?
Speaker B:By filling every minute.
Speaker C:Yeah, packing the schedule.
Speaker C:But maybe emptying altars, that space for genuine encounter and surrender.
Speaker B:And he contrasts that with history, doesn't he?
Speaker C:Who does?
Speaker C:Every historic revival was birthed in the place of prayer, not programs, but prayer.
Speaker B:So the shift is pretty fundamental.
Speaker C:Absolutely.
Speaker C:Rebuild the altar.
Speaker C:Restore the place of lingering just waiting on God.
Speaker C:Make prayer the engine room again, not the side room.
Speaker B:Leading people into real intercession.
Speaker C:And crucially, let space for God interrupt the service order.
Speaker C:Be open to the unexpected.
Speaker C:That's where fire falls.
Speaker C:He says it takes a willingness to yield control.
Speaker B:That idea of yielding control ties into challenge five Sunday centered mindsets.
Speaker B:What's the problem with focusing mainly on Sunday?
Speaker C:Well, it can shrink our view of ministry down to just a weekly event, usually happening in one building.
Speaker C:But Glenn reminds us the early church wasn't primarily built around services.
Speaker C:It was built around sending.
Speaker B:Ah, so the focus was outward.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:The Akazia was meant to carry Kingdom authority into every sphere of society, not just gathered together, but actually governed spiritually in the world around them.
Speaker B:So, so the shift is about activation then?
Speaker C:Yes.
Speaker C:Train and Release your people to live on mission every day.
Speaker C:Help them take that kingdom, identity and spirit empowered authority out into their homes, businesses, schools and streets.
Speaker B:So ministry happens out there, not just in here.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:Mobilize the body, not just the platform.
Speaker C:Everyone gets to play.
Speaker B:Okay, Challenge six feels very neglecting the supernatural power of the spirit.
Speaker B:What's the danger here?
Speaker C:He sees a tendency in some places to have traded fire for form, choosing structure and predictability, maybe even control over the dynamic, sometimes unpredictable work of the Holy Spirit.
Speaker B:Which might mean downplaying or ignoring the gifts of the Spirit.
Speaker C:Could be.
Speaker C:But Glenn's stance is clear.
Speaker C:The Holy Spirit is not optional.
Speaker C:If we want revival, he is essential.
Speaker C:Revival is inherently messy, supernatural, and it defies predictability.
Speaker C:You can't schedule a genuine move of God.
Speaker B:So what's the shift?
Speaker B:How do we lean into the supernatural?
Speaker C:It's about embracing it.
Speaker C:Preach the word with demonstration.
Speaker C:Don't just talk about power.
Speaker C:Expect it actively.
Speaker C:Heal the sick, cast out demons, release prophecy.
Speaker B:It's inviting the spirit to be more than just a doctrine.
Speaker C:Exactly.
Speaker C:To let him be lord of the room.
Speaker C:Really allowing him to lead and manifest his presence.
Speaker B:That takes faith.
Speaker B:And it probably bumps up against challenge seven.
Speaker B:Old wineskins and religious structures.
Speaker C:Yeah, that classic analogy.
Speaker C:His point is straightforward.
Speaker C:We cannot expect a fresh move of God to fit into outdated ministry models.
Speaker B:New wine, new wineskins.
Speaker C:Right.
Speaker C:New wine will break old wineskins.
Speaker C:He warns against clinging to systems that God never told us to build because they can end up choking the flow of his spirit.
Speaker B:That's a direct challenge to how we've always done things.
Speaker C:It is.
Speaker C:So the shift requires real courage, be willing to restructure, to let go of what's familiar.
Speaker C:If it's not fruitful, even if it's comfortable, even then.
Speaker C:It's about seeking wisdom to build something flexible, spirit led and ready to carry his glory, discerning what God is doing now.
Speaker B:Okay, the final challenge.
Speaker B:Number eight tackles how we measure success, settling for growth instead of multiplication.
Speaker B:What's the distinction he's making?
Speaker C:It's crucial.
Speaker C:While growth getting bigger isn't bad, he stresses that growth is not the same as multiplication.
Speaker C:Growth adds, multiplication replicates exponentially.
Speaker B:And revival for him isn't just about larger gatherings.
Speaker C:No, it's not just building bigger crowds.
Speaker C:It's about sending burning ones, People on fire, going out.
Speaker B:He says God is looking for movements, not monuments.
Speaker B:I like that.
Speaker C:Me too.
Speaker C:It shifts the focus entirely.
Speaker C:So the final shift is outward, about reproduction.
Speaker C:Raise up leaders, plant house churches, launch apostolic hubs.
Speaker B:What are apostolic hubs Exactly.
Speaker C:Think of them as centers for training, equipping, and sending people out on mission, like spiritual launching pads.
Speaker C:The whole point is to send people into the harvest.
Speaker B:So the focus becomes multiplying Kingdom influence.
Speaker C:Everywhere, not just counting heads on Sunday morning.
Speaker B:You know, looking back at all eight challenges and shifts, you see this pattern, don't you?
Speaker B:Moving from internal heart issues to our gatherings, to our structures, and finally to our outward mission.
Speaker C:Yeah, it's a comprehensive picture and it consistently points away from comfort, control and mere consumption towards deeper surrender, active faith and releasing God's power into the world.
Speaker B:It really is a call to action.
Speaker B:And again, if this deep dive is stirring something in you, if you're feeling that holy discontent and want practical tools and community to navigate these shifts, Glenn Blakeney's Kingdom Reformation.org is designed for exactly that.
Speaker C:Definitely.
Speaker C:It's about equipping leaders to actually walk this out.
Speaker C:So kingdomreformation.org so we've gone deep into.
Speaker B:Glenn Blakeney's article Awakening to Breaking out of Routine.
Speaker B:We've explored those key challenges keeping us stuck and the essential shifts needed for genuine revival.
Speaker C:And Glenn, through awakenations, really lays down a clear, I'd say compelling call.
Speaker C:It's a call for intentionality, for courage, for anyone who truly wants to see God's tangible presence and power released in a sustained way.
Speaker B:I think the way he concludes the article just perfectly reframes the whole thing.
Speaker B:Revival isn't something we manufacture, it's something we host.
Speaker C:That's good.
Speaker C:And that hosting happens, he says, when we choose to surrender again to purity, to presence and to power.
Speaker B:And not just for a feeling in a meeting.
Speaker C:No, but for real kingdom impact in the world.
Speaker C:It's got to translate outside the church walls.
Speaker B:His bottom line is so challenging, so clarifying.
Speaker B:You don't need the perfect building budget or branding.
Speaker B:You need a people hungry, holy and holy surrendered.
Speaker C:Wow, that cuts through a lot of excuses, doesn't it?
Speaker C:And he ends with this direct challenge.
Speaker C:Almost a this is your moment, refuse to settle for routine, burn again, and lead the people of God into their divine assignment.
Speaker B:Powerful stuff.
Speaker B:So, as we wrap up this deep dive, here's something to maybe chew on.
Speaker B:What might it actually look like for you, right where you are in your life, your work, your ministry, to shift from trying to manufacture spiritual results to simply hosting the presence and power of God.
Speaker B:And what comfortable routines might you need to break to make space for that?
Speaker D:Hey, everyone, Glenn Blakeney here.
Speaker D:Are you passionate about revival and reformation?
Speaker D:Do you want to deepen your understanding of five fold ministry and how to advance the Kingdom in every sphere of life, including the marketplace.
Speaker D:Well then, join the Kingdom Reformation Leaders Community Today.
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Speaker D:Don't miss this chance to grow in your calling and to contribute to the movement of revival and reformation advancing the Kingdom of God to cities and nations.
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