Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
I have discovered some believers do not like the term revival. Maybe it is because they have seen the excess and problems associated with revivals or people calling events or meetings revival that are not really revival. Even worse, there are believers who do not like revival. They may like the concept of revival, but when revival shows up they head for the door. Regardless of our theology, opinion and philosophy revival is integral to God’s plan for men.
What is revival? I see revival as a time of unusual blessing and activity in the life of the believer and church. Revival means awakening and stimulating the life of Christ within us and bringing it to the forefront of our lives. A revival is not the church deciding to do something and doing it. It is something that is done to us, something that happens to us.
That something is the Holy Spirit coming down upon us. It is a special visitation of the Holy Spirit, or another phrase we like to use is an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Most times revival comes when the church gathers together as we typically do and suddenly we become aware of His presence, we are aware of the majesty and the awe of God. The Holy Spirit literally seems to be presiding over the meeting and taking charge of it, and manifesting His power and guiding, leading and directing us.
What are some of the things that happen in revivals? Every revival in Scripture and church history is unique, but there are some things that happen in most revivals. One of the things that is pretty common and we have experienced is we begin to have a heightened awareness of the spiritual world.
There is tangible presence, electricity in the atmosphere at times. Scriptures that we have heard and read a thousand times suddenly have new life and meaning. The Holy Spirit enlightens our mind and the understanding (Luke 24:45). We begin not only to see things clearly but also experience the power of the age to come manifesting upon us (Heb. 6:5).
Worship and singing takes on a new level of passion and conviction. I have seen people who had been pew warmers suddenly become some of the most passionate people in the room. It is because we are much more aware of the goodness and love of God. It is no longer simply a theological truth, but a living reality in our midst.
We are accelerated in revival (1 Sam. 10:6). That means the Holy Spirit takes you down the road spiritually much quicker and further than in normal times. Gifting, anointing, authority and calling are all enhanced and upgraded in revival. We lose tolerance for sin and compromise in our lives during revival. We have a heightened sense of hunger for spiritual things. The Scriptures become interesting, prayer is joyful, and we give liberally of time, talents and money. We see the gatherings with the saints as the high privilege that it truly is.
Psalm 110:3 finds fulfillment in revival. “Your people are willing in the day of your power.” New ministries are birthed and dreams, visions and revelations become the order of the day (Acts 2). Missions become a priority. The poor are helped. More people are saved, healed and delivered during revivals. I have seen shy and timid people become bold as lions during revivals. Young people and children are touched and are much more involved in the life of the church during revival.
Some revivals birth awakenings in communities and even nations. America’s two great spiritual awakenings began with revival in local churches. Those awakenings prepared our nation for some of our darkest times. Looking back at own experience with the Holy Spirit River, I see that revival prepared us for the dark days that lay ahead of us.
I could go on and on about how awesome revival really is, but my heart’s cry is, “Lord, give us a new revival.”
Many Blessings, BW