A CRY FOR REVIVAL
It is time to end our journey together as the “Revive Me” Conference quickly approaches. This will be my last issue as I will be leaving for California on Wednesday, excited to see what God has for each one of us. We have spent months in His Word allowing our hearts and minds to be open to all that He desires to do. You have been continually lifted up in prayer and we will now come together to seek Him corporately.
This is a good time for us to ponder the characteristics of biblical revival. There is little question that we, as a nation, stand in need of revival. America needs to turn back to God. As we look at the condition of our country we are amazed at the moral breakdown of society. Revival is a work of the Spirit and we don’t want to make the mistake of trying to engineer or manufacture a work of God; but there are characteristics of revival that we can glean from Scripture that open up our understanding. The Book of Acts is just one of many passages where we get a clear picture of “revival”.
Enjoy your time this week pondering these truths and ridding yourself of anything that might hinder God’s personal work of revival in you!
Revival is…
- “God’s quickening visitation of his people, touching their hearts and deepening his work of grace in their lives.” J. I. Packer
- “Extraordinary season of religious interest” Robert Baird
- “The sovereign act of God, in which He restores His own backsliding people to repentance, faith and obedience” Stephen Olford
- “Times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19) J. Edwin Orr
- “The awakening or quickening of God’s people to their true nature and purpose” Robert Coleman
- “The return of the Church from her backslidings, and the conversion of sinners”
Charles Finney
- “An extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results” Richard Owen Roberts
- “A community saturated with God” Duncan Campbell
- “The work of the Holy Spirit in restoring the people of God to a more vital spiritual life, witness, and work by prayer and the Word after repentance in crisis for their spiritual decline.” Earle Cairns
CHARACTERISTICS OF BIBLICAL REVIVAL
In a Biblical Revival God’s Glory is Revealed
The initial evidence of a Biblical revival is the Glory of God coming upon the people of God through the filling of the Spirit of God. This filling of God’s Spirit is actually His Glory revealed. Without the filling, there is no revival. On the day of Pentecost, the early believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).
In a Biblical Revival the Word of God is Respected
When God’s Spirit reveals Himself through preaching and teaching, the Word of God gains a new respect and appreciation – indeed, the people gladly received His Word (Acts 2:41). The early disciples boldly prayed, preached, and practiced the Word of God. As believers continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42), a new respect for the authority of His Word resulted.
In a Biblical Revival Believers are Renewed
The impact of God’s Glory being revealed and the Word of God being respected is the believers of God being renewed. God’s Glory on the day of Pentecost changed a band of disciples hiding behind closed doors for fear of the Jews (John 19:38) into a church of bold, courageous witnesses who caused everyone to stand in wonder and amazement (Acts 2:12). Revival is neither genuine nor Biblical if it leaves the believers unchanged.
In a Biblical Revival backsliders are Restored
Those first impacted by God’s Glory in revival are always those who are the closest to Him – i.e. the eleven (Acts 2:14). The greater the Glory revealed and the more significant the believers are renewed, the greater is the opportunity for revival to impact the peripheral Christian community
– Namely, the backsliders who have been living inconsistent lives. When God moved on the day of Pentecost, fear came upon every soul…And all that believed were together (Acts 2:43-44).
In a Biblical Revival Churches are Refreshed
The accumulative effect of God’s Glory being revealed, the Word of God being respected, believers being renewed, and backsliders being restored is the church becoming refreshed. Luke wrote in Acts that the churches (were) established in the faith, and increased in number daily (Acts 16:5).
In a Biblical Revival Sinners are Regenerated
Peter’s Pentecostal message went straight to the heart and brought about such conviction that the lost cried out, What shall we do? Peter properly responded by instructing them to repent (Acts 2:37-28). When the lost see the Glory of God in the church, they will believe the Gospel of Christ from the pulpit. Often sinners are not impacted by so-called revivals until they see the significant changes in the lives of God’s people. The regeneration of sinners is the by-product of genuine revival – it is never, nor should it ever be, the goal of revival. Encountering God is the goal of revival!
Note Acts 2:42; 5:14; and 11:18-24.
In a Biblical Revival Families are Reconciled
Scarred marriages and severed families are healed through the Holy Spirit during times of revival. God’s power in revival moved from house to house (Acts 2:46). It should be noted in those early chapters of Acts how often the church met in homes and how the fractured family of Jesus was restored. Soon those members of His family were in places of leadership within the Christian community. We must learn to view genuine revival as an encounter with God within the home and not just something that happens at the church building! Note Acts 2:46 and 15:1-15.
In a Biblical Revival Communities are Reformed
The ever-widening effect of revival is felt by the communities in which the church ministers. The Pentecost Revival cut across cultural, racial, and national differences and impacted the community to such an extent that those who were touched by it had all things in common and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need (Acts2:44-45). Many revival historians discount the accounts of revival until they see whole communities morally and socially reformed. Note Acts 2:8-12, 46 and 11:26.
As we each seek to be personally “revived”, there is no better example than Isaiah in chapter 6:1-8. Take some time to study this passage and you will certainly glean from his personal moment. It took the death of Uzziah that caused him to see God. This poses an important question for each one of us —-
What needs to die in our lives so that we can have a fresh vision of God? What is keeping us from travailing prayer and pouring our hearts out for more of God and for revival? Let’s be rid of whatever that is in each of our lives so that as we come together “revival” is already in the air!
Join us for a night of worship and prayer at Calvary Chapel Vista if you are in the area, Tuesday, Sept. 18th at 6:30 PM.
If you are not in the area we would love for you to join us from your home or church. Prayer is and was an important part of revival and we are going to use this time to worship Him and seek Him in all His glory.
Take some time to worship the Lord and ask Him to begin His work of revival in you!