What is revival? Revival is restitution or restoration to spiritual vigor. Revival is a reawakening of spiritual fervor. It is to revitalize the spiritual ardor of oneself, of a group of believers so as to reestablish the ability to win new members to Christ.
As Charles Spurgeon said, “Revival is to live again, to receive again a life which has almost expired, to rekindle into a flame the vital spark which was nearly extinguished.”
Why Do We Need Revival?
What a thought to know that someone who is spiritually alive needs reviving! The flame of life within their soul is dimming, like a candle, whose wax is slowly waning. There are some Christians who are like this, they are barely alive.
They have fallen away from their faith, like falling into quicksand, slowly descending further into its depths. They have grown cold and indifferent. They have become like the world.
Did you know that you can only revive something that once was alive? If it has never been alive, it cannot be revived, it can only be brought to life.
Psalm 85 speaks to those who have become lukewarm Christians. They are no longer on fire for the Lord. They have become casual Christians, only showing a spiritual side when it benefits their worldly desires.
- Psalm 85:1-3 points toward the mercy of God: “You, Lord.”
- Psalm 85:4-5 tells us to remember: “Restore us again.”
- Psalm 85:6 is about restoration: “Revive us again.”
The psalmist was requesting that God resuscitate his people or bring them back to life. God is equipped and is very capable of restoring the two, the churches and the people. He can shower us with his affections, taking and bringing us back to where we should be, adoring and worshiping him.
In a church hymnal, “Revive Us Again,” we sing:
We praise the Thee, O God! For the Son of Thy love, For Jesus Who died, And is now gone above. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Revive us again.
If we need restoration, if we need renewal, if we need revival in our congregation, in our family, or even in our individual spiritual life, we ought to seek out and request that God equip us with the renewing of his love, grace, and mercy.
How do we do this? This occurs through the continual use of CPR (Christ Providing Rejuvenation), and by obtaining a regularly scheduled spiritual exam, which is much like a physical.
In a church hymnal, “Search Me,” we sing:
Search me, O God, and know my heart today. Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me. Cleanse me from every sin, and set me free.
According to the Bible, we are to examine ourselves:
Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; (Psalm 26:2).
Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup (1 Corinthians 11:28).
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? (2 Corinthians 13:5).
Allowing a Revival in Our Hearts
While a genuine restoration or revival has a place only with God's children, it carries with it a gift for the other sheep who are not yet in the fold. If you drop a stone into a lake the ring extends consistently, until the farthest corner of the lake feels the impact.
When we allow the Lord to restore a believer, very soon their family, companions, and neighbors get a portion of that benefit; for when a Christian is resuscitated and revived, they pray more intensely for sinners.
Yearning and a cherishing petition for all of us who are sinners is one of the signs of a recovery in the reestablished heart.
Since salvation is necessary for everyone, the gift comes from those who hear the supplications (prayers); hence the kingdom increases by a revival.
Before long, the revived Christian talks about Jesus and the gospel; a great seed is planted, and the good seed is never lost, for he has said, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).
The good seed is that which is planted in the soil, and in the hearts. God readies the soil, with the goal that the seed rises for harvest. Subsequently, by the witness of the believers, another entryway of mercy opens up to humanity.
For a congregation that continually requires restoration and revival, it is a sign of possibly false teaching, unchallenging words, or lack of encouragement. A church congregation should be a camp of fighters, not a clinic of invalids.
In any case, there is much contrast between what should be and what is, and therefore a considerable number of the children of God are in such a tragic state of existence that the exceptionally fittest petition is for them to be revived.
Whenever Christians are resuscitated, they live more reliably. They make their homes all the more blessed and more joyful, and this drives those that do not know Christ to enquire after their joyfulness.
Unbelievers do long to fill the void in their hearts that only the Lord can fill. Their mouths water for the Living Water. Furthermore, there is another gift, for it drives men to look for the Savior.
Assuming that an unbeliever ventures into a church service where everyone is resuscitated, they will not fall asleep under the message.
The preacher will not allow them to do that, for this unbeliever sees that the person in the pulpit feels what he is preaching about and needs to be heard. This is an unmistakable increase, for the person tunes in with profound inclination.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit's power, which the preacher has received in reply to prayer happens upon the listener's heart and they are persuaded of their wrongdoing, of God’s righteousness, and of the judgment to come.
Christians who are on the watch around this unbeliever rush to tell them of the Savior and his redeeming blood, so that although the revival is for the people of God, its consequence no man can restrict.
Why Does Revival for Believers Matter?
Let us look for a revival now and throughout the year so that the new year might open with a plentiful beatitude. We should promise ourselves to create a supplication association (prayer group), a consecrated band of prayer warriors, and may God do unto us as per our faith.
Revival is the product of all Christians praying and seeking the Holy Spirit’s presence. The product of a revival is the rejoicing for the one that was slipping away and now that has been brought back to life.
For further reading:
What Is a Spiritual Awakening and Are We Experiencing One Now?
A Glimpse of Revival Under King Hezekiah
How Can I Disciple a New Believer?
What Does the Bible Say about Growing Good Seeds?
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