Revival is more than a slogan or a meeting. Revival is when the people of God get right with God and experience him in his fullness. It is a fresh touch of the presence of the Lord. If you, Christian, want to experience revival in your own life and church, here are some things that need to happen.
1. Desire God. Hunger for more of him. God feeds this hunger. When we are more hungry for the Lord than we are for power, position, fame or fortune we are closer to revival than before. When we long to sit at the feet of Jesus and feast on his word and experience his presence we are closer to revival than before. You cannot experience revival without experiencing the Lord. Long for him and find that he fills that longing.
2. Pray fervently and expectantly. There is a power to prayer. Things happen through prayer that would not otherwise happen. The Revival of 1857-59 is often called the Prayer Revival because prayer was the focus. In fact, all revival begins with prayer. Prayer is not always popular but it is always powerful. That stirring in your heart to cry out to God in prayer is the beginning of the work God wants to do in and through you and your church.
3. Repent completely. God is holy and calls his children to holy lives. There is only one way to deal with sin– repent. Repentance is not just feeling sorry for getting caught or wishing things were better. Repentance is changing direction in action and attitude and obeying the Lord’s way instead of the world’s way. Repentance leads to forgiveness and restoration and renewal. Repentance, therefore, is the prerequisite to revival.
4. Obey immediately. You can’t obey God in the future tense, only the present. God wants us to obey him now because he loves us and wants what is best for us. Immediate obedience shows our faith, love and devotion. Excuses never work with God. The Welsh Revival was characterized by, among other things, prompt obedience. God wants obedience, not someday, but this day. When we begin to obey the Lord immediately we can experience God’s presence and become conduits of revival.
5. Follow fully. Is there an area of your life you have made off-limits to God? That will be the very area where the Holy Spirit convicts. God wants full surrender in every area of life. Whenever we give only partial surrender or fully surrender only limited areas, we miss God’s best. God wants every part, every aspect and every moment of you and your life. Giving him all of you is how you can experience all of him.
Wouldn’t you like more than just going through the motions of the Christian life? Wouldn’t you want something deeper than knowing about God’s work in others? Wouldn’t you enjoy greater closeness to the Lord who made you and saved you and loves you? Revival is what you are searching for.
Our nation needs revival as never before. Our world needs the impact of the revived church as never before. You personally need the presence and power of God that comes through revival as never before. There is good news. God still revives.
Experience revival!
Doug Munton 