When I look at my own life since my spiritual rebirth in May 1988 in the little South Coast town of Mosel Bay in South Africa, I can distinctly see times of ‘revival’ in my own spiritual walk. These personal times of revival may not have had the worldwide impact of a ‘Wesleyan Welsh Revival’ in the 18th Century or a more modern revival like the ‘Toronto Blessing’ or the Brownsville Revival’ both in the 1990’s, but on a personal level they have certainly had a tremendous life-changing impact on me and have inspired and enhanced my personal walk with Jesus.
What is revival and what is its purpose?
Most modern dictionaries today will describe the word revival as something like this:
an improvement in the condition of someone or something, a strengthening of someone or something. The strengthening of the fortunes of someone or something.
Or
an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again.
God, by the power of His Holy Spirit, has been instigating personal and corporate revivals from the time of creation! He is and wants to be continually and intimately involved in a personal relationship with each and every one of us and He actively pursues this relationship through the power of the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus. This is why Jesus sent the Comforter to us when he ascended into heaven.
John 16:12-15 (NIV)
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
Jeremiah 33:3 (AMP)
‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’
Ok then, if you want a definition of spiritual revival then I’m going to give you two, one for personal revival and one for corporate revival, here they come, my best shot and I’m pretty sure you will be able to improve on them.
Personal:
Spiritual revival is a sovereign move of God through the power of the Holy Spirit that is designed specifically for an individual believer to be re-energised and restored out of a period of slumber or stagnation that has stalled his/her walk to maturity and servanthood into a righteous and holy personal relationship with Jesus.
Corporate:
Spiritual revival is a sovereign move of God through the power of the Holy Spirit upon His chosen people (the Church) that is designed specifically to draw the lost to salvation and empower his children to witness effectively to the lost in the power of the Holy Spirit being physically evidenced in miracles, signs and wonders, deliverance and healings, to bring glory to His son Jesus.
The corporate definition is what took place at Pentecost (Acts 2) where God poured out his Holy Spirit and many unbelievers came to salvation and the disciples and others began their ministries in the power of the Holy Spirit and the Lord added to the numbers of those being saved daily!
Acts 2:2-4 (KJV)
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:47 (KJV)
Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Now let’s get something straight here, revival is not a new phenomenon and when I say new, I mean it is not just a New Testament or a ‘today’ thing, as the writer of Ecclesiastes says, there is nothing new under the sun!
Ecc 1:9 (KJV)
The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
There is no knew thing under the sun, God is the same yesterday, today and always, He is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end.
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Revelation 22:13 (NIV)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
God knows those who are his. God knows those who will heed His salvation call. He gives us so many chances to respond to His call through the power of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of Jesus!
One of the ways the God has used and still uses and will continue to use is through revival by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the lives of ‘men’ in His Church. It is the Holy Spirit that draws us to Jesus for our salvation. God will continue to bring revival to us, His Church, both corporately and individually. God has done this from the beginning of man’s days, and He will continue to do so until Jesus comes again. It’s all about Jesus, all glory to the Son!
The book of Judges is a prime example of this, God brought revival by the power of the Holy Spirit and through those individuals (the Judges) He brought revival to the nation of Israel. He also did this through some of the Kings and prophets and other individuals like Mordecai and Esther.
God brought revival to individuals and to the Church of the time through the ministry of Jesus. Jesus moved in the power of the Holy Spirit. His very birth was through the power of the Holy Spirit. The miracles, signs and wonders he performed were all done in the power of the Holy Spirit. All these things brought revival to his chosen people.
At the betrayal of Jesus by Judas and when he was arrested, the disciples fled in fear and panic and Peter denied him three times soon thereafter. I guess you could say that they became ‘unrevived’ – this is probably not even a proper word, but I hope you get my meaning in this context.
Matthew 26:33-35 (NIV)
33 Peter replied, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.”
34 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “this very night, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”
35 But Peter declared, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the other disciples said the same.
Matthew 26:56 (NIV)
But this has all taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Now this situation didn’t take God by surprise in any way, remember he is the beginning and the end; nothing is a surprise to Him! He wrote the script for us, and he doesn’t change His mind, what He has ordained will come to pass when we follow His ways and are being led by the Holy Spirit!
OK so here we have a bunch of freaked out and ‘unrevived’ disciples who watch the crucifixion of Jesus and are terrified! Without their leader they decide to give up and go back to their old jobs; let’s go fishing is the general consensus; forgetting everything they’ve been taught and all the miracles they have witnessed.
Yes, I’ve been there and done that! I expect some of you have too. But God brings revival to the disciples through the power of the Holy Spirit and he does the same for us! Look what happens next.
Jesus is resurrected after three days by the power of the Holy Spirit and he appears to the disciples and many others and just before his ascension into heaven, he tells the disciples that he is going to the Father and that he will send them the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) and tells them to go and wait in Jerusalem and they will receive power from on high. He then ascends into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
Now the disciples are still a bit unsure of themselves and are still in a state of ‘unrevival’ but they obey the Lord’s instructions and return to Jerusalem to wait for power from on high, but I don’t think they fully understood what that meant.
When the disciples went back to Jerusalem, they gathered together to pray in one accord in an upper room, together with some other close followers of Jesus.
Acts 1:12-14 (KJV)
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Ok. So now remember this bit because I’m going to say it big and bold so that you won’t forget:
It is the prayers of the saints (the Church), praying in unity and in one accord that ushers in revival in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now why do I say this? Well turn with me in your bible to Acts 2. Excuse me! You haven’t got your bible with you? Naughty, naughty! Go and fetch it quickly or switch on your electronic version.
After the upper room prayer meeting, we move on to the day of Pentecost and look what happens now!
Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Here we have it then, REVIVAL, in a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a mighty wind and tongues of fire! The very first Pentecostal revival meeting energising, empowering and equipping the saints to step out and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit, performing miracles and signs and wonders and drawing the lost to salvation in Christ Jesus – to His glory!
This was an explosion of new life within the Church which resulted in a blessing to the sick, the possessed, and the lost, this is what revival is all about.
Look around you child of God, look at the news, walk in the streets, society is breaking down fast and getting worse by the day. Rally around my brothers and sisters, gather the saints, sound the trumpet and call out to God, Church. Pray for revival in one accord – the world needs the saints to be revived, the world needs revival, the world needs JESUS, and we need a mighty outpouring of his Holy Spirit upon the Church – a mighty wind and a mighty flame!
The Church should be praying for revival in unity and in one accord. A revival that will not just be a one off occurrence but one of a continual refreshing of the Church. A revival that will not end until He has come again!
Let’s take a quick look at the amazing things that happened in this Holy Spirit inspired revival at Pentecost in bullet form and fired from the gun of the Holy Spirit!
- The disciples and the Church are revived and filled with the Holy Spirit.
- The disciples measure of faith is increased, and they begin to minister in power and boldness.
- Miracles, signs and wonders accompany their ministry.
- Thousands of unbelievers get saved.
- The sick are healed, and demons are cast out, setting people free.
- Paul is converted on the Damascus Road.
- The gospel of salvation is spread to both Jew and Gentile across the known world of the time.
- The infilling of the Holy Spirit is spread to others by the laying on of hands.
- And much, much more!
1. It is a sovereign move of God in the out-pouring of the Holy Spirit on His Church to energise, restore and empower the Church to fulfil its destiny – individually and corporately!
Joel 2:28 (NIV)
28 “And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days.
2. It restores an individual – such as a returning prodigal son as in Luke 15:11-32 and like the restoration of the Apostle Peter after he had denied the Lord three times!
John 21:15-17 (NIV)
Jesus Reinstates Peter
15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
3. It empowers the Church to move in the power of the Holy Spirit performing miracles, signs and wonders.
John 14:12 (NIV)
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
Acts 4:1:8 (NIV)
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
4. It draws the lost to salvation.
Acts 2:41 (NIV)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 4:4 (NIV)
But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.
5. It inspires prophecy and the other gifts of the Spirit thus enabling God’s children to hear His voice and to know His will so that the Fruit of the Spirit can be manifest in us and through us!
1 Corinthians 12:31 (AMP)
But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal].
And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love].
1 Corinthians 14:1 (AMP)
Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].
Prayer:
Heavenly Father
I pray in the name of Jesus that you would fill me with your Holy Spirit and bring revival to my heart and that would empower me to walk on the path that you have planned for my life! I pray too, Lord, that you would pour out your Holy Spirit on your sons and daughters across the world that would spark a revival such as the world has never seen before. A revival that would bring salvation to those that you have chosen. A revival that will continue until you come again. Amen.
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus, the Name above all names!
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