"REVIVAL" (Part 3)

Understanding Revival and the importance of Prayer

What is Revival? 

We have defined revival as:

“The work of the Holy Spirit in restoring the people of God to a more vital spiritual life, witness, and work, by prayer and God’s Word, following repentance; the awakening or quickening of God's people to their true nature and purpose; an extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.”

Revival starts with each of us - individually. We do not need to go someplace to find it. We don’t have to travel across the world to find it. Revival starts in the heart and life of every believer. Revival is filled with both power and obedience.

With any authentic “God-sent” revival, there is an understanding that comes: we are not where we should be. Whether it be in our lifestyle, our effectiveness, or our love relationship with Jesus Christ, we recognize that things need to change and that it needs to begin with us.

The Characteristics of Revival:

• It raises our esteem, respect, honor, admiration, and love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
• Believers have a greater love, reliance, and response to God’s Word.
• Believers clearly know spiritual truth from error.
• Believers have a renewed love for God and others.
• The enemy’s stronghold on the believer’s mind and will is destroyed because of “genuine repentance.”

Repentance is turning from going your own way to go God’s way; turning towards God and away from anything that dishonors Him.

Repentance is not about our emotions, our sin, our efforts, or our resolve. It’s about our complete – total surrender to God. 

Repentance is not about feeling remorse, regret, and shame, it’s about God, who loves us and desires that everyone would come to repentance. {2 Peter 3:9}

Repentance leads to life. {Acts 11:18}

Repent: to be convinced of another way; to have a change of heart, mind and direction; to be convinced in your mind and heart, to change your actions.

Acts 17:30: “God overlooked the times when people didn’t know any better. But now He commands everyone everywhere (repent) turn to Him and change the way they think and act.”

Why is Prayer important to Revival? 

Because revival always begins with prayer!

Habakkuk 3:1-2:

A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet (a prayer song sung with music):

“Lord, I have heard the report about You, and I fear. O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years, In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” 

Habakkuk’s prayer song is actually a recital of what God has done in the past history of His people. In view of the fact that He has done it in the past, He intends to do it again in the future; that is the thought here. We can depend upon God continuing to do what He has done in the past.

Directives relative to Revival:

• We need to pray individually, and we need to pray together for revival.
• Our church must make prayer one of its chief concerns and principal undertakings.
• Don’t pray for revival unless we’re willing to be revived; God begins with each of us individually, and it might be painful.
• God is not concerned about the “phraseology” of our prayers.
• We do not possess the power to revive God’s work: God must do that.

Prayer is paramount to the life of the Church. It is not our learning, it is not our logic, it is not our intellectual powers, certainly not our eloquence that God needs. God wants our hearts, and if we could only become, in a deeper sense than we ever have been, a praying church, there is nothing we could not do! We need to be of one mind and heart, surrendering to God without agendas; without telling God how He should bring revival. Revival is characterized by confession, repentance, and reconciliation. Sins that had long since been excused are seen as serious matters that need to be addressed. 

A Description of Revival -"what does it look like?" 

{Isaiah 6:1-8}

"In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a very high throne. His long robe filled the Temple. Heavenly creatures of fire stood above Him. Each creature had six wings: it used two wings to cover its face, two wings to cover its feet, and two wings for flying. Each creature was calling to the others: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord All-Powerful. His glory fills the whole earth.“ Their calling caused the frame around the door to shake, as the Temple filled with smoke. I said, “Oh, no! I will be destroyed. I am not pure, and I live among people who are not pure, but I have seen the King, the Lord All-Powerful.“ One of the heavenly creatures used a pair of tongs to take a hot coal from the altar. Then he flew to me with the hot coal in his hand. The creature touched my mouth with the hot coal and said, “Look, your guilt is taken away, because this hot coal has touched your lips. Your sin is taken away.“ Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom can I send? Who will go for us?“ So I said, “Here I am. Send me!“ 

• Our need for a fresh touch from God. {verse:1a}
• We see God as He really is. {verses:1b – 4}
• Our sinfulness and need for cleansing. {verse: 5}
• God’s gracious provision. {verses: 6-7}
• The mission {verse: 8a}
• The response of joyful obedience. {verse: 8b}

The Results of Revival

• Salvation
• Peace
• Glory
• Harmony
• Increase
• Provision