What is Revival?
Today
the word revival means many things to many people. Many see it as a
series of “special” meetings with a “special, lively” speaker. Others
see revival as a style or type of service. Some equate revival with the
style of music that is played and the “freedom” in worship. Then there
are those who think it pertains to certain manifestations. Some even
see revival as “church growth.” Still others see it as cry in their
heart to God to restore the Church, the Bride of Christ back to what he
desired it to be as we see in the Bible.
Webster’s Dictionary says revival is an act or instance of reviving: the
state of being revived; a renewed attention to or interest in something;
a restoration of force, validity, or effect; the act or an instance of
bringing something back to life, public attention, or vigorous
activity. Some synonyms are: reanimation, rebirth, regeneration,
rejuvenation, renewal, resurgence, resurrection, resuscitation,
revitalization.
The Church of today needs
revival. To our society and world it has become antiquated and
powerless, no different than an AA meeting, a lodge, or some other
social group. They are full of good programs and encouraging speakers,
but lack the presence of God which brings life. They live their lives
as they see fit without considering what God has to say on things.
It is true there has been the
beginning ebbs and flow of revival in many places. Revival with the
biblically key components of returning to God with their whole heart,
returning to not just reading the Word of God, but also living it out in
the daily life, and a return to true worship that creates an atmosphere
where the Presence of God can come.
The Church has to be revived
and return to God’s plan before it can ever effectively reach a lost and
dying world. A people that has seen the ups and down of the religious
systems and social systems; a people that is looking for someone,
something that is real in a shaking world.
When Jesus came to the earth
as a baby, he came into a world much like ours today, in government,
society, and the “church”. A society that had professed to “know” God,
but lived their lives however they wanted. He shook up all aspects of
the world he walked into; challenging the corrupt religious system and
the complacent “believers”. He spoke words of life back into them. He
brought revival to his world. He reestablished what was set by God from
the beginning as to how the people of God were to live and act. Through
His life, death, and resurrection restored fellowship with God back to
man.
We see the results of His
teaching in pattern all through the book of Acts. The Church was
empowered by the Holy Spirit, there was unity, prayer, communion, signs
& wonders, healings & miracles, judgment of sin, the fear of God, and
they too shook up the world around them. When you read and see these
things in place the results continually were “And the Lord added to the
church daily those who were being saved.”
Today Jesus once again is
trying to revive His Church to prepare it for His return. We see the
church is as Timothy warned in 2 Timothy 3:1-5,
“1 You should know this,
Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For
people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful
and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and
ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving
and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They
will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends,
be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God.
5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could
make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
(Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale
Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All
rights reserved.)
The Holy Spirit is moving
throughout the churches of the world calling for the church to Awaken.
His desire is to breathe the breath of life back into that which is
dying and/or dead. The Lord of Glory is riding through the cities
knocking on the doors of the churches to see who will answer His call to
arise and follow Him. God the Father is watching to see what the church
will do.
This is revival: The Church
who has awakened from its sleep; The Church who once again walks in the
power and authority of Jesus once again; The Church crying out to God in
intercession on behalf of others who are not yet awake; The Church
interceding on behalf of a lost and dying world to find Jesus; The
Church whose worship is not just lip service, but from the heart as it
says in Matthew 15:8-9,
“8 'These people honor me with
their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 Their worship is a
farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"
(Holy Bible, New
Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable
Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights
reserved.)
Revival is hungry people with
a holy desperation to see God move once again in the midst of His Church
and across this world.
Our cry here at Gateway
Worship Center is, “Lord, send revival. Send it here, send it to our
city, send it across this nation. Restore your church once again so
that Your harvest will have storehouses that are right with you, clean
and pure. Lord we your Church need Revival.”
Donna Conley - April 13, 2009
