Revival | SermonIndex

Since when is revival an act of men? Yes we pray, and God can respond. But what is it that will bring real revival? An outpouring of the Holy Spirit?

Revival is not a function of a nation. That is the most unscriptural idea I have ever heard. The single greatest revival in the bible took place in a completely pagan city called Ninevah. It happend in response to God prophetic message of his judgement, in spite of the prophets protest.

To define revival, it must be said that it is not just a recommitment to God but an act of mercy from God himself in respone to real repentance and prayer.

Our problem is that we think that revival will take place with us in our current state. Without trivail, without pain, without sacrifice and especially without prayer. No revival in recorded history came without any of these. Unless the church, like the barren women of the OT, cries out to God without ceasing, this topic is a waste of time.

As Ravenhill said, "Unless the church is willing to say, like Rebecca, "Give me children lest I die"; Unless we are willing to say give me revival or give me death, nothing will change".

We want fast food, convenience store, microwave, instant gratification revival. As a result, we have no concept of the endurance in prayer necessary nor are we willing to wait.

Hi bigd3862,

I like your post. I like your definition of revival, too.

The thing which always comes to me about this topic is the absence of its mention in the New Testament. However, Jesus did mention many other relevant aspects of church life, such as not putting up with any false doctrine (Revelation 2 and 3) and, the ~~[i]~~~~[b]~~need[/i][/b] to ~~[u]~~reap[/u] the harvest which was ripe already, even then (John 4).

Personally, I'm coming to feel the need to reap as much more pressing than the sparking of revival. People in churches must know just a little about prayer, and if they have not made it their business to break through into the presence of God, trusting His love which draws them, then, like the man who buried his talent wrapped in a napkin, there may be weeping and gnashing of teeth in store for them.

I say all this bearing in mind the fragility of self-assurance, which must never give way to complacency about my own salvation. I just read this tonight:

John 20:31
But these are written, that ye might believe that ~~[b]~~Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God[/b]; and that ~~[b]~~believing[/b] ye might ~~[b]~~have life through his name[/b].