What is revival?

I have heard this so much when I was under the Assemblies of God umbrella. Revival is coming. People would prophesy revival is coming............in the mid 90s Rodney Howard Browne comes through and proclaims revival is here with the laughing stuff he had going then it fizzled out.......then new 'evangelists' and 'prophet's come on the scene declaring it once again. Foolishness is what I am seeing and hearing from these people.

I always hear a nostalgia type of thing when it comes to revival like Azusa street or the Great Awakening but it seems that if something like that happened today then it doesn't count? i.e. is Rodney Howard Browne written down in history has a 'revival'? How many on this board are aware of him and what he did? Toronto blessing stuff. It also happened in Lakeland which is where I was.

I am not longer under the AG umbrella

What of revival? What does it look like to you and what do you think has to happen for it to be a part of history?

Well, I am certainly not an expert on the subject, while I have done some reading and studying on the subject as many on this forum also have, it is something that is often on my mind and in my prayer time.

If we stick to what we see in the Word, it is always a return to the Lord, in repentance and humility. In our day it probably begins on the personal level (that's where I am). Following some of Finney's advice with deep contrition and confession, followed by lots of thanks, praise and worshiping.

This, then leads to affecting all of my relationships at work, rest and play. I begin walking in love. I have unspeakable joy which comes from the Presence of the Lord. You cannot hide this! Either you have it or you don't.

Since we have few leaders who will proclaim a fast, we must take it on between us and the Lord. Most 'revivals' I am aware of started like this. People,unknown, seeking the Lord with no agenda but Him.

What it looks like can be seen in at least one instance in Ezra 3:11-13. In the public gathering, we see and hear God's people shouting and weeping for joy. The old timers who remembered the former days wept and shouted! I'd like to hear some of that today!

This of course can only be sustained as we God's people walk uprightly and continue to live out the first works and embrace our first love.

Life to you as you press in.

Rusty

Revival is a outpouring of the Spirit of God, as the result of intercession and prayer in which Christians are revived, renewed, and made aware of the presence of God. There is much repentance that takes place, and often the revival is not confined to churches but a entire region can come under the influence of the Spirit of God in which there is an awareness of God in which many backsliders come back to the Lord, and there are massive and powerful conversions.

"Let us never think that a real revival can ever occur unless it is characterized by a return to that great and final sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who is the eternal propitiation for our sins, and by whose precious blood atonement was forever provided for all who would confess their sins, and receive the gift of eternal life. As long as there is an ignoring of the Cross, or an abhorrence of the precious blood of the Son of God, as there is on the part of a great multitude today, even in the Christian church, a revival cannot come, at least a revival that saves the souls of men. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, and unless the blood of Christ is preached, and the Cross lifted high before the eyes of men, how can men ever be saved, and unless men are saved, in any great religious movement, what right have we to call such a movement a real revival? There is no forgiveness apart from the Cross, God is not reconciled apart from the Cross, eternal life will never be conferred apart from the death of Christ, and if then all our efforts are in vain, and whatever a religious movement accomplishes, it is not a revival."

From "Therefore Stand: A Plea for a Vigorous Apologetic In The Present Crisis of Evangelical Christianity” by Wilbur Moorehead Smith (1894”“1976).

Having been in MANY churches that preach revival I have come to this conclusion: Revival is a term used to excuse men for falling short of walking in the Truth God has set before them and it is an excuse for why they lack the power they read about in the New Testament saints. It is to shift the blame onto God for not sending something down (but disguised in righteousness) when in reality the Word is very near to us, in our mouth and in our hearts and Today is the day of salvation. Nothing in the New Testament tells us to wait for a revival but rather to walk in the newness of life. We don't have to wait for anything! The Lord has said to walk, let us walk!