SEARCHLIGHT
What are you doing to help spur a revival and spiritual awakening?
SCRIPTURE
Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation. Psalm 85:6 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
Between 1725 and 1760, there was a series of revivals in the American colonies that have become known as the Great Awakening. Through the heartfelt preaching of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield and others, people began to experience a reverential fear of God. Edwards wrote that many people had significant personality and behavioral changes brought about by the divine work of the Holy Spirit. These changes were expressed in a desire to worship God, unselfish love, and a strong desire to live a Godly life. One tremendous evidence was the antislavery sentiment which developed. Another contribution was in the area of education. Princeton, Rutgers, Brown, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania were established as a result of people open to encountering God in a personal way.
Revival is a word which has a Latin root meaning “to live again.” In Jonah 3, you will read about the Ninevite revival. Thousands of people were impacted. It had a widespread reach from the poorest to the elite as seen by the King who repented of his sin and turned to God. Upon studying revivals that have happened in history, 6 facts stand out:
- Revival is always preceded by prayer. Individuals and small groups of people gather together to earnestly pray for revival to come to their community, city, and country. In the above Scripture focus, you read such sincere prayer for God to reveal Himself to masses of people once again. Read 2 Chronicles 7:14.
- Revival always begins with repentance. People become aware that they have ignored or forgotten about God, who created them and gave them breath to live. They realize they have turned away from God and decide to turn back to God, their Creator/Maker. In the above Scripture focus, the prayer is a sincere request for salvation and a need for personal spiritual renewal. Read 1 John 2:15-17.
- Revival always includes humility. Arrogance keeps a man’s mind on himself. He attributes his success to his ingenuity and hard work. Humility begins with understanding that every good thing man receives is due to God’s blessing and God giving man the abilities to think and produce. Humility is when man becomes successful but has no right to boast. Read James 4:10.
- Revival always produces obedience. Before revival comes, people are rejoicing in themselves and in their own successes. They follow their desires, ambitions, and decisions. They revel in what they have produced and accumulated in wealth. They are focused on their possessions. In the above Scripture focus, revival leads people to rejoice in God. Their desires change to hearing and obeying God. The Bible becomes their highest authority. They recognize that wealth and even health can be here today but gone tomorrow. Only God is worthy of their obedience. He can be counted on because He is God.
- Revival always focuses on Jesus Christ. In the Scripture focus, the Psalmist prays for God to reveal His love. God’s greatest revelation of love was when He sent His Son into the world to save people from their sin. Revival brings a longing to know God in a personal way. People realize there is something more to life than getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, going to bed, only to repeat that cycle the next day. Jesus Christ promised both eternal life and abundant life. [John 3:16; 10:10] The first happens in heaven and the second happens here on earth. Revival redirects people’s attention to focus on Jesus Christ shepherding them throughout life. Read John 10.
- Revival always results in the conversion of sinners. Revival impacts many people. Revival is personal but far reaching. One spark can start a forest fire. “It only takes a spark to get a fire going...That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it, you spread His love to everyone, you want to pass it on.” When God answers the prayer of Psalm 85:6, many people begin to live again. People tell people how God has changed their lives and blessed them with Godly living.
SOMETHING TO DO
When you pray Psalm 85:6, the 6 facts about revival will lead you to ask yourself 6 personal questions. Take some “alone” time to answer the following:
- Am I interceding for revival?
- Is there anything I need to repent of today?
- Am I giving all praise to God and staying out of the limelight?
- Am I willing to do whatever Jesus Christ teaches and instructs me from the Bible?
- Do I long to be more like Jesus Christ?
- Am I consciously longing to share my faith?
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Lord God, will you give me new life again so that I may live as You have created me to live? Will you bring me back to the quality of life that Adam and Eve had in the Garden of Eden before they sinned? Forgive me of my sin. Show me Your ways. I will rejoice in Who you are and all You do for me. AMEN!