Why I believe in Revival

Revival is understood in many ways as I wrote about in my last blog. The word revival  comes from a longer phrase “revival of religion” according to Geoff Waugh in the introduction of his book, Revival Fires. As we normally do with phrases, we have shorted it to just one word, revival.

It was used to signify an interest in the Christian religion with many people giving their lives to Christ and church buildings being filled with seekers. It is God drawing people to Himself in large numbers. A passion for God and for godliness follow these revivals of religion.

I believe that God is still doing this. It looks different in various cultures and times but it is a revival of religion with fruit of godliness, passion for God and people giving their lives to Christ. These events are almost always started with a spark. Something happens that seems to usher in these times of revival. This spark was the catalyst that caught flame.

The spark was normally a preacher in connection with something unusual happening. This could have been an unusual conviction on people, presence of God rushing in, prophetic act, healing, miracle, supernatural wonder, or reality of God that broke into a group of people.  When these landed on the hearts of willing vessels the flame of revival was birthed.

We must not mistake revival as a healing service, an evangelistic crusade or the Church being revived to do the supernatural on the streets. Those events may be the spark but revival is connected with the response to God showing up in a manifest way. Revival is not the spark but the response to that spark.

It is because God is still lighting the hearts of people aflame with a passion for Him, with godliness and with robbing Hell that I still believe in revival. Revival is a heightened spiritual activity that comes from an outpouring of God’s Spirit (spark) on a small group of people who know how to honor that outpouring. I will look at this in more depth in another blog. May the fire burn in your heart!