The theme of revival is taught clearly in the Bible and is integral to the exciting, worldwide redemptive purpose of God. There are occasions when the Lord pours out the Holy Spirit in greater degrees of power to enliven the church and save many people within a brief timespan. At such times, God’s kingdom advances extensively. Only the Lord can do this, when and where he pleases.
We must connect this ‘extra-ordinary’ work of the Holy Spirit in revival with the ‘on-going’ work of the Spirit within all Christians. Ignoring these two aspects can cause confusion and discouragement. The Spirit’s work supremely is to glorify Christ (John 16:14). He loves to shine the searchlight on the person and work of the Lord Jesus when he is preached and witnessed to. This is the normal way the Holy Spirit brings sinners from spiritual death to new life in Christ (John 3:3-7; Eph. 2:1-10); this work by the Spirit continues in sanctifying, strengthening and quickening believers. The same Holy Spirit works in revival; the difference being one of degrees in power, but all believers are indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9-11).
In the Bible, there is both a personal and a corporate dimension to reviving.
Personal reviving
The Hebrew verb often translated as ‘revive’ or ‘enliven’ is used over 260 times in the Old Testament with different connotations. Sometimes, it describes the spiritual enlivening of individual believers.
In Psalm 119, for example, this verb is used several times, expressing prayer for personal quickening/enlivening in a context of personal need and difficult circumstances. Here are two of them:
My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word (Ps. 119:25).
I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word (Ps. 119:107).
The psalmist, overwhelmed by sorrow and fear, longed for the Lord’s grace and fresh spiritual life. He prayed for personal ‘reviving’ through God’s Word, for it is God’s instrument for dealing with us. The Bible, with its doctrines, promises, history and principles, is how the Lord loves to minister grace and blessing by the Spirit to us. That is why the psalmist prays for personal reviving through God’s Word.
All Christians need this aspect of personal reviving, which is linked inseparably to hearing and reading this precious Word. Do you engage with the Lord in his Word? Make this a priority in your life.
To encourage you, remember that all believers are joined intimately to the Lord Jesus like a branch joined to, and dependent on, the vine (John 15:1-8) for sustenance and fruitfulness. He is sufficient for all our needs. The Lord is in a love relationship with believers, for he loved and gave himself for our salvation (1 John; 2 Cor. 5:17-21). You have the privilege of enjoying and loving him (Deut. 6:4-5; John 14:23; 21:15-19; Rom. 12:1-2). Is he waiting for you to seek him (Rev. 3:20)? Do not despair. The Lord can restore you to a closer relationship with himself, but he will do so as the Holy Spirit quickens you through the Bible. A personal challenge to us all!
Corporate reviving
The divine work of reviving also occurs corporately in the church, even within the Old Testament. For example, in 1 Samuel chapter 7 and 2 Chronicles chapters 20 and 29-32, we have at least three examples of an unusual degree of enlivening which began with a godly leader, the public teaching of God’s Word, earnest prayer and corporate, genuine repentance before God. Remarkable success was then enjoyed under the Lord’s powerful blessing and intervention. This was also true when Haggai and Zechariah preached repentance and ‘the Lord stirred up’ or ‘awakened’ the leaders as the remnant obeyed God (Hag. 1:12-14). They were given a corporate awareness of God’s glory and awesome presence. The fifth vision given to Zechariah (Zech. 4:1-6) in that situation emphasises the regular working of the Holy Spirit in the church, in both Testaments. The lampstand imagery found there in Zechariah is also used in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The church, however discouraged and weak, depends on the Spirit for its life and growth.
Psalm 85:16 is a prayer for corporate reviving in a similar context:
Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?
After seventy years of captivity in Babylon, the early exiles experienced difficulties when returning home, so they prayed to their covenant-keeping God to revive and help them in their desperate, lifeless condition. (See also Ps. 80:18.)
There were a small number of revivals in the Old Testament, but this does not detract from the uniqueness of Pentecost in Acts 2. What happened at Pentecost was unique, for the enthroned Lord Jesus Christ, as head of the church, poured the Holy Spirit upon the church, which now became the Body of Christ and international. Pentecost marked the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecies (e.g. Is. 58:11; Ez. 47:1-12; Zech. 14:8 ) as well as the promises given by the Lord Jesus (John 7:37-39; John 14-16) that the church would be marked by an abundance of the Spirit to empower gospel preaching, initially by the apostles. The cloud that burst uniquely on the church at Pentecost had been in the sky for centuries, with drops from that cloud falling occasionally on the Old Testament church. However, at Pentecost the cloud burst and so the Spirit ‘filled’ the apostles. This has been likened to the ‘epicentre’ with further movement or ‘pouring’ out of the Spirit in power on many occasions in the New Testament and church history.
Acts chapter 4 is compelling evidence of the Holy Spirit in extra-ordinary power post-Pentecost, filling and empowering Peter (Acts 4:23-31) in his preaching, resulting in a vast number of converts. This again was in the context of corporate prayer. Similar examples are found in Acts 6:7-8, 8:5-6 and 10:44. Notice how Stephen was ‘full of faith and power’ and that his preaching resulted in great numbers of people trusting Christ, including priests. Also, the response to Philip’s preaching in Samaria impacted the city extensively. This was true for the apostle Paul, whose preaching was the means of bringing multitudes of people in many cities and countries to Christ. Paul’s prayers for the young churches that had been planted were neither trivial nor selfish. He was concerned for believers to grow in grace and holiness under the ongoing work of the Spirit and for the same Holy Spirit to work corporately in reviving his people. Read and reflect on these prayers regularly and make them your prayers (1 Thess. 3:9-13; Phil. 1:9-11; Eph. 1:15-23 and 3:14-21). You may be surprised!
Are you disappointed by this approach to the subject of revival? I do not apologise. The urgent need is for all Christians to know, love and enjoy the Lord. The principles of 2 Chronicles 7:14 apply to God’s people permanently.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Earnest prayer is involved, but also seeking the Lord himself and turning from sin.
This is God’s challenge today. How exciting! Who knows how the Lord will work in our lives and churches? All for his glory!
