“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Psalms 85:6)
To revive means “to cause to live again.” It is a renewal of life. It means to live for Christ with a renewed fervor. Revival implies walking with God with renewed strength and passion.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11)
A revival that is heaven-sent must be prayed down instead of worked up. It is the product of God’s people doing the spiritual work of subduing and mortifying the flesh, so that we can reckon ourselves to be dead unto sinful things and alive unto God, by responding to that which is holy and righteous. Carnal men often attempt to substitute that which is fleshly for that which is spiritual, but the result is excitement without power.
This kind of revival is often talked up by planning, promotion, and competition. We substitute physical activity for spiritual activity and assume that if we are busy, that God is busy working in our lives. This kind of revival is sometimes sung up, by special music, visiting quartets, preaching replaced by concerts, and music followed by invitations. Then revival is worked up by identifying what experiences should accompany revival, and then setting out to manufacture the experience. It is implied that by sheer energy and effort we can estimate the impact of a revival. Lastly, we will try to preach up a revival, by preaching on exciting and happy topics such as the rapture, the millennial reign, or the fruit of the spirit, but ignoring the main hindrance to revival which is known sin and spiritual lethargy. Real revival must be sent by God and therefore must be prayed down, which means that God still responds to the humble heart and the prayer of repentance. Real revival can certainly involve planning, music, and preaching but revival is something God does, not man.
“The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.” (Psalms 34:17-19)
(By Pastor Wagenschutz)
