Revival is a word tossed around all too commonly in the church these days. Everyone talks about having a revival - a personal revival, a spiritual revival, a community revival. And, while I wish that all of those claims were, in fact, real revivals, real movings of the Spirit of the Living God, the evidence is simply not there to support it. There is no fruit of a revival, no drastic individual or regional transformations. The term "revival" has become almost as common and overused as "love" or "hate."
So what is a true revival? What starts a real, living breathing of the Holy Spirit into our ordinary lives? The key is not in the size of the congregation. The answer is not to be found in the amount of funds you donate to the church, or even in how many times a week you go to a worship service. The secret lies in your heart.
In the early 1900's a young minister, Evan Roberts, preached a short, 4-point sermon to 17 of his peers in a small church in Wales. That started a revival of astonishing proportions. Within 6 months, over 100,000 people had professed a new-found faith in Christ. So what happened? What were Roberts' 4 point, that they had such power to move such masses?
These were his points. He said that, in order for revival to come, you must: 1) put away any unconfessed sin, 2) put away any doubtful habits, 3) obey the Holy Spirit promptly, and 4) confess Christ publicly. That's it! Simple-sounding enough, but as history revealed, those words had the power to change thousands of peoples' lives, a country, even history itself.
I encourage you to analyze your heart, analyze your life. Which of those four points is keeping God from starting a revival in you?
So what is a true revival? What starts a real, living breathing of the Holy Spirit into our ordinary lives? The key is not in the size of the congregation. The answer is not to be found in the amount of funds you donate to the church, or even in how many times a week you go to a worship service. The secret lies in your heart.
In the early 1900's a young minister, Evan Roberts, preached a short, 4-point sermon to 17 of his peers in a small church in Wales. That started a revival of astonishing proportions. Within 6 months, over 100,000 people had professed a new-found faith in Christ. So what happened? What were Roberts' 4 point, that they had such power to move such masses?
These were his points. He said that, in order for revival to come, you must: 1) put away any unconfessed sin, 2) put away any doubtful habits, 3) obey the Holy Spirit promptly, and 4) confess Christ publicly. That's it! Simple-sounding enough, but as history revealed, those words had the power to change thousands of peoples' lives, a country, even history itself.
I encourage you to analyze your heart, analyze your life. Which of those four points is keeping God from starting a revival in you?
Isaiah 55:1-3
1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
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