6/28 Are We Poised for Revival?

Revival begins slowly. At first it is hardly noticeable that God is about to do a great thing. The Lord sent his angels to announce the coming of John the Baptist’s birth and then the Lord Jesus Christ’s birth. With the birth of these incomparable babies, there was some additional stirring in the shepherd’s fields, a man (Zechariah) recovered his ability to speak after being mute for almost a year, a very principled man had a fiancee (Mary) who gave birth “out of wedlock” and there were two “old ruins,” Anna and Simeon, who made a big fuss over a certain baby in the Temple, and finally, the political establishment was intrigued by some “wise guys” bearing gifts and looking for a Saviour. (The preceding can all be seen in the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke). But all this sort of faded into the woodwork for a span of 30 years although a beachhead for the greatest “revival” in history had clearly been established.

Revival may slowly be happening in our little church and we can help make it grow if we care enough about it happening. Revival is always the result of a sovereign move of God who works through people to bless them and their community. The impact of some revivals is ongoing as seen in the coming of the Messiah, the Great Reformation of the sixteenth century, and, of course, Azusa Street in the beginning of the twentieth century. But before we begin to entertain lofty visions of grandeur, we need to listen to what God is saying to our church and fully commit ourselves to personal and church renewal and let God work out his will in us. When God called Moses, He got Moses going by asking a very intimidated Moses a simple question: “What’s in your hand?” (Exod. 4:2) The shepherds staff Moses held in his hand was used to work great miracles yet to Moses it was for the longest time merely a stick in the wilderness. We, too, are called to small beginnings and are summoned to use what is in “our hand” to help accelerate or actualize revival.

VBS or Kid’s Camp is a very important focal point now that can be a springboard to revival, and coupled with that is our potential for sharing the life and spiritual gifts of our church with others. We need to be poised to seize moments of opportunity or take advantage of openings. If someone is sick and/or distressed or needing encouragement and guidance among our non-believing friends, neighbors, or even perfect strangers, we can offer to pray for them or minister to them in their homes or our home, in the doctor’s office, in the supermarket or parking lot, etc. Chance encounters are not random and there is no such thing as a RANDOM act of kindness in Jesus’ name because such happenings are God things. They also can become the start of revival. Finally, I like what was written for the June 23 reading in “God’s Word for Today” regarding revival. “The way to discern true revival is to ask ourselves four questions: (1) is it scriptural? (Isa 8:20). (2) Does it magnify the person of Christ (or promote the career of a spiritual mega-star, my own). See John 3:30 NKJV. (3) Does it demonstrate God’s love? (Acts 2:44-45) (4) Does it win souls and turn them into disciples? (John 15:8). I would add a fifth characteristic of revival, namely, is the Holy Spirit being poured out on a hungry people and is the power of God being manifested through healing and other discernible miracles?.” Thanks Irene for showing me that reading. So, are we poised for revival?