REVIVAL 

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee        Psm. 51:10-13.

In the last edition of the Trumpeter we looked at the idea of Repentance as the first of the three “R’s”. Today we want to see what should follow repentance, namely revival.  In the January/February issue we will consider the third “R” which is Reward.

Even as we found out that there is more than one application of the word Repentance, there is likewise a dual meaning with Revival. On the one hand we use  “revival” when the Gospel message is preached to unbelievers with the result that a large number of them turn to Christ. This is our understanding of the great commission: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:15,16. Our constant prayer for our own country is that we would see this Gospel preached to such a degree that we would experience a spiritual revival in which multitudes of our people would turn to Christ. But we also use the word when referring to those times when God’s own people who have somehow drifted away from God turn again to the Lord as the Prodigal son did in Luke 15:17, repenting of their folly and rededicating themselves and restore or “revive” their walk with Him. The King James Bible says the Prodigal son “… came to himself” and the New International Version says, “He came to his senses”. Both imply a revival. “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:24. We want to focus on this second idea today. We want you to evaluate your position in the Lord to see if you need a reminder of all that God has done for you.

In II Timothy 1:6, Paul encourages Timothy, his young fellow laborer in Jesus to “Stir up the gift of God” that is in him. The NIV says “To fan into flame”. Both are adequate translations of the Greek word (ANAZOPUREO, Strong’s #329) which is sometimes used of the initial act of “stirring into a flame” but can also mean to “rekindle” by bringing life back to the fire.  I think some reference to the fire or flame gives the better understanding.

If you are on fire for God with all that is in you, then say Amen! If you are like most of us that have some room for improvement, then let us work on it together.

Revival mean Re-Bible! This truth should be self evident, but it is not. We know that we were born again by the Word of God. (I Peter 1:23, 25) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. … But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.” We know that His Word is Spirit and Life. (John 6:63) “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” But over time we can get complacent about our relationship with the Lord Jesus. We begin to neglect the repentance necessary for forgiveness. We begin to drift a little here and a little there. That is when we need Revival! That is when we need to return to the Word of God! King David knew all about this backsliding potential that is in us. When he was enticed at the sight of Bathsheba and drawn into sin, he went into a downward spiral that resulted in his sending Uriah the Hittite, Bathsheba’s husband to his certain death in battle. (II Sam. 11).  David was fortunate to have Nathan the prophet to rebuke him and turn him back to God. That is the background for Psalm 51 where David cries out in verse 12 for the Lord to “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” Do you remember what you felt like the day you were born again? And if you were blessed to be raised in a Christian home, do you remember the day you consciously understood that you were a child of God? There are not too many events as exciting that have happened to me since that day when I knew my sins were forgiven. That release, that joy, that sense that a load was removed from me. That certainty that now I was secure in Jesus for eternity. All these things flooded my soul.

But honesty requires that I confess my failure to keep that attitude at all times. We do take God for granted some time, and must be diligent to recover the moment we realize we are drifting. David repented and was revived. Now he is on fire again, and in verse 13 of Psalm 51 he declares “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”

Another proof that “ReBible means revival” is found in the book of Nehemiah. There we read: “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading. And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.” Neh. 8:8 and 12. Isn’t this what we strive to do every time we preach the Word of God? We want to “give the sense” and cause the people “to understand” the Scripture portion for that sermon.

Even the situation in Acts 6 is not a matter of solving a social problem only, but more importantly it points to the primacy of the ministry of the Word of God. After this event the Church experienced a great revival. Once the Greek widows were cared for, the gospel spread rapidly. We see revival in the wording used when instead of the number of disciples only being “added”, the group spoken of is now “multiplied” “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7)

Now back to II Timothy. Apparently this young man needed to be prodded to action once again. Perhaps he was facing some difficulty in his ministry. Something was confronting him that required great courage. Paul starts by reminding Timothy that both his mother and grandmother were pillars of faith. “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.” (II Tim. 1:5). Then he wants to point out that God had deposited a gift in him that must be exercised at this very time. Finally he speaks boldly that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (v.7)

I would like to see revival come to our neighborhood. I would like to see revival come to our region. I would like to see revival come to our country. I would like to see a worldwide revival of faith in Jesus Christ. But you know what? It must start somewhere.

The hymnist wrote: 

Revive Thy work, O Lord!
Disturb this sleep of death;
Quicken the smoul-d’ring embers now.
By Thine almighty breath.

Send revival Lord and start the work with me!