Did I grab your attention with this heading? My apologies for the “click bait”. It is actually true, you know, but only if you are pedantic and overly critical.
The word “revival” is indeed never used in the Old or the New Testament. Did you know that? I was surprised to discover this … But of course the concept of renewal and restoration can be found throughout the Word of God.
The phrase, “to make alive”, in the Hebrew of the Old Testament is translated as “to restore” or “to revive”. You can read beautiful passages on how God gives new life to His people in Psalms and the writings of several of the Prophets.
My personal favourite is Isaiah 57:15: “For this is what the high and exalted One says – he who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’”
In the New Testament revival starts with and centers around the Holy Spirit and His work. The word “revival”, as such, has become part of “church” vocabulary and most people immediately think of their faith when they hear or read this word.
Roy Hession explains what such a renewal means in terms of our beliefs: “Revival is not something that God does first among the unconverted, but among His people. Revival simply means New Life, and that implies that there is already Life there, but that the Life has ebbed.”
This movement, this revitalising energy is not something that starts in us. No, it comes from God, He is the Initiator. Of course we need to constantly ask for it and pray about it.
G. Campbell Morgan says: “We cannot organise revival, but we can set our sails to catch the wind from heaven when God chooses to blow upon His people once again”. How is your sail set?
Are you in tune with the Holy Spirit to constantly search for God’s will for your life and keep the fire of your love for Jesus burning bright? Because, you see, revival becomes necessary when we lose sight of our first love, Jesus Christ.
Ministry, evangelism, the church … none of these things should be the first love of people of faith. Only Jesus – we should have an upward fixation on Him. If you ever feel that you or Christians in general have lost their way and their love, remind yourself of this truth:
“The story of Christian reformation, revival, and renaissance underscores that the darkest hour is often just before dawn, so we should always be people of hope and prayer, not gloom and defeatism. God the Holy Spirit can turn the situation around in five minutes” (Os Guinness).
God will initiate His revival. We wait with open hearts and hands. Hands prepared to reach up to Him in repentance of our sins. Hands folded in gratitude for receiving His forgiveness and in acceptance of His renewed calling.
Hands dug deep into our pockets to help others financially. Hands rested sympathetically on the shoulders of grieving, lonely and desperate people. Hands ready to wash feet and open our doors to invite people in to share in the abundance of God’s New Life.
