Do We Need A Revival?
Hab 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. Without a doubt yes! And He so desires to send us revival! Never is there a thing more dear to God than sinners being converted to Christ and believers drawing in closer fellowship to the Lord. A revived work is what the Lord longs to do for His people! May we believe He can and know He wishes to do so.
For what reason would it be that we need revival? Has the church the same power as it had in Acts? So we say yes it does, in that, it is available to us now just as it was then. Only we differ in this: we seem to be drawing from a well of lesser proportion than in yesterdays. Have we seen mass conversions of souls to Christ? Have we seen carnal Christians repentant and grieved deeply over their sin? Has the heart of God's people been in great travail to birth in prayer a revival that was planted in the mind of men by the Holy Ghost? By all means we need revival. We would all hastily admit that we live in a day where we see multitudes in churches. Only I interject this; if they were in revival, we would see the end of backbiting and malice in that church. They should be rid of distrust of the pastor and the longing of the world if they were in revival. Multitudes of conversion would be present by the working of God's people to reach others with the Gospel if they were in revival. They should be more readily, individually and collectively, formed into the image of Christ if they were in revival. So then we whole-heartedly see evidence of a need for the revival of God's work in America. This is so, but in some countries this type of godly zeal is taking place even now.
A revival makes tender the heart of the saint who has hardened themselves through the deceit of sin and the cares of the world. The flesh of our carnal nature is a wicked thing, and it pulls naturally on us, relentlessly at times, to position us in opposite directions of God's will. We must be abased from pride and admit that from time to time we need a revival to tune us to the sweet orchestra of God's melody. A revival is needed when the church slows at winning souls. It is needed when the service is preached as if to dry bones that lay lifeless due to the preaching being absent of unction from God. We may boldly say a revival is needed when the church of God has lost their desire and enthusiasm to serve Christ and see success in the church. A revival is needed when the altar has dried of tears, for if the Spirit has moved then the altar would be full, or the people have grieved God in rejecting His leading. A revival is needed when the people of God are no longer willing to do what they must to see success in the church. We may know that we are in a most desperate state for revival when there is discord among the people. We conclude that revival is an envied thing when their is rebellion against the direction of a godly pastor doing right. If we think we need not revival, then we need it most certainly even more.
Are God's people grieving deeply over their sin and the sin of others? Are they weeping over the eternal state of lost ones who have not Christ? If this is not a dominating concern in our lives we need revival. Certainly, we must remember our fellowship with God and our family; yet after that may we live in the world but care for the things of eternity. Has God planted in you the desire for revival? If not, then go to Him and beg Him for it! If yes, then do not grieve the Spirit until He leaves you alone, but rather pray until He lifts the burden in a sense of fulfillment! Is it as it should be with us towards God? If not, we need a revival.
Next post - Can we have a revival?
