I’m guessing a variety of thoughts cross our minds when we hear this word—revive. Perhaps hope and excitement, or maybe suspicion and skepticism rooted in excesses of past revivals? Or maybe revival/renewal in the church is a subject you are relatively unfamiliar with.
In the words of revivalist R.A. Torrey, “revival is a time when God visits His people, and, by the power of His Spirit imparts new life to them, and through them imparts life to sinners dead in trespasses and sins.” Stephen F. Olford said it is “that strange and sovereign work of God in which He visits His own people, restoring, reanimating, and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing.”
I came across another definition I like: “Revival is nothing more than having our experience catch up with our theology.” This is likely an over-generalization, but it also contains profound truth.
Revival is the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit—a reality that reveals why natural language cannot truly communicate its deepest nature. It is the Spirit’s ability working upon our inability to produce “…exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Eph. 3:20 NKJV).
Revival was and is God’s idea.
In any discussion of God’s supernatural work through revival, let’s remember that it is not a phenomenon that only first materialized some 400 years ago during the First Great Awakening. It was not pioneered by Wesley, Whitefield, Edwards, Finney, or any other man. Revival was and is God’s idea.
In the Old Testament, Israel received national renewal in multiple instances under godly kings and prophets. Under King David, the presence of God was once again honored as essential to the flourishing of the kingdom as David moved the Ark of the Covenant from Kiriath-Jearim to the tent prepared for it in Jerusalem.
Over 100 years after David’s death, King Jehoshaphat of Judah became so burdened with the spiritual state of the nation that he went throughout the land exhorting the people to return to the Lord (2 Chron. 19:4). Revival was sparked throughout the land, and ultimately Judah was delivered from the vast army of Ammon, Moab, and Edom because of their renewed faith in God.
Notable revivals were also witnessed under Jehoiada the priest, King Hezekiah, and King Josiah.
In the New Testament, Acts is filled with stories of God moving powerfully in and through the early church. At Pentecost alone, the church grew by 2,600%. The early church embodied Jesus’ words to the disciples, “As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give” (Matt. 10:7-8 NIV).
God worked powerfully both through the apostles and the deacons. Stephen and Philip preached powerfully and performed miracles. God healed the sick and raised the dead through Peter and Paul. Additionally, the early Christians were radically generous, freely giving and sharing what they had with those around them.
Certainly, it seems that the early church lived with greater fervor under an increased measure of the Holy Spirit’s presence than what appears to be normative for us today. Was it simply God’s design and desire to move in these supernatural, awe-inspiring ways just to kickstart the church at its birth?
I don’t think so. “Acts” is not isolated to the first century. There is a rich history of post-Acts revivals from Savonarola, the Catholic monk who God used to usher in revival in Florence in the late 1400s, to John Wesley and George Whitefield, who were the Lord’s instruments in the 18th century in birthing the Great Awakening in England and beyond.
History continues to bear witness in the 19th century with God working powerfully in and through people like Charles Finney during the Second Great Awakening, as well as D.L. Moody. In 1904, Evan Roberts led the Welsh Revival. There was renewal in the Hebrides under Duncan Campbell, 1949-1953, and the Brownsville Revival, 1995-2000, to name a few.
Reading revival history challenges me. If God has continued to work in His church in an Acts-like manner, then shouldn’t we be hungry for the same manifestations of His glory in our day? “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation” (Ps. 85:6-7).
Next month, I’ll continue the theme of revival with specifics from the story of the United Prayer Revival of the 1800s that especially challenge me.
Photo credit: Anthony Conte
One Response
There is something heartening and empowering about a youth pastor recounting great revivals from the past! And it is also a reminder that revival has often started among youth.