Do You Know What True Revival Is?

Many words in the Christian vocabulary today have drastically changed from their original meanings. Depending on which group you are associated with, words like faith, love, repentance, freedom, salvation, sin, and worship have developed various meanings. My personal goal is the pursuit of biblical truth in all matters of Christianity. I take nothing for granted and everything is subject to examination under scrutiny of the Word of God. God tells us to “Test everything. Hold on to the good.” 1Thes. 5:21(NIV)

Today, I would like to look at the word “revival.” You hear a lot about revival in the Christian community, but have you ever given any serious thought to what revival actually is? As with most religious words, people believe they know what revival means, but probably do not.

Some believe revival to be an event their church holds once or twice a year. These “revivals” usually last from three to seven days. They usually include a guest evangelist and special music. They are often geared toward the lost, but attended mostly by professing Christians.

Some of these “revivals” are not much different from the church’s regular weekly services. Same old format, same old routine. Interest may be peeked somewhat due to the guest speaker or special music. But usually results—if there are any—are short lived. The “revival” simply becomes another event on the church’s calendar, scheduled and orchestrated by man. Once the event is over things quickly return to business as usual.

On the other hand, some “revivals” go to extremes with all kinds of un-biblical manifestations passed off as a “move” or “work” of the Holy Spirit. These events are full of high energy, emotion, and entertainment of various kinds. The goal seems to be to leave feeling high on the experience. Some of these events last many weeks or months. Some even claim their “revivals” lasted for years. Fuel for these events comes from the high energy of a charismatic leader who is talented in working up a crowd. The people are there for a good time, and he gives them one.

But is either of these type events genuine revivals? If not, what is a genuine revival? What is the goal of revival? And where does revival come from? Allow me to answer these questions in reverse order.

Genuine revival comes only from God. It is not something man can schedule or work up. Throughout the Holy Scriptures, we find people crying out to God for revival. If they could bring it about themselves, why are they asking God for it?

The goal of revival is not to make us feel good or have a good time. Neither is revival directed primarily at unbelievers. Genuine revival is for God’s church. Consider these dictionary definitions of the word “revive:”
1. To restore from a depressed, inactive, or unused sate.
2. To help or cause to regain signs of life and vigor.
3. Return to consciousness or life.

It is true that the lost are spiritually dead and receive life when they are born again. But the main idea in revival is that those who were once alive with zeal for God, for His kingdom work, and for holy living, are brought back to that state of life. When the church is in need of revival that is not to say that she has lost her salvation, but rather that she has drifted away from a right relationship with God. She is in effect asleep. So, the goal of revival is to wake up or restore the church to a vibrant relationship with God. One result of this awakening is that some unbelievers are drawn into the church and saved, but that is not the main goal.

Genuine revival is when God breathes new life back into His church. Revival is needed when the church is no longer focused on God; when she feels little conviction over her sinful ways; when she has adopted the ways of the world and culture around her; when she is more interested in the pleasures and entertainment of the world than the things of God. The church needs revival when sinful habits replaces godliness; tolerance replaces discipline; when pop psychology and “feel good” messages replaces the bold preaching of the Word of God. When the church doesn’t think she needs revival—that is when she needs revival! This friends, is the condition of the church today.

And finally, the answer to the first question, “are these events genuine revivals?” No. A scheduled series of meetings led only by the power of man is not genuine revival. No. A charismatic party is not genuine revival. Genuine revival comes only from God and it comes when God chooses to send it. All we can do is cry out to God for revival once we see the need for it. Genuine revival always begins with confession of our sin and idolatry before our Holy God. Two forms of brokenness accompany confession. First, there’s a broken heartedness over the guilt of our sin. Then the brokenness of surrender to the will of God comes. We stop fighting to have our way and yield to Him; much like a wild horse is broken.

After the brokenness, the Lord will lift us up. Then we will truly have something to celebrate! “For this is what the high and lofty One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite” Isaiah 57:15 (NIV).

Those who promote counterfeit revival generally skip this crucial first stage in order to move quickly to the “good stuff.” Most are unwilling to face sin and deal with its consequences. They would rather play church and pretend everything is okay. Confronting sin doesn’t draw a big crowd like soft sell preaching and entertaining music does. So long as we succumb to these tactics, we will not see genuine revival because we are in denial of our true condition. (See Rev. 3:14-22)

When the church is in need of revival, God has effectively turned His face away from her because of her sin. The awareness of His presence is no long evident and we drift further and further into worldliness, apathy, complacency, and idolatry. Our meetings become routine, superficial, and even boring. This is one reason people begin to seek a spiritual high from the counterfeit revivalists. But there is no short cut to genuine Holy Spirit initiated revival. The God inspired revivals in the Bible always began with a deep conviction of sin. They usually took months or years to bring about, and the effects of godly living generally lasted for decades. Revival usually comes slow, just as the drift away from God did.

Genuine revival is costly to our pride. But if we want the real thing, we must be willing to get real about it. May I suggest studying the great revivals in the Bible? That is the only place we will find what true revival looks like and how it comes about. Perhaps, by studying biblical revival God will convict us of our own need. Why settle for a counterfeit, when God has the real thing just waiting for us to recognize our need?