Revival

I came from a neck of the woods where some of the churches had an annual Revival. They would let you know about it in advance and then promote the heck out of these one week events. It seems the revivals always went one week.

I remember one friend used to tell me I had to come before Saturday because that was when the revival would end. Sure enough it would end on a Saturday and start right up at another church the very next day. When I was a new believer I could never figure out how the churches knew when the Holy Spirit would show up and for how long He would hang around. Later, I realized these were basically pumped up evangelism services. Church on steroids! Now don't get me wrong. I know God still uses these types of events. People are drawn to Him and many, many give their lives to the Lord. I praise God for that. I just think we should call it what it is....Evangelism.

In the Bible, I am caught by the story of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was a man who tried to follow God. I like the way he is described in 2 Chronicles 31:21 "Hezekiah incorporated Moses' Teachings and commands into worship and dedicated his life to serving God. Whatever he did for the worship in God's temple, he did wholeheartedly, and he succeeded." Hezekiah dedicated himself to serving God, wholeheartedly! When you give yourself wholeheartedly to something, you are giving without reservation, 100%!

Among the acts we see in the life of Hezekiah are: personal repentance, a calling the nation to repentance, tearing down idols, digging into the Word, etc. In a word....REVIVAL! That's what I want in my life. I want a revival...a true, honest to goodness revival. I don't want a cheap, imitation religious experience, I want more of the Father in my life. I want to give myself unreservedly to the Father. To give myself completely to His will. I know it will be hard. It will mean He starts with me. It'll mean I have to be prepared for Him to clean out the junk in my life....a painful and never easy process, yet one filled with a lifetime of benefits.

Revival is not for the world....though it does change the world as a result. No, revival is for the church. The church today needs a revival. It's time to get down and dirty. I believe only when we, His church, humble ourselves before Him, seek His face without reserve, allow Him to speak correction where needed-- only then will we see Revival! It means we need to lay down our rights, our selfishness, our desires; and like Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, surrender into the Father's Hands! When we invite the Holy Spirit by making room for Him in our lives this way, we can count on Him being there day after day, and He won't pick up camp to go elsewhere, for the Bible promises "Therefore submit to God. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you..." James 4:7