Imagine this: the entire population of Atlantic City professing faith in Jesus Christ? Incredible? Impossible? It actually happened several decades ago when, according to the city’s pastors, all but 6 men claimed personal faith in Jesus. Even more unbelievable is the fact that in 1921, under the ministry of professional baseball player-turned-evangelist, Billy Sunday, the entire population of Steubenville, Ohio was converted to Jesus Christ. Could this happen again? Can dead bones live once again?

Throughout history God has brought revival to his people time and time again. Stories of revival are replete in the Old Testament. Revival fires have swept Europe. America has experienced several Great Awakenings. Even now revival is igniting the continent of Africa and the nation of South Korea.

What is revival? Revival is the “extraordinary movement of the Spirit of God in the hearts of God’s people, producing extraordinary results.” Revival means, “to bring to life again.” Therefore, revival is for those who claim the name of Jesus when we are renewed, re-energized and filled with God’s Presence. Revival happens when Jesus is restored to the throne of our lives, when sin is confessed, when we return to our first love, when relationships are restored, when God’s presence and power are evidenced in our lives.

Times of revival are marked by extraordinary prayer and these are often spontaneous that arise from a deep need to seek God’s face. America was in a boom of unprecedented growth and great financial success and wealth. Then came the crash. By October of that year banks were closing and the stock market was spiraling downward. Armed troops on Wall Street were the only thing that kept hungry, distraught workers from breaking into the sub-treasury to steal the $20 million in the vaults. The year was 1857. During this time Jeremiah Lanphier became concerned about the well being of businessmen. He announced a noontime prayer meeting. On the first day he went to the appointed place and prayer for 30 minutes—alone. That first week 6 people showed up to pray. The next week 20 people joined this prayer band. By October 100 men began to meet daily. Spontaneous prayer groups began to spring up all around New York City. In 6 months over 50,000 people were meeting daily for prayer.

Revivals are marked by extraordinary conviction and repentance. Conviction is that personal sense that I have done wrongly. Repentance is the turning away from doing that, which is wrong and sinful. The Spirit of God breaks people’s pride and leads them to seek forgiveness of people that they have slighted or wronged. Conviction often leads people to make restitution for things that were stolen or “permanently borrowed.” Zaccheaus told Jesus, “Those that I cheated and overtaxed I will restore four times the amount.” That is revival in a person’s life.

Extraordinary love and unity is another mark of revival. Relationships are restored. People are able to overlook the differences that separate them and focus on that which binds them together. Revival brings Methodists, Presbyterians, charismatics, Baptists, fundamentalist and a host of others together for worship and for impacting a lost world for Jesus.

Extraordinary worship that is deep, authentic, exciting, and passionate is a hallmark of revival. In 1904 when my grandparents with early teenagers, the Welsh revival broke out. The Welsh newspaper, Western Mail, published the following on November 10, 1904: “A remarkable religious revival is now taking play in Loughor. For some days a young man named Evan Roberts has been causing great surprise at Moriah Chapel. The place has been besieged by dense crowds of people unable to obtain admission. Such excitement has prevailed that the road on which the chapel is situated has been lined with people from end to end…Many who have disbelieved Christianity for years are returning to the fold of their younger days. One night, so great was the enthusiasm invoked by the young evangelist that, after his sermon, which lasted two hours, the vast congregation remained praying and singing until 2:20 in the morning. Shopkeepers are closing early in order to get a place in the chapel.”

Another mark of revival is extraordinary witness and service. People begin to live out the teachings of Jesus in their lives. They shun evil and sinful practices and attitudes. They exhibit the fruit of the Spirit in the daily lives and use their spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. The church and God’s people take a high priority in their lives and they become more greatly involved in the things of God’s Kingdom—the things that really matter and last for eternity.

The last mark of revival is the extraordinary spiritual awakening among the lost. In 1770s Virginia Methodists increased 1400%. Among the Baptists there were 3200 conversions in a 3-month period. During the 1858 prayer revival some 1 million people were converted in 2 years. In today’s numbers per population that would mean 10 million people accepting Jesus as Savior.

All of this may be exciting to some of you while others of you are saying, “That’s nice, but what does all this have to do with me? Why should I pursue revival in my life, my family, and our church for the next 12 weeks?” Why is this so important?

Psalm 85

Again, why is revival important? Because to disregard revival is to misunderstand, and maybe miss, God’s will and God’s ways. In verses 1-6 the Psalmist clearly understood the need for revival as one of the ways God corrects the direction of both nations and the lives of people. Throughout human history God has brought about both revival to God’s people as well as spiritual awakening among the lost. It’s those times of spiritual renewal that keep us from totally decaying and disintegrating spiritually and morally. As Christians and as a church we continue to live our lives as faithfully and obediently as we are able, bearing fruit for God’s Kingdom. In times of revival there are extraordinary advances for the Kingdom of God. Jonathan Edwards, the first President of Princeton wrote, “the work of God is carried on with greater speed and swiftness, and there are often instances of sudden conversions at such a time. So it was in the apostles’ days, when there was a time of the most extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit that ever was! How quick and sudden were conversions in those days….So it is in some degree whenever there is an extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit of God.”

An outpouring of God’s Spirit in revival has the potential to restore our nation, transform the church, and bring thousands of people into His Kingdom.

Why revival? Because without revival, we have no hope against the rising tide of humanism and godlessness. Look at Psalm 85. In verse 1 he says that they were living in a time of captivity and bondage. Verse 2 it was a time of sin and iniquity. Verses 3-5 describe God’s judgment and anger and verse 8 describes men’s folly. Could this be a sign of our times? Watch the news. Listen to our music. Watch an evening of television. Then tell me these verses do not describe us in 2006.

We are in need of revival in America and I believe it is the only thing that will save us from ourselves. Thom Rainier after a statistical study discovered these amazing facts: of people born prior to 1951, 65% profess Christ as their Savior. Of those born from 1951-64, 35% claim Jesus as Savior. Of those born from 1964-1977, some 15% have committed their lives to Christ. At the current rate those born from 1978-1994 only 4% will claim Jesus as Savior. That means 96% of your children and grandchildren will not know Jesus nor have the promise of heaven. What is your response to this? Does it bother you and upset you? Does it create a resolve in your heart to make sure you kids have every opportunity to follow Jesus? Are you praying for God’s Spirit to sweep across the church and across the land?

Why revival? Because times of revival re the greatest means of God’s glory being displayed. In verse 9 the Psalmist pleads with God for revival so that “his glory may dwell in our land.” Revival is a special time when the manifest presence of God comes in a powerful way. In the fall of 1962 my home church embarked on our regularly scheduled 2 week revival with Rev Frank Peoples as evangelist. God poured out His Spirit in a powerful way. Each night those worship services lasted 3-4 hours and several times there was no preaching at all! For 6 weeks, every night, we experienced an unusual outpouring of God’s Spirit.

It was a Tuesday morning in early February when I took my seat at the 11am chapel service. After some singing and announcements the worship leader announced that the speaker had taken sick at the last moment and wasn’t able to be there. He then opened the microphone for anyone who would like to share a testimony. A few did and then one student stood at the microphone and confessed to a variety of sin and asked for forgiveness from fellow students and from professors. The Holy Spirit of God fell in convicting power that morning, that afternoon, that evening. All classes were cancelled and for 6 weeks 24 hours a day God visited in a most glorious way the campus of Asbury College. Without a doubt these are special mountaintop experiences that infuse the normal, everyday work of God’s people with power, focus, energy, and excitement and a renewed vision of who God is and what He is about. Those special times of revival changes us and is the impetus to move us out into the world as His witnesses.

Is it all God, or are there some things we can do to prepare the soil for God’s rain? Here are some things we can do this fall to get us ready for God’s special anointing.

Ask God to take away your fear of revival. When God comes, our first response is fear. That is why time and again we see the words in the Bible, “Fear not!” Sometimes people are afraid of themselves and what is going on inside. They would prefer NOT to dig up that sordid mess. Others are afraid God will ask them to take on more work and they are overwhelmed now. Some are afraid that God will ask them to do something way beyond their comfort zone. Please understand that God is a loving daddy who knows us better than we know ourselves, and He will do what is the very best for us. We have to trust Him.

Become a student of revival. There is so much to learn about the ways of God. The Bible teaches us about how God works in our lives and in our world. Take these next 12 weeks and commit to seek what God has to say about your life and our world. Ask God to help you understand how He revives and renews us.

Become an illustration of revival. The Psalmist cried out, “Lord, revive us again.” Note the word us. The first place God desires to do a reviving work is in your own heart, home, and relationships. Genuine pray something like this: “Lord, search me and know me. Revive me, Lord and do what is necessary in my heart to show me my sin and my need, and bring me back to humility, brokenness, and surrender to you.”

Become an instrument of revival. God’s desire is that we not only experience revival but that we be a conduit through which His Spirit can work in the hearts and lives of others. Ask God to show you how you can do that and for specific ways of being His pipeline of life-giving water.

Revival is the sovereign work of God and His desire is to revive and renew us. Do we want it? Are we ready for it? Do you really want God to invade your life, your family, and this nation?

Thank You for Taking The Time to Read This Message.
May God Use These Words to Help You and Strengthen You.