So that Your people may rejoice in You?”
I am a committed Christian minister, actively involved in serving Christ. I have been sensing that a great revival and awakening is coming first to the church and then the world. There is an urgent need, of a revival in the Church of God at the present time. Many people have been praying for and experiencing a level of both personal and corporate revival over the years. I first began to study and experience personal revival in 2009. In these posts, I hope to stir your heart to believe and pray for a coming spiritual awakening that will impact nations.
“But there have been certain seasons called revivals—when God has “poured His Spirit out on His people.” These times—also called awakenings— occurred when the presence of God is experienced in powerful manifestations of the Holy Spirit.“
–J. Edwin Orr, The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever
What is revival?
In an effort to understand past revivals, I have been examining the Scriptures concerning revival, carefully reviewing the great moments of revival throughout history, and the lives of men and women who were instrumental in stewarding revival in their time.
Growing up in the South, attending a Baptist church, homecoming service was held annually around August. Homecoming Sunday started with a morning worship service, followed by a meal in the fellowship hall. It normally included preaching, singing, and dinner on Sunday, and evening services for the entire week. Revival is more than a Sunday morning experience or an annual fall homecoming week. Albeit homecoming is a great opportunity to fellowship with those who have moved away and no longer attend church. Yet, revival is so much more.
God initiates revival (2 Chron. 7:14). Revival begins with us, the people of God. When you pray for revival, you‟re asking God for life-shaking experiences that will cost you plenty. When God’s people are praying and longing for revival it comes suddenly and unexpectedly. Just as inexplicably, revival can dissipate or end abruptly. The dramatic events surrounding the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit are only part of the story that makes a revival great (Acts 2:1-4, 4:28-31).
Many aspects of spiritual renewal cannot be fully apprehended by our finite minds. In this post we will consider several definitions revival experts have put forward. We will also look at common misconceptions concerning revival.
Suggested Definitions
It is impossible to summarize the magnitude of revival in concise definition. People who have spent the greater part of their lives studying the workings of God have captured distinct aspects of revival that when, taken together, help us appreciate the many-sided nature of God’s powerful activity among His people. Let’s take a look at a few of the various definitions for revival:
Revival is a time when heaven comes closer to earth.1 (Francois Carr)
Revival is a community saturated with God.2 (Duncan Campbell)
Revival is God’s invasion into the lives of one or more of His people in order to awaken them spiritually for kingdom ministry. 3 (Malcom McDow and Alvin Reed)
Revival is an extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.4 (Ricard Owens Roberts)
Revival above everything else, is the glorification of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It is the restoration of him to the center of the life of the church.5 (Martin Lloyd Jones)
A true Holy Spirit revival is a remarkable increase in the spiritual life of a large number of God’s people, accompanied by an awesome awareness of the presence of God, intensity of prayer and praise, a deep conviction of sin with passionate longing for holiness and unusual effectiveness in evangelism leading to the salvation of many unbelievers.6 (Brian Edwards)
“There have been instances in the history of the Church when the telling and retelling of the wonderful works of God have been used to rekindle the expectations of the faithful intercessors and prepare the way for another Awakening.”
–J. Edwin Orr, The Ten Greatest Revivals Ever
I am committed to sharing truths, that will further revival, both personally and corporately in the Body of Christ. Be prepared to be provoked but also deeply challenged by the love of Christ. My prayer is for God to use this ministry to ignite a genuine passion for revival, spiritual awakening and transformation for our nation.
Pray for revival in America!
I pray these messages will enable you to search your own heart, too, and see if anything there is offensive to God (Ps. 139:23-24).
Blessings,
Minister A. Francine Green
Note: All Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.
- Francois Carr, Revival: The Glory of God (Pretoria, South Africa: Anker Printers, 2004)
- Duncan Campbell: The Price and Power of Revival (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 1st edition (June 22, 2015)
- Malcolm McDow and Alvin Reed, Firefall: How God Has Shaped History through Revivals (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 1997)
- Richard Owen Roberts, Revival (Carol Stream, Il: Tyndale House Publishers, 1982)
- Martin Lloyd Jones, Revival (Weschester, Il: Crossway Books, 1987), 47
- Brian Edwards, Revival! A People Saturated with God
BEYOND CHURCH WALLS 