What Is Revival

If I were to ask most folks in the church what Revival was I am sure I would get several answers, but the most common I would suspect would be when a lot of folks get saved. Is that really what a Revival is? In order to answer the question we really need a good definition of the word Revival.

 

I heard a definition this past Sunday morning by my good friend Pastor Barry Habib that I really liked. One of the definitions he found was: a new production of an old play. Well we have heard Revival used in that context before haven’t we? Every so often we see or hear ads here in the NY metropolitan area where I live of a Revival of a Broadway Show. What does that mean? In means they are bringing back a show that is an old show but that they are bringing it back in a new way.

 

We can further understand Revival if we look at the meaning of the root word of Revival which is Revive. I have found a couple of definitions of the word Revive that I really like. 1. To come or bring back to life or consciousness, to resuscitate. 2. To come or bring back to a healthy, vigorous or flourishing condition after a decline.

 

Now in light of these definitions…does the premise that a Revival is folks getting saved hold water? If we are honest we have to say NO! To bring back to life or to resuscitate indicates that those involved must have had life already. The teaching of the Bible is clear that before a Christian comes to Christ that they are dead in their trespasses and sins. (Ephesians 2:1) So someone getting saved is not coming back to life but rather getting life. Folks getting saved is actually a byproduct or result of a genuine Revival.

 

Let’s take a look at a couple of Scriptures.

 

“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?” Psalms 85:6 NKJV (emphasis mine)

 

“O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2 NKJV (emphasis mine)

 

Notice the highlighted portions of the above verses of Scripture. In Psalms 85:6 it says: “revive us again” and “your people”; while in Habakkuk 3:2 it says: “revive your work”. All of these phrases that I have drawn your attention to refer to the people of God. Those who are not saved yet certainly don’t qualify as “your people” or “your work” do they? It is only after we come into a relationship with God through the completed work of Christ that we become alive to Him.

 

So going back to our definitions…if Revival is to bring back to life…then bring back to life must mean that the person already had life…right? So can a person who does not have life…be Revived? No they need to get life. Only a person who has had life can be Revived. Notice again in the Scriptures that we looked at Revival is for the People of God…not for those apart from God. “Will You not revive us again?”

 

So since a Revival is not folks getting saved, but rather a coming back to life of the church or people of God…what should a Revival look like? There are several components to a real Revival. They can be outlined for us in the story of Jesus driving the money changers out of the temple in Matthew 21.

 

“Then Jesus went into the temple of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. And He said to them, ‘It is written, [My house shall be called a house of prayer,] but you have made it a [den of thieves]’ Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ they were indignant.” Matthew 21:12-15 NKJV

 

In this story we see four components of Revival:

 

·        Purity – Jesus drove out the corruption. He got the sin out. We need to too. Repentance is always a starting point to a Revival.

·        Prayer – Jesus said My house shall be called a house of prayer. A prayer foundation was established, and is still a foundation of a Revival today.

·        Power – Jesus began to demonstrate the power of God as He healed the sick. Revival brings demonstrations of Power.

·        Praise – They began to cry out Hosanna to the Son of David. There will always be a great release of Praise and Worship in a Revival.

 

I trust these few brief thoughts have been a blessing to you. This is by no means an exhaustive study on Revival…but some thoughts to steer you in the right direction and spurn you on to further study on this subject.