Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. Psalm 119:88
Many associate the idea of ‘revival’ with yesteryear when revival campaigns were held by many evangelical churches in order to usher in the Spirit to bring about salvation to needy souls. Besides the truth that the Holy Spirit moves of His own accord and upon who He wills, when He wills (John 3:8), the Lord has seen fit to use some of those occasions to bring about His redemptive purposes in people’s lives.
But when we think about revival, let us not be casting it away as something that was the ‘in thing’ back in yesteryear. Revival should be the hearts desire of every believer.
By revival I mean firstly that we should be longing for ongoing transformation of our own hearts and lives, brought about by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2). This was the Psalmist’s prayer so that he might live an obedient life before God. We need this ongoing, revival work of the Holy Spirit so that we may increasingly glorify God through our obedience to His word. To be true salt and light, and faithful witnesses for Jesus Christ we must have this transforming revival of God’s Spirit! This is what God uses to reach the wider community for His purposes. But apathy and contentment are the enemy of any kind of Holy Spirit revival.
Let us consider what Leonard Ravenhill once said:
As long as we are content to live without revival, we will.