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Week of November 2, 2009
The Purpose of Revival
Today's Thought: God's Church revived leads to a world restored.
"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12 NKJV).
Exactly what is revival? Charles Finney, who is known as the father of modern revivalism, defined it as such: "[a revival] is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God. As in the case of a converted sinner, so the first step is that of deep repentance, a breaking-down of the heart, a getting-down into the dust before God with deep humility and a forsaking of sins."
Revival begins when we as the Church of God begin to humble ourselves and confess our sins to God. Only secondarily does revival lead to evangelistic increase and a change in our culture.
Revival almost always begins with a few people praying with urgency and seeking the face of God on behalf of the land. That is how the Great Awakening, which took place in our own nation, began. God answered the prayers of those few faithful intercessors, and at the height of the Awakening there were 200,000 people praying every day for God's working in New York City. Can you imagine what could happen in this year – in this decade – if God's people began to pray? Make a choice today that you will be committed to praying for revival in your city and in this nation. Claim God's promise that "…the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16b).
George Roller, J.D.
Executive Director, Center for Christian Statesmanship
Based on Sermons written by the late D. James Kennedy
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