Have you every wondered what revival looks like when it comes on a church and the people of God? If you study the history of revival, there are common denominators: a return to first love, a return to the authority of Scripture, and an elevation of prayer. A heart and mind that understands true genuine repentance. While we have seen a few breezes of revival at Church Of The Living Word, I would say we have seen revival on the scales I read and heard about. There has been a sense in which we have had an atmospheric revival in our midst. Over the years now, there has been an unusual sense of God’s presence when you walk into some of our services. We did not orchestrate it. We have not manipulated it. It hasn’t been worked up; it’s been prayed down. I know this—in revival, God takes control. The clock, our calendar, and our priorities are changed. Because of such an impact on our busy lives, revival is not every often visited on us.
I don't believe revival comes because we preach on revival or so called revival sermons. (Whatever those are!) It takes people
hearing and heeding for revival preaching to be effective. It takes hunger like those in the upper room on the day of Pentecost in the second chapter of Acts:
Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This act of Pentecost that day turned fearful, prideful disciples in to humble, powerful replicas of Jesus. The church was birthed out of that revival and they preached with boldness, healed the sick, souls were saved, and they sold out to the plan God had for them.
What then, should revival look like? On an individual, person by person level, a true revival looks like people being empowered to become like Jesus. God will meet us at the point of our expectation. What does revival look like? I’m looking at it like a 3,000 piece puzzle. It’s multifaceted, multicolored, and multidimensional but it is a simple picture. If you look at the box, when all is said and done, it looks just like Jesus. Revived people look like Jesus, act like Jesus, talk like Jesus, walk like Jesus, and live like Jesus. How’s your puzzle looking?
Maybe we don’t really want revival. Maybe we just want the blessings of God without the responsibilities and repentance required. Maybe some are comfortable with grieving and quenching revival. I, for one, don’t want to stand before God and hear Him say, “I could have sent revival, if it had not been for you!” I am all in for praying and believing for a supernatural visitation from the Lord in our church, and the people He has called.
