What Brings Revival?

Every year we hear churches announce the dates and times of their revival--what they mean of course is that they are having a week of meetings; revival cannot be scheduled. The revival that I am discussing here is when people experience new life. What is it that brings a dry dusty spiritual life off the ventilator and gives them a renewed hope of experiencing all that God has for them?

First of all, I think we need to start with the realization that God is always seeking us. We don't have to invoke Him to do anything. He is waiting on us! The main point of the story of the prodigal son is not that he left and squandered all that he had but that the father was looking for him and the moment he returned home the father received him with open arms. Jesus did not say come and knock on the door and I will open it. No, He said He was knocking if only we would open the door and let Him come in.

When we recognize that God is waiting on us, then we realize that revival is in our reach. So what should we do? How can we bring about revival in our lives? In the Old Testament, God told His people: "if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (2 Chron 7:14). Notice that revival begins with humility. You have to humble yourself to admit that you cannot help yourself; you need God. Second, we must pray. In prayer, we need to confess our sins and be honest before God.

Third, we seek the face of God. Our face is our identity. When we get a picture for our driver's license, it is not the hand or the foot, but the face that is photographed. To know some one's face is to know who they are. God wants us to seek to know Him. Finally, there has to be repentance to experience revival. God told the people to turn from their wicked ways and we must humble ourselves and recognize that we have sin to repent of in our lives as well.

What brings revival? When we follow the steps outlined in this scripture...with all of our heart. Because revival is after all, a matter of the heart.