How to Have a Revival - d3uet6ae1sqvww.cloudfront.net · How To Have A Revival by Richard W.De Haan...

How How TTo Have o Have A RevivalA Revivalby Richard W. De Haan

Sent By God

MMany believers around the world are deeplyconcerned about the spiritual coldness andlethargy in the church. They might pray, in the

words of that old, familiar hymn by William P. Mackay:Revive us again—

Fill each heart with Thy love;May each soul be rekindled

With fire from above.Hallelujah, Thine the glory!

Hallelujah, amen!Hallelujah, Thine the glory!

Revive us again.That’s a wonderful prayer! Every child of God

should be longing for the windows of heaven to open with a special outpouring of revival blessings. Anotherhymnwriter, Daniel W. Whittle, expressed it with thewords, “Mercy-drops round us are falling, but for theshowers we plead.”

RD931 Revival 2col pp 6/15/06 11:38 AM

© RBC Ministries. All rights reserved.

Questions arise,however. Does the Biblehave anything to say aboutrevival? Does it alwayscome when we meet certainconditions? In other words,is there a “revival formula”that guarantees a spiritualawakening? It is my prayerthat this booklet willanswer these questions.

As you will soon discover, what I have to say is somewhat differentfrom what is heard in mostrevival sermons. I expectthat many will disagreewith me. I may be severelycriticized. I’m willing to take that risk, however, toshare with you what I ampersuaded is a proper andsensible approach to revival.

THE NATURE OF REVIVALThe first thing we should do is clarify what we meanwhen we speak aboutrevival. Some Christiansthink of it as a series of

special meetings intended to win souls to Christ. I amconvinced, however, thatthat is not revival. Weshould be zealous in thework of evangelism, ofcourse. We should beburdened for those who arelost in sin. And we should beactive, through our personalwitness and in endeavorswith other believers, inworking to lead lost souls toChrist. That is evangelism—but it is not revival.

Let me compareevangelism with revival.Evangelism relates to theunsaved; revival relates tothose who are born again.Evangelism involves thegiving of life to those who are dead in sin;revival involves a spiritualawakening of those who arealive in Christ. When wespeak of revival, therefore,we have in mind that specialseason of heartsearchingwhen many believerssimultaneously experience a

2



deep, Holy Spirit convictionof sin. It results in theirconfession and renunciationof sin (sometimes publicly).It culminates in a renewal oftheir dedication to the Lord.And the whole experienceoften bears fruit in thesalvation of sinners.

With this in mind, Iwould like to point out animportant fact. Even thoughgreat spiritual awakeningshave occurred from time totime, they have not come in fulfillment of any Bible

promise relating to them. There is no “revivalformula” prescribed for usin the Scriptures. In fact,you will not find the wordrevival anywhere in theNew Testament.

Furthermore, in the twoinstances where the wordrevived is used, it does notrelate to revival as we arethinking of it. In Romans7:9, for instance, the apostlePaul wrote, “When thecommandment came, sinrevived.” Here the apostlewas speaking about sin. Andin Romans 14:9 he said,“Christ both died, and rose,and revived” (KJV). Here hewas referring to the deathand resurrection of Christ.In neither place does theword revived pertain torevival as we understandthat term in these lessons—a deep moving of the Spiritof God in the lives ofbelievers, convicting them of sin and shaking them out of their lethargy.

3

mRevival is a special season

of heartsearchingwhen many

believerssimultaneously

experience a deep, Holy Spirit

conviction of sin.n



I am not saying this todeny the reality of revivals.Rather, I want to emphasizethat even though revivalsare a historical reality, theyare not a biblical certainty.The church age has norevival promises. TheScriptures give us nooutline or procedure which, if followed, willguarantee a revival.

What I have said, ofcourse, is contrary to thethinking in many Christiancircles today. We have beenled to believe that greatspiritual awakenings can beengineered into existence ifbelievers will simply employa certain method or meetthe right conditions. Let me repeat: Even thoughrevivals are a historicalreality, they are not abiblical certainty. They arenot promised as a result of following any so-called“pattern of revival.” Rather(and this is important),revivals are divinely

appointed and God-sent,and they occur at the timeof His own choosing. True,they may come in responseto the faithful prayers ofGod’s children, according to His will. But the Lordcannot be forced to sendrevival by anything that wemight do. Revival is not thecalculated result of bringinginto play a combination ofreligious exercises. Instead,it is a blessing that the Godof grace, in keeping withHis all-wise purposes, maysend upon believers in timesof deep spiritual need.

I trust that you will notmisunderstand. I agree withthose who say that we are indesperate need of revival. Isincerely pray for it. I rejoiceat every report of a genuinespiritual awakening. But I doobject to a wrong approach torevival. I take exception tothe claim that revival isguaranteed if only we asbelievers will follow certainguidelines. That just isn’t so!

4



PERSONAL REVIVALI do believe, however, thatthere is a special blessingfor the individual Christianwho is willing to meet theproper conditions. As youexamine your own heart andmake an honest confessionof sin, you can experience apersonal revival as the HolySpirit accomplishes Hiswork within you. And then,if the Lord in His own timeand according to His all-wise purpose does sendrevival to your church, yourcommunity, or the wholenation, praise God! If not,your responsibility is tomake sure that you as anindividual have carried outHis will for your life. Yousee, we don’t have to wait forsome spectacular moving ofthe Spirit of God in a mightyheaven-sent revival. Rightnow, this very moment, youcan experience a specialrefreshing from the Lord in your own life.

A. W. Tozer, in hisexcellent book The PursuitOf God, spoke of a “greatsickness that is upon us.”He described the church as being afflicted with “an evil disease, a deep and serious malady of thesoul.” He went on to saythat it’s going to “require adetermined heart and morethan a little courage towrench ourselves loose fromthe grip of our times andreturn to biblical ways.”

He also made thiscomment: “History hasrecorded several large-scalereturns, led by such men as St. Francis, MartinLuther, and George Fox.Unfortunately, there seemsto be no Luther or Fox onthe horizon at present.”

Tozer continued, “WhatGod in His sovereignty mayyet do on a world scale I donot claim to know: but whatHe will do for the plain manor woman who seeks Hisface I believe I do know and

5



can tell others. Let any man turn to God in earnest,let him begin to exercisehimself unto godliness,let him seek to develop his powers of spiritualreceptivity by trust andobedience and humility,and the results will exceedanything he may havehoped in his leaner andweaker days. Any man whoby repentance and sincerereturn to God will breakhimself out of the mold inwhich he has been held andwho will go to the Bibleitself for his spiritualstandards will be delightedwith what he finds there.”

Let me quote one moreparagraph from Tozer’sbook. “Let us say it again:The Universal Presence is afact. God is here. The wholeuniverse is alive with Hislife. And He is no strange or foreign God, but thefamiliar Father of our LordJesus Christ whose love hasfor these thousands of years

enfolded the sinful race of men. And always He istrying to get our attention,to reveal Himself to us, tocommunicate with us. Wehave within us the ability to know Him if we will butrespond to His overtures.(And this we call pursuingGod!) We will know Him inincreasing degree as ourreceptivity becomes moreperfect by faith and loveand practice.”

Tozer hit the nail righton the head. In fact, hesummed up beautifully andmost effectively my mainemphasis in presentingthese lessons on revival. Irepeat his statement: “WhatGod in His sovereignty mayyet do on a world scale I donot claim to know: but whatHe will do for the plain manor woman who seeks Hisface I believe I do know and can tell others.”

Remember, then,personal cleansing from sin, restoration to fellowship

6



with the Lord, and theblessings of His peace,joy, and victory can beexperienced by theindividual believer whoavails himself of God’sgracious provisions.

Christian friend, won’tyou today confess your sins,turn from them, and let theLord have His way in yourlife? This is how to have arevival—a personal revival.

Rather than waiting forsome earth-shaking,spectacular moving of the

Spirit of God upon thechurch at large, get rightwith God yourself this verymoment!

First John 1:9 tells us,“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgiveus our sins and to cleanse usfrom all unrighteousness.”Then, having been maderight with the Lord yourself,you’ll want to join withhymnwriter Bessie PorterHead in praying forbelievers everywhere:

O Breath of Life,come sweeping through us,

Revive Thy church with life and power;

O Breath of Life,come, cleanse, renew us,

And fit Thy church to meet this hour.

Before concluding thislesson, let me say a word toyou who have never trustedthe Lord Jesus Christ forsalvation. The blessings ofsins forgiven and a properrelationship with God areenjoyed only by those who

7

mRather thanwaiting for some

spectacularmoving of theSpirit of God

upon the churchat large, get rightwith God yourself

right now.n



have been born againthrough faith in Christ.Therefore, if you have neverreceived the Lord Jesus,your first need is notrevival, it’s regeneration.You must be born again.When the sin question issettled and you are at peacewith God, you can know thepeace of God as you commityour way to Him, obey HisWord, and experience dailycleansing from sin.

Before you can know thepeace of God, you must firstof all find peace with Godthrough His Son, the LordJesus Christ. I wouldtherefore ask you this:Have you ever by faithreceived Christ as yourSavior? The Bible tells us inRomans 3:23 that “all havesinned and fall short of theglory of God.” And Romans6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death.” The Biblemakes it clear that we cannever save ourselves (seeRom. 3:20; Eph. 2:8-9).

How then can a personknow forgiveness of sin andbecome a child of God? John1:12 has the answer.

As many as receivedHim, to them He gave theright to become childrenof God, to those whobelieve in His name.Breathe a prayer to the

Lord Jesus. Admit to Himthat you know you are asinner and that you cannotsave yourself. Tell Him youbelieve what the Bible saysabout Him. Tell Him thatyou believe He died for you,shed His blood for your sins,and arose from the dead.Tell Him that you arereceiving Him as yourSavior, your only hope ofsalvation. Then claim thiswonderful promise:

Believe on the Lord JesusChrist, and you will besaved (Acts 16:31).

8



At God’s OwnChoosing

CCan a person whodesperately wantschurchwide or

national revival claim 2 Chronicles 7:14 as aguarantee that God willsend it? We saw in theprevious lesson that there is no “revival formula” assuch. There is no guaranteethat if believers follow aprescribed pattern and meetcertain conditions, a generalreviving in the church willtake place. Revivals are notthe sure result of bringinginto play a combination ofproper spiritual exercises.Rather, they are God-sent,and they come at the timeof His choosing.

When we speak ofrevival, we have in mind the seasons of spiritualrefreshing that come uponthe church. The windows of heaven seem to open.Showers of blessing are

poured out. Believers are moved through a deep, Holy Spirit convictionof sin to make private (and sometimes public)confession. It results in arenewal of their dedicationto God. And often it isaccompanied by thesalvation of many souls.

Even though this is true,we should also recognizethat revival may come inanswer to the persistentprayers of believers who aredistressed over lethargy andlukewarmness within thechurch. We would thereforeencourage everyone whonames the name of Christ to join in prayer for revival.But in doing so, let’s keepthe truth in mind thatrevivals are not predictable.No promise in the Bibleassures us that they willcome if only we meet theright conditions. Nor dothey occur as the result offollowing a certain pattern.They come as the blessing

9



of God’s grace upon anundeserving church.

I can imagine someonesaying, “What about 2 Chronicles 7:14? Isn’t that God’s promise to sendrevival if certain conditionsare met?” I would like toconsider this verse with youin this lesson. It reads:

If My people who arecalled by My name willhumble themselves, andpray and seek My face,and turn from theirwicked ways, then I willhear from heaven, andwill forgive their sin and heal their land.The significance of this

passage can be appreciatedonly if it is studied in itscontext. Notice what thetwo verses that precede ithave to say:

Then the Lord appearedto Solomon by night,and said to him: “I haveheard your prayer, andhave chosen this place for Myself as a house of

sacrifice. When I shut upheaven and there is norain, or command thelocusts to devour theland, or send pestilenceamong My people”(2 Chr. 7:12-13).In verses 19-20, the Lord

said this to Solomon:But if you turn away and forsake My statutesand My commandmentswhich I have set beforeyou, and go and serveother gods, and worshipthem, then I will uprootthem from My landwhich I have given them;and this house which Ihave sanctified for Myname I will cast out ofMy sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among allpeoples.Notice that these

verses contain God’spromise specifically to KingSolomon. They indicate howthe nation of Israel mightenjoy the Lord’s favor, but

10



they also show how theJews might become theobjects of His wrath. Wehave in 2 Chronicles 7,then, a message that relates primarily to KingSolomon, the nation ofIsrael, and the land Godhad given to them for aneverlasting possession. Ifthe Jews would disobey theLord, His judgment wouldcertainly fall on them. Theywould be plucked up by theroots out of the land He hadgiven to them. If they would“turn from their wickedways,” however, they hadGod’s word that He would“heal their land.”

Remember, then, that2 Chronicles 7:14 pertainsto Solomon, to Israel, and to the land which the LordHimself had given to theJews. This passage was not given as a promise for revival in the church.Rather, in a very real senseit was given as a pattern for the survival of a

nation—the nation of Israel.Even though this is true,

some valuable lessons aresuggested in that verse forbelievers today. The LordGod gave His word that ifHis people (Israel) wouldhumble themselves, pray,seek His face, and turn fromtheir evil ways, He would“forgive their sin.” And He

will do the same for us today as individualmembers of the body ofChrist. The apostle Johnassured us that “if weconfess our sins, He is

11

mSecondChronicles 7:14was not given

as a promise forrevival in thechurch but for

the survival of anation—Israel.n



faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from allunrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:9).This verse does not give usthe assurance that God willheal our land if we confessour sins. But it does assureus of personal cleansing.

Then too, according to 2 Chronicles 7:14, thechildren of Israel, in orderto know God’s favor, were to“humble themselves.” In theNew Testament, James said,“Humble yourselves in thesight of the Lord, and Hewill lift you up” (Jas. 4:10).

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, theLord also gave His word toIsrael that He would “hear from heaven” if theIsraelites would meet theconditions He prescribed.We Christians also have theassurance that God hearsus, for John wrote:

Now this is theconfidence that we havein Him, that if we askanything according to

His will, He hears us.And if we know that Hehears us, whatever weask, we know that wehave the petitions that we have asked of Him (1 Jn. 5:14-15).Even though some

lessons for today aresuggested in 2 Chronicles7:14, this verse was notintended as a revivalformula for the church.Rather, it pertains to God’sdealings with Israel and totheir enjoyment of the landHe had given them.

To interpret theScriptures properly, wemust determine when theywere written, to whom theywere written, and for whatpurpose they were written.The right answers to thosequestions, when applied to 2 Chronicles 7:14, will keepus from falsely concludingthat God would have tobless our “land” (the UnitedStates or Canada, forexample) if only believers

12



would humble themselves,pray, seek His face, and turnfrom their wicked ways.Please don’t misunderstandme, I am not saying thatGod will not do so. I amsimply indicating that He is not compelled to do so on the basis of His promisein 2 Chronicles 7:14.

I must emphasize,however, that God issovereign. He is free to actaccording to His own will.We can be thankful that Hedoes answer the prayers ofHis children when they arein harmony with His all-wise purposes. And He doeswithhold His judgment onthe wicked, at times, for thesake of a godly minority. A“land” may therefore be“healed” or be benefitedbecause of its righteouscitizens.

I’m thinking aboutSodom. When Abrahamheard the Lord’spronouncement of judgment on that evil

city, he prayed as follows:Would You also destroythe righteous with thewicked? Suppose therewere fifty righteouswithin the city; wouldYou also destroy the placeand not spare it for thefifty righteous that werein it? (Gen. 18:23-24).

Here is God’s answer:If I find in Sodom fiftyrighteous within the city,then I will spare all theplace for their sakes(v.26).As you know, the aged

patriarch continued tointercede for Sodom until he finally said, “Let not theLord be angry, and I willspeak but once more:Suppose ten should befound there?” God said,“I will not destroy it for the sake of ten” (v.32).

Yes, if only a smallminority, if only 10righteous souls had beenfound in Sodom, the Lordwould have spared the city.

13



He wasn’t obligated to do so,but He was ready to showmercy for the sake of agodly few.

It is also true of God thatwhen any nation as a wholeturns to Him, He will spareHis hand of judgment uponit. A good illustration of thiscan be found in the book ofJonah, where the Lord isdescribed as changing Hismind when the Ninevitesrepented. The prophetJonah had warned theNinevites that God woulddestroy their city in 40 days.But they turned to the Lord,and therefore we are told:

God relented from thedisaster that He had said He would bringupon them, and He didnot do it (Jon. 3:10).Speaking through

Jeremiah, the Lord said:The instant I speakconcerning a nation andconcerning a kingdom, topluck up, to pull down,and to destroy it, if that

nation against whom Ihave spoken turns fromits evil, I will relent of thedisaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speakconcerning a nation andconcerning a kingdom, tobuild and to plant it, if itdoes evil in My sight sothat it does not obey Myvoice, then I will relentconcerning the good withwhich I said I wouldbenefit it (Jer. 18:7-10).A national turning to

God and the repentance of a minority are two differentthings. A general spiritualawakening of an entirepopulation will bring theLord’s favor. A partialreviving on the part of afaithful few may stay God’sjudgment.

Let’s be careful how weinterpret 2 Chronicles 7:14.Don’t make it say too much.As a believer, humbleyourself before God, pray,seek His face, and turn from

14



your wicked ways. This ishow to have a revival—apersonal refreshing fromthe Lord. It may not beearthshaking or spectacular.It may not change yourchurch, community, or

nation. But it will result inGod’s blessing, His peace,and His power in your life.Yes, Lord, send a revival,and let it begin in me!

Let’s consider one more question: Should we today be looking for thefulfillment of Joel 2? Some

Christians, having that passage in mind,are expecting a greatoutpouring and moving of the Spirit of God withrevival blessings. Look atJoel 2 more closely. TheLord is speaking and Hesays:

It shall come to passafterward that I willpour out My Spirit on allflesh; your sons and yourdaughters shall prophesy,your old men shalldream dreams, youryoung men shall seevisions. And also on Mymenservants and on Mymaidservants I will pourout My Spirit in thosedays. And I will showwonders in the heavensand in the earth: bloodand fire and pillars ofsmoke. The sun shall beturned into darkness, andthe moon into blood,before the coming of thegreat and awesome dayof the Lord (Joel 2:28-31).

15

mAs a believer,humble yourselfbefore God, pray,

seek His face,and turn fromwickedness—to experience

personal revival!n



You will recall that when Peter referred to what took place on the Dayof Pentecost in Acts 2, hesaid, “This is what wasspoken by the prophet Joel”(v.16). We know, however,that only a portion of Joel’sprophecy came to pass atPentecost. Some of itspredictions remainunfulfilled. The completerealization of his prophecy,we believe, will not occuruntil after the rapture ofthe church.

The Holy Spirit will be poured out on all fleshduring the tribulationperiod and millennialkingdom. It is then thatJoel’s words in chapter 2 will fully come to pass.Therefore, we are notexpecting the fulfillment of Joel 2 in this presentchurch age. The Holy Spirit does dwell within usright now as believers. Weknow His presence. And wecan also know His power

and His fullness as wesurrender to His control.

In the light of what we’vebeen considering together,let us pray as never beforefor our beloved nation.For those in positions ofauthority. For righteousnessto prevail. For justice to becarried out. For compassionon the underprivileged. Forlove and understanding. ForGod’s judgment on evil. Forthe church of the Lord JesusChrist. For God’s purifyingwork. And yes, let’s pray forrevival!

Remember, as far as your own personal “revival”is concerned, the next moveis yours. As you confess yoursin, rededicate yourself todoing God’s will, and look to Him for guidance andstrength to live for Him,you will know andexperience for yourself the refreshing, quickeningwork of the Spirit of God.

16



IndividualRevival

CCould it be that whatmany people assumeto be the causes of

revival are actually theresults of revival? Manybooks have been written on the subject of revival.Even though they have beenauthored by a variety ofBible students, the majorityof them have one thing incommon—they prescribewhat could be called arevival formula. Theyoutline a pattern which,if followed, is supposed toopen the windows of heavenand cause showers ofblessing to pour out inabundance on a barren andimpotent church. Yes, weare told that if Christianswould only pray, confesstheir sins, and obey God’sWord, we would haverevival. In fact, I’ve heard it said that if only two orthree people who really

mean business with theLord would earnestly prayfor revival, it would surelyfollow.

Nothing is wrong, ofcourse, with encouragingbelievers to pray, toacknowledge their sins, andto walk in obedience to theLord. That’s what everyChristian should be doing.But to indicate that thesethings are elements of a“revival formula” that isguaranteed to produce awidespread spiritualawakening is misleading.It may even result indisappointment andfrustration. To say that we must engage in certainspiritual exercises in orderto bring revival is in a sense“putting the cart before thehorse.” These so-calledconditions to producerevival are actually theresults of revival. In fact,the elements often found inprescriptions for revival areactually the qualities that

17



should characterize thenormal Christian life.

We all fail to measure up to God’s expectations for us. Tragically, we areoften unaware of just how spiritually cold andindifferent we have become.For that reason, the Lordsometimes sends revival.An entire congregation orChristian community maycome under a deep, HolySpirit conviction of sin.Both private and publicconfession take place.And the entire experienceraises the spiritual level of believers to a muchhigher plane.

Becoming aware of ourshortcomings, you see, is notthe cause of revival, it is theresult of revival. We aregiven a new desire to pray,to study the Bible, to makethings right with fellowChristians, and to lead theunsaved to Christ. Thesethings do not bring revival;rather, they are the fruit of

a reviving work of the Spiritof God. Yes, when believersgrow cold and indifferent,the Lord sometimes sendsrevival to shake them up,

to arouse them, and toencourage them to live thenormal Christian life—onethat is controlled and filledby the Spirit. That kind ofliving is God’s standard forevery believer. It is whatGod expects from all of us.

I shall never forget avery special chapel serviceduring my college days. As I

18

mPrayer,Bible study,

making thingsright with fellowChristians, andwitnessing don’tcause revival—

they’re the result of it.n



entered the auditorium thatparticular morning, I had nosense of expectation. As faras I was concerned, it wasjust another meeting. I wasthere simply because it wasrequired that all studentsattend. But how glad I amthat I didn’t miss thatparticular service! I willalways remember the deepmoving of the Spirit of God.An almost unbearableconviction of sin came uponmy heart during that hour.It made even simple trivialmatters that Christiansusually regard asinoffensive loom up as huge, mountainous sinsagainst a thrice-holy andrighteous God. I was in themidst of a great revival!

Because of the lowspiritual tide in thatChristian college, the Holy Spirit brought about a conviction of sin so deepthat it defies description. Ihad never been so miserablein all my life. Sin had never

seemed so awful, and theHoly Spirit’s convictingpower had never seemedgreater. The chapel serviceextended right on throughthe lunch period, theafternoon, the dinner hour,and into the evening. Manystudents forgot all aboutmeals, and they remained in the auditorium the entireday. On the followingmorning, they continued to acknowledge their sins,making public confessionand renouncing the evil intheir lives. Some outsiders,of course, criticized theevents of those days,charging the student bodywith being overly emotional.Be that as it may, I knowthat the Lord did a work in my heart during thosenever-to-be-forgotten hours,and its effect is felt in mylife even to the presenttime.

As a result of thatrevival, I was filled with a new desire to pray, I

19



received a fresh interest inthe Word, and I was given a burden for lost souls. Iexperienced a deeper lovefor fellow Christians and a genuine hatred for sin. Idetermined from that dayforward to obey God’s Wordand to allow my life to beconformed to His will. Thosethings were all the result of a genuine spiritualquickening, a great movingof the Spirit of God.

That revival did not come because a fewbelievers had followed aprescribed revival formula.It came in God’s own time and according to Hissovereign will. The spiritualtransformation in the livesof that student body cameas a result of a God-sentawakening. According to His own will, and at thetime of His own choosing,God had graciously visitedthat campus. And I shallalways be grateful for theway it changed my life.

I might digress here tosay that revival is generallythought of as a great, grand,and wonderful experience.And it is—when it’s all over.Even so, those who have feltthe deep conviction thatattends a true revival willagree that it can be one of the most intense andpainful ordeals a Christianever experiences. Thememories of that time ofheartsearching during therevival of my college dayshaunt me even to thepresent. So severe is theawareness of sin that I amsure many who plead forrevival might stop theirpraying if they only knewthe agony of soul it wouldentail for them. The resultsare marvelous, to be sure.But the feelings of guilt arebeyond description. Theyseem almost unbearableuntil there is confession ofsin and full surrender to the will of God. How muchbetter to walk with the Lord

20



day by day, in obedience to His will, so that it isnever necessary for us to beawakened to our spiritualneed through the pain ofchastisement or the travailof a revival!

Most revival sermons put the cart before thehorse. Their so-calledconditions to bring revivalare actually the resultsproduced by a genuinespiritual awakening.

Revivals should not be necessary. Such a highspiritual level of living oughtto be maintained by everytrusting child of God so that spiritual awakeningsare never called for. Byconfessing our sins, obeyingGod’s will, renouncing evil,and appropriating by faithour riches in Christ, we canhave the highest joy, thedeepest peace, and thefullest measure of God’spower every day of our lives.The victorious life is reallythe norm for the child of

God. The Lord considers it tobe standard procedure. It isnot reserved exclusively forthe mountaintop experiencerelated to revival.

The majority ofChristians, however, live on a sub-standard level.They leave their first love.They grow spiritually cold.They become powerless.Losing sight of that which isheavenly and eternal, theybecome enamored with theearthly and the temporal.The Lord therefore sendsrevival to raise them fromtheir subnormal spirituallevel to the normal. God’sstandard for all Christiansis a manner of living that is characterized by implicitfaith, unswerving obedience,and loving service.

When we fail toappropriate the Lord’s helpfor the victorious life andbecome careless, He maysend a revival to shake us up, arouse us from ourspiritual slumber, and give

21



us a spiritual awakening.In so doing, He uses anabnormal means to bringHis subnormal children intoa normal Christian walk.And that, as we haveindicated, is a walk that

is characterized by faith,obedience, and joy. Ifbelievers were alwaysfaithful in doing the will ofGod, they would never needsuch drastic treatment. Thevery fact that we do need itso desperately is a rebuke tothe church of the Lord JesusChrist.

We believe in revival. We

pray for a dynamic workingof the Spirit of God in thechurch. But whether theLord sees fit to send one or not, you as an individualchild of God can live on sucha high spiritual plane thatit’s like having a perpetualrevival. You can know andenjoy the presence, thepower, and the blessing of God every day.

That may come as asurprise to those people wholiken the Christian life to arechargeable battery. Theyhave the idea that it’sperfectly normal forbelievers to “run down” andto need a “spiritual charge”from time to time. Theyperceive the Christian lifeas a continuing series ofspiritual highs and lows.But this is not what Godintended for His children.Rather, they are expected to maintain a consistentlyhigh level of spiritual power.There is no excuse for beingrundown. With God’s help, it

22

mGod usesabnormal

means to bringHis subnormalchildren into

a normalChristian

walk.n



is possible to live a life offaith and victory on a dailyand continuing basis.

Sorry to say, however,few believers live up to thatpotential. The majority ofChristians live on asubstandard level.

I would like to emphasizeagain that even though weshould pray for revival inthe church at large, youdon’t have to wait for aspectacular moving of God’sSpirit in a general, area-wide spiritual awakening to experience His power inyour own life. The Lord iswaiting right now to blessyou as you meet Hisconditions.

Even though there is no “formula” that assuresrevival, there is a definitepattern for individualbelievers to follow in orderto be revived. If your hearthas grown cold, if you’vebecome indifferent to theLord, if the things of earthand the pleasures of this life

have taken precedence over the heavenly and theeternal, I encourage you tofollow these steps to haveyour own personal revival:

1. Acknowledge yourspiritual need. “If we saythat we have no sin, wedeceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”(1 Jn. 1:8).

2. Confess your sinsand accept God’s pardon.“If we confess our sins, He isfaithful and just to forgiveus our sins and to cleanse usfrom all unrighteousness”(1 Jn. 1:9).

3. Spend time daily inGod’s Word. “Your word Ihave hidden in my heart,that I might not sin againstYou” (Ps. 119:11). The Wordof God is a means by whichthe Lord shows you His will. You will never be avictorious Christian if youneglect the Bible.

4. Talk to the Lord inprayer. Commune withHim. Worship Him. Thank

23



Him for His many blessings.And tell Him of your needs.“Let us therefore comeboldly to the throne ofgrace, that we may obtainmercy and find grace to helpin time of need” (Heb. 4:16).

5. Resist sin. Say no to every temptation of theworld, the flesh, and thedevil. Take comfort in thefact that even though Satanis more powerful than you,with God on your side youcan defeat your spiritualfoes. The Holy Spirit whodwells within us is morepowerful than Satan and allthe forces of sin combined.“You are of God, littlechildren, and have overcomethem, because He who is inyou is greater than he whois in the world” (1 Jn. 4:4).

I wonder, have you beenfaithful in following theseguidelines? If you don’tconfess your sins, you willmiss the blessing of fullcommunion and fellowshipwith the Lord. If you don’t

read the Bible and saturateyourself with the Word ofGod, you will not havespiritual victory. If you don’tspend time in prayer, youwill never really experienceGod’s best for you.

So don’t sit back andwait for some spectacularmoving work of the Spirit of God in a great revival.

Right now, you canpersonally appropriateGod’s provision for spiritualpower, victory, and joy. Thisis how to have a revival.

24

mRight now,you can

personallyappropriate

God’s provisionfor spiritual

power, victory,and joy.n



WorldwideRevival Ahead?

AAs this age draws to a close, will it bemarked by spiritual

improvement and revival orby worldwide moral decline?Are we justified in expectinga great, worldwide endtimerevival? Will millions ofpeople be swept into thekingdom of God as thecoming of Christ drawsnear? And will thingsimprove spiritually as the age progresses?

These questionsnaturally arise when revival is discussed. In thisconcluding lesson of How To Have A Revival, I wouldlike us to consider what wecan expect in the presentdispensation.

But before we do, let’sreview what we mean whenwe speak about revival.When we use the wordrevival, we are referring tospecial seasons of spiritual

refreshing that come uponthe church—times when the windows of heaven seem to open and showersof blessing are poured out in abundance. When theseseasons occur, believers whoare moved by deep, HolySpirit conviction makeprivate (and sometimespublic) confession of sin.They renew their dedicationto the Lord. And the wholeexperience is oftenaccompanied by thesalvation of lost souls.Yes, revival is that whichAlmighty God sends uponthe church in times ofspiritual darkness andlethargy. And it may comein answer to the persistentpleading of prayingbelievers.

We turn now to thesequestions. Can we expectrevival on a large scale? Willthere be a great, worldwide,spiritual renewal? Will atransforming work of theSpirit of God within the

25



church result in the turningof vast multitudes to Christfor salvation?

You cannot find a single promise in the Biblepertaining to revival in thechurch. To be sure, in recentdays there have beenspiritual awakenings forwhich we praise God. Butthey did not come becauseGod promised them, norbecause some person orgroup of people followed a“formula” that guaranteedthem. No, God sends revivalas He chooses, and inkeeping with His all-wisepurpose.

No question about it, wedo desperately need revival!In spite of its great necessityand our own desire to see it,we are not expecting anyworldwide spiritualawakening in which themajority of men and womenwill turn to Christ. Rather,the Bible says that we willsee an increase in violence,wickedness, and godlessness

as the end of the ageapproaches. We will see ageneral spiritual decline, notincreasing moral perfection.The apostle Paul wrote:

Know this, that in the lastdays perilous times willcome: for men will belovers of themselves, loversof money, boasters, proud,blasphemers, disobedientto parents, unthankful,unholy, unloving,unforgiving, slanderers,without self-control,brutal, despisers of good,traitors, headstrong,haughty, lovers of pleasurerather than lovers of God(2 Tim. 3:1-4).

A few verses later,Paul continued:

Evil men and impostorswill grow worse andworse, deceiving andbeing deceived (v.13).It is also true, as Jesus

indicated in Matthew 7,that most of the world’spopulation will not beconverted.

26



Enter by the narrow gate;for wide is the gate andbroad is the way thatleads to destruction, andthere are many who go inby it. Because narrow isthe gate and difficult isthe way which leads tolife, and there are fewwho find it (Mt. 7:13-14).I can imagine someone

saying, “That certainlydoesn’t give us muchincentive for witnessing. Infact, it’s discouraging. Whyspend so much money andsuch great effort in trying toreach the world for Christ?”The answer is simple: We doso, if for no other reason, outof obedience to the commandof Christ Himself. Jesus said:

Go into all the world andpreach the gospel to everycreature (Mark 16:15).In Matthew 28, the Lord

Jesus said:Go therefore and makedisciples of all thenations, baptizing themin the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teachingthem to observe all thingsthat I have commandedyou; and lo, I am with youalways, even to the end ofthe age (Mt. 28:19-20).Yes, even if no one ever

believed the message, and ifeveryone’s ears were closedto the truth, we wouldpreach the gospel anyway—and for the best possiblereason. The Lord JesusChrist told His followers to do so.

I am reminded of Isaiah,who received a strangecommission from God. TheLord said to the prophet:

Go, and tell this people:“Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keepon seeing, but do notperceive.” Make the heartof this people dull, andtheir ears heavy, and shuttheir eyes; lest they seewith their eyes, and hearwith their ears, andunderstand with their

27



heart, and return and behealed (Isa. 6:9-10).Now, this was not an

easy thing to do! Isaiah wasinstructed by the Lord topreach to a people who, hewas told beforehand, wouldnot perceive or believe whathe said to them.

He knew very well thathis message would fall ondeaf ears, that the greatmajority would not receivewhat he said. We are not atall surprised, then, to hearIsaiah cry out in verse 11,“Lord, how long?” The Lordreplied as follows:

Until the cities are laid waste and withoutinhabitant, the housesare without a man, theland is utterly desolate,the Lord has removedmen far away, and theforsaken places are manyin the midst of the land.But yet a tenth will be init (vv.11-13).Isaiah was to preach

God’s message faithfully,

realizing that most of hisaudience would not receivewhat he said. At the most,only a minority would takehim seriously.

We too must go “into allthe world and preach thegospel to every creature,”knowing full well that themajority of those who hearthe message will not acceptit. They will hear, but theywill “not understand.” Theywill see, but they will “notperceive.” We must bediligent in holding forth theWord of life. Why? Becauseof our love for and devotion

28

mIf no one ever believed

the message, wewould preach thegospel anyway—

because Jesus told us to do so.n



to Christ, and for the sakeof those who do choose tobelieve. It is not necessarilyour responsibility to besuccessful. Rather, “It isrequired in stewards thatone be found faithful”(1 Cor. 4:2).

The world in general is spinning madly on itsdownward course. God iscalling out of it a minority,a people for Himself, thechurch of the Lord JesusChrist. When that body iscompleted, the Lord Jesuswill come again and receiveus to Himself. Until thattime, our privilege andsacred duty as His followersis to preach the gospel andleave the results with Him.Our reward, remember, willbe based on faithfulness—not on numbers!

It may be that you arediscouraged today. You havetried to be a witness forChrist. You have beenzealous in praying for thelost. Yet you have seen such

meager results from theefforts that you are justabout ready to “throw in thetowel.” If that’s your case, Iwould remind you that ourLord Jesus did not tell us togo into all the world andconvert the world. No, weare to go into all the worldand “preach the gospel.”That’s our responsibility!We do the preaching, andthen we leave the outcomewith the Lord. Even so, weknow that faithful servicewill be rewarded. Let ustherefore “not grow wearywhile doing good, for in dueseason we shall reap if wedo not lose heart” (Gal. 6:9).

The results of our service for Christ may bedisappointing at times. Weare thankful, however, thateven though the spiritualharvest is meager and thework is discouraging, theLord does drop for us“handfuls on purpose.” Inthe story of Ruth, we aretold that “when she rose up

29



to glean, Boaz commandedhis young men, saying, ‘Lether glean even among thesheaves, and do not reproachher. Also, let grain from thebundles fall purposely forher; leave it that she mayglean, and do not rebukeher” (Ruth 2:15-16). As Ruth went out to glean inthe field of Boaz, the menwho worked for him wereinstructed to drop handfulsof grain on purpose for her. How wonderful! Howgenerous of Boaz! And howencouraging for poor Ruth!

The Lord does somethinglike that for the church too.As we glean in the harvestfields of the world, “grainfrom the bundles fallpurposely” from His hand.He sends revivals. He givesus fruit for our labors. Heencourages us in the workof the gospel.

We could well be living inthe last days of this churchage. The time of reapingmay soon be over. Even so,

the Lord is still dropping,here and there, “handfuls on purpose.”

No, it is not our businessto convert the world. It’s ourmission to preach thegospel. This world is not

going to improve spirituallyand morally as the presentage draws to a close. And weare not looking for a greatworldwide revival.

No matter how cold,indifferent, and powerlessthe church in general maybe, that does not excuse theindividual believer frombeing everything God wantshim to be. As I have

30

mIt’s not ourbusiness toconvert the

world. It’s ourmission to preach

the gospel.n



emphasized again andagain in these lessons, weas born-again Christians donot have to wait for someunusual, earthshaking,heaven-sent revival to makeus what God wants us to be.Whenever we appropriatethe gracious provisions Godhas made for us, we canexperience the joy andblessing of the victorious,Spirit-filled Christian life.

Remember, revival isnecessary only when we failto live the normal Christianlife. When God’s childrengrow cold spiritually andbecome insensitive to Hiswill, He has to “shake themup” and restore them tofellowship. But that shouldnever be necessary.

With God’s help, you as a Christian can be what Hewants you to be right now.So don’t wait for some greatrevival to transform yourlife. Recognizing your ownspiritual need, confess your sin. Accept God’s

forgiveness. Read His Word. Study it. Obey it.And don’t forget to pray. Infact, as long as you continueto do those things, you will experience withoutinterruption the blessedpeace and power of God in your life every day.

So what are you waitingfor? If you have sensed acoldness, an apathy, aspiritual indifference inyour life, I urge you to dosomething about it, and do it now!

Begin by confessing yoursins to the Lord. The Biblegives us this promise:

If we confess our sins,He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).Determine to walk in

obedience to the revealedwill of God. We are told in 1 John 1:7 that “if we walkin the light as He is in thelight, we have fellowship

31



with one another, and theblood of Jesus Christ HisSon cleanses us from all sin.”

Surrender yourselfcompletely to the Lord, asthe apostle Paul urged:

I beseech you therefore,brethren, by the mercies of God, that you presentyour bodies a livingsacrifice, holy, acceptableto God, which is yourreasonable service. And donot be conformed to thisworld, but be transformedby the renewing of yourmind, that you may provewhat is that good andacceptable and perfectwill of God (Rom.12:1-2).Allow the Holy Spirit

to fill you. Let Him use you for the glory of God.

Do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit(Eph. 5:18).Yes, this is how to

have a revival—and to stay revived!

Hymnwriter BessiePorter Head wrote:

O Heart of Christ,once broken for us,

’Tis there we find ourstrength and rest;

Our broken, contrite hearts now solace,

And let Thy waiting church be blest.Revive us, Lord! Is zeal abating

While harvest fields are vast and white?Revive us, Lord—

the world is waiting!Equip Thy church to spread the light.

This booklet is taken from messagestaught by Richard W. De Haan onthe Day Of Discovery televisionprogram in 1984. Richard waspresident and teacher of RadioBible Class (now RBC Ministries)from 1964 to 1984.

32

Managing Editor: David Sper

Cover Photo: Allstock/T. BeanScripture quotations are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.. Used by permission. All rights reserved.© 1993, 2004 RBC Ministries,Grand Rapids, MI Printed in USA



Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.

Discovery Series presents the truth of Jesus Christ to the world in balanced, engaging, and accessible resources that show the relevance of Scripture for all areas of life. All Discovery Series booklets are available at no cost and can be used in personal study, small groups, or ministry outreach.

To partner with us in sharing God’s Word, click this link to donate. Thank you for your support of Discovery Series resources and Our Daily Bread Ministries.

Many people, making even the smallest of donations, enable Our Daily Bread Ministries to reach others with the life-changing wisdom of the Bible. We are not funded or endowed by any group or denomination.

CLICK TO DONATE

http://ourdailybread.org/donate/

How to Have a Revival - d3uet6ae1sqvww.cloudfront.net · How To Have A Revival by Richard W.De Haan...

Documents

Transcript of How to Have a Revival - d3uet6ae1sqvww.cloudfront.net · How To Have A Revival by Richard W.De Haan...