“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psa. 85:6)

Revival in Hebrew is Chayay {khaw-yah’-ee}. It means to be quickened, to be made alive, to be restored to life or health, from sickness, from discouragement, from faintness, from death! It refers to a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. In other words, Revival in the heart of a believer is to be awakened from spiritual slumber or even revived and raised from spiritual death! It encompasses the resurfacing of a greater love and passion for a Holy and Righteous God than they usually have ever experienced. Revival moves beyond the heart of nominal, complacent Christianity and is usually marked by a life that is lived in holiness because He is Holy.

Initiated by the Holy Spirit:

True revival is always initiated by a prompting of the Holy Spirit! It creates an awareness of something missing or wrong in the person’s life that can only be transformed by a Holy God. In turn, the person must respond from the heart, acknowledging his or her need. Then, in a powerful way the Holy Spirit draws back the veil the enemy has cast over the truth, allowing that person to fully see themselves in comparison to God’s glory, majesty and holiness. Obviously, such comparisons bring great humility and repentance, but also bring an awareness and awe of God in relation to His great love for them personally and His truly amazing grace. For the believer, unlike the original conversion experience that brings about a new relationship to God; revival represents a restoration of fellowship with God. It always takes them to a new place, a new level, a new depth of intimacy and love with God. After salvation, the first tactic of the enemy is to distract you with the cares of this life or busyness of new ministry or even a religious lifestyle. We can become weighed down with the cares of life, rituals of religion, even ministry, and we soon find ourselves just going through the motions… thereby losing our first love. It’s then that we no longer experience the joy of serving Christ. True revival initiated by the Holy Spirit helps restore that first love, passion and intimacy towards Christ.

What it Produces:

Revival stimulates an aggressive hunger and passion for His Word and a desire to be with those of like precious faith. It is a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness. Revival invigorates and always deepens a believer’s faith, opening his or her eyes to spiritual truth. It marks a new beginning of a life lived in obedience to God through intense worship, prayer, fasting, repentance and the reading of God’s Word. Revival breaks the fascination, deception and power of the world in which we live, which blinds the eyes and hearts of men. (Isa. 44:18)(2 Cor. 4:4).

True revival from the Holy Spirit generates both the will and power to live as agents of transformation… to be in the world but not of the world.