Revival

Revival.

For the past couple of months, during our Sunday evening services, we have been speaking on the topic of Revival.
So what is Revival?
"Revival is a flash of the glory of God that will one day cover all the earth.  It is a divine foretaste of His heavenly kingdom."

For some time prior to our doing the series on "Revival", I have been praying for and seeking revival within myself, the churches of God and its people and this nation.  I have read and am still reading books that chronicle past revivals that have taken place around the world.
Just to name a few, there is the First Great Awakening w/ Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield.  The Second Great Awakening led by Charles Finney.  Azusa Street Revival that took place in Los Angeles, Ca., and the Great Welsh Revival in 1904-05.

What stuck out to me the most is the length of time it took for these revivals to start.  No one revival in the annals of history started immediately.  It was only after a lengthy period of time did they come about.  Individuals who had been praying for a move of the Holy Spirit upon the church and surrounding areas, had quite often been praying for weeks, months and even years before the revivals came about.

In the opening message of the series, "Start With Me", we found out the where and how of revivals.
Where does a revival start?  It starts with me (the individual).
How does a revival start?  It starts with prayer.
When we are praying for revival, we as believers are asking God for three things.
1. To restore-To put back or bring back into existence or use.
2. To revive-A renewed attention to, or interest in something.
3. To reveal-To make something (hidden or secret) publicly known.
Oddly enough that is only step 2 in the quest for revival.

In Psalm 85:6 the writer asks a question of the LORD.  "Will You (God) not revive us again: that Your people may rejoice in thee?"

Reading that Psalm led me to think there was a hindrance in place.  Something or someone has turned the hearts of the people away from God, causing them to lose the only real source of joy in their lives.  Digging deeper into the Word was my only hope of finding the answer.
What is step one to seeing a revival?  Step one is God's requirement for a personal and national revival.
2nd Chronicles 7:14 (God speaking) "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from there wicked ways; then I will hear from 
heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
God requires repentance from those who are called by His name.  Without repentance, we are blazingly asking God to bless us in our sin.  Not so.
When the people of God, set it in their hearts, to seek AND to do the will of God, then revival will take place. Once the individual has been restored, then it moves on to the church and eventually the nation.  Revivals start small and spread out like wildfire once the Holy Spirit has filled the people of God.  The outpouring of the Holy Spirit cannot happen unless there is a vessel for Him to dwell in.

Psalm 69:32 When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

All that the world needs can be found in the Most High God, but we must seek Him first.
Prayer should never be one-sided, us talking to God.  Sometimes God has something to say to us.  Once we have honored the request of God, then He will honor ours.
I shall keep you all posted on our progress.

Have a good day and God bless.