Since our founding in 1971, Life Action has been praying for revival and proclaiming revival messages in churches across the world. Our vision has been shaped by Scripture and by the amazing stories of God’s glorious power, like those from the historic American Great Awakenings or from the present-day church multiplication movements in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
When people start saying yes to God, amazing things happen, through the power of the Holy Spirit. These seven revival results are what capture our imagination and make us wonder, What would a 21st-century revival in North America look like
God’s Word will be exalted and authoritative over human experience.
To elevate (or even equate) personal experiences with the authority of God’s Word is to become vulnerable to confusion and grave spiritual error. This is not to say that revival will bypass human experience and emotion, but that our experience must always be subordinate and subject to the absolute truth of God’s Word.
There will be an intense conviction of sin, leading to repentance.
Confronted by the holiness of God, conviction of sin intensifies and breeds in us an urgency for repentance (Isaiah 6:1-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10-11). Revival brings an intensity of God’s grace, which both demands and enables the forsaking of sin. We depart the well-worn pathways of personal failure and sin, and embark on the “Way of Holiness” (Isaiah 35:8).
Humility and brokenness will be evident.
In seasons of genuine revival, the passion for purity, a clear conscience, and (above all) God’s glory becomes so intense that no price is too great to pay. Although not necessarily “enjoyable” in the moment, embracing humility and experiencing brokenness is the only way to encounter God’s holiness. Just as Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2), so we must endure brokenness before God’s joy can be restored to us (Psalm 51).
There will be deliberate acts of reconciliation and restitution.
No longer content to “let bygones be bygones,” there will be a God-given zeal to obtain and maintain a clear conscience (Matthew 5:23-24; Acts 24:16). No longer will we bring our gifts of worship and service to the altar while harboring hurt, anger, or bitterness.
There will be a growing interest in prayer.
Just as prayer precedes revival, so prayer also sustains revival. When God is present, He cannot be ignored. Hunger for intimacy with Him is heightened and finds expression through prayer. Being in His presence will become the delight of our lives.
Joy will be pure and overflowing.
In seasons of revival, the desire to be entertained and to feel good is revealed for what it truly is—a cheap imitation of godly joy. Biblical prayers for revival speak of joy as a thing to be desired and as the byproduct of a genuine move of God (Psalm 85:6). Joy, rather than entertainment, will become a hallmark of our worship. God Himself will take center stage, and the Lord Jesus will reign as the sole object of our adoration.
Evangelism will flourish.
As God’s Spirit rests on His church with renewed power, our witness to the world becomes credible. Once bound by self-love, indifference, and fear of rejection, God’s people find new freedom, desire, and faith to share the gospel. Revival will propel us toward the completion of the Great Commission.
Do you share our vision for revival and spiritual awakening? Engage with Life Action to receive more than just Revive magazine. Take your next steps at LifeAction.org.
Recent Comments