Revival

 “We need a mighty wave of grace to push back the tides of evil flooding our land. We plead for a blood-bought, Christ honoring, spirit-filled epoch . . .”                                   

  (from the prayer card entitled “Revival”, Turning Point Ministries, 2016)

As I shared in a previous post (Make America Great Again, For God, February, 2017) I have been using a set of prayer cards that I got as a gift from Dr. David Jeremiah’s Turning Point Ministries in my daily prayer time. This morning I used the card entitled “a prayer for Revival”. I have read this card many times in the last several months and nothing in it was really new to me. I was struck, however with the actual concept of “Revival”.

I wondered, first of all, is revival actually possible? The entire concept of revival, that is, the awakening of the Church to the movement of the Holy Spirit in its life, and in the lives of individuals; the wholesale returning of the congregations to a strong, meaningful relationship with the Lord, and a great many of the lost turning to Jesus Christ to find salvation; just seemed unlikely in the world we live in today. It was completely off my radar!

And then I wondered; could it really happen? What if it did happen?

I think that most of us have given up on the world around us. We have seen it degenerate into a secular-humanist, God denying, Christ-ignoring, Bible-ignorant society. We have many come to think that we are approaching the last days and that it is too late for redemption for our society. We have come to think, as Jesus Himself put it “the love of many [has grown] cold”. (Matt. 24:11)

But what if we’re wrong about that? What if the Lord isn’t finished yet? What if there is one (or perhaps even many) more chapter to go? Wouldn’t it be great if there were to come about a great revival in our time, even this year! How about if it began today?

The card also went on to say:

“[we need a time] as in the days of Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, and Josiah [all of which were kings of Judah during times of revival], as in the days of Edwards, Wesley, Whitfield, Finney and Moody [prominent revivalists in American history].

What if? Is it even possible? As little as year ago, or even a few weeks ago I would have said no! But perhaps this is what the Lord has been preparing us for. Perhaps the fields are ripe for harvest.

 It is possible, if our Lord wills, it can happen. If He wills, it will happen. Peter tells us:

“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9, ESV)

If we are sliding into the last days, even then, a last-days turning to Him would be exciting! I pray that this is possible. I am beginning to pray that God will bring it about. Won’t you join me?

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and of Israel

Thanks for sharing this moment with me today.