Shoulder To Shoulder #1333 -- 3/14/23 ---- "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? -- (Part 5) Revival's Strange Characteristics"
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1333 -- 3/14/23
Title: "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? -- (Part 5) Revival's Strange Characteristics"
My Dear Friend and Pilgrim Partner:
We are beginning to see the "signs of Summer" here in the desert. Actually, the calendar tells us that Spring is still officially about a week away, but southwestern Arizona usually likes to get a head start. The past few days our high temperatures have been in the 80's. After a high of 80 today, things will cool down a bit the middle of this week back into the mid 70's and a strong probability of rain. Yes, we actually have rain in Yuma sometimes. We get an average of 3.09" a year here, as a matter of fact -- something of which desert dwellers are very proud.
While many of our seniors, mostly Canadians who are often restricted by insurance policies, are beginning to leave, our services have remained rich, worshipful, joyful, and meaningful. Last Sunday I preached the fourth sermon on Revival -- "Revival's Key: Brokenness". I will probably share some of those thoughts with you in the next few letters. Attendance now consistently runs below 90, with our seasonal high hitting 154, but fellowship is sweet. With just two Sundays remaining in the season, Jo Ann and I are finding it hard to imagine not meeting together. We know it is likely we'll not see some of our folks ever again this side of heaven.
We're also conscious of how deeply God has been impacting people this season, and we don't want to see it stop. Finally, I think the political, economic, and moral conditions all around us drive me to want to share more biblical truths than I have time left do do it. Regardless of one's "last days" opinions, one thing is clear -- things are gaining steam in a way that, due to global economic networks of influence, will impact you and me.
One of our newer members who is still operating several businesses in the finance industry has indicated that all that he sees foretells of several difficult years ahead, everything going on in Washington is exacerbating the problem, crypto-currency will soon become "the order of the day", and a one-world economy is inevitable. This morning I was talking with a Canadian neighbor who indicated the exchange rate is $1.42 Canadian dollar to $1.00 U.S. dollar and gas is selling equivalent to $7.21 per gallon.
But, while others look at "the handwriting on the wall", you and I read the Bible and understand that this is exactly what the Bible has predicted for centuries. For this reason, I intend to continue sharing thoughts about the desperate need for revival among God's people. We cannot, if we want to maintain spiritual moral integrity and honesty, lay the burden of responsibility for our plight on the world. It is Not the world's fault. It can't help itself because in its entirety it lies in the evil one's sphere of darkness -- apart from Jesus (I Jn 5:19).
Jesus' teachings are so clear on this -- meat doesn't rot unless salt has not been applied. The only way spiritual "meat" can go bad is either when salt has not been liberally applied to the meat, or the salt sat on the shelf for so long that it lost all of its seasoning and preserving qualities. The purposes of salt are to sanitize, season, and save. So, if the world remains corrupt, putrid to the taste, and in a state of moral and spiritual decline and depravity, its not the world's fault in a sense -- it does what comes naturally -- "go bad".
Darkness cannot exist -- and does not exist -- unless there is the absence of light. We must stop blaming the world and assert, "the Devil made me do it", when the failure lies at the feet of the Church, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is entirely contrary to what the New Testament has to say about light -- it ALWAYS eliminates darkness. So, if we are living in a world of darkness, it is NOT because darkness overcame light. It's because the light chose not to shine. Revival in the Church is essential if there is any chance of people coming to Christ in droves, as is so desperately needed, and spiritual awakening happening in vast territorial areas.
Just this morning I was reading again of what happened -- in Wales, in Canada, in the eastern U.S., and in the Hebrides Islands -- when revival came upon God's people. So, if you don't mind, I want to address the matter again, even though this was not my original plan for this letter. First, though, consider . . . .
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ A Little Bragging Is In Order -- But Not Too Much: Super excited that my alma mater, Grand Canyon University, is going back to the NCAA tournament as the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) champions. Last year they made it to the final four. Let's see what happens this year. Go 'Lopes!!! The game will be played at Ball Arena in Denver on Friday, March 17 at 5:35 pm Mountain Time on TruTV. Gonzaga, ranked #3 will be a formidable foe with a massive NCAA tournament experience. Grand Canyon is ranked #14. Let's hope "David" has his sling and stones ready against this "Goliath". https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/grand-canyon-beats-southern-utah-84-66-to-claim-wac-title/
REVIVAL -- IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK:
As I noted previously, I did some more reading this morning on Revival -- reminded once again that our western view of revival is so far removed from what the Bible describes and what history has recorded that it is almost shameful. While I wish I could actually become judgmental and indignant over such ignorance, I find myself instead being deeply saddened and, frankly, heartbroken.
In all honesty, if you and I were to put 500 people in a room and ask them whether or not they had experienced personal revival, the overwhelming majority would probably say that at some point they had. My guess, though, is that probably no more than 50 to 100 of them had experienced genuine personal revival -- at least on some prolonged period of time.
I would be stunned, however, if more than 20% of the group had truly gone through a season of genuine personal revival. The evidence of revival is simply not there -- no hunger that led to absorbing God's Word, -- no hardships that led to dissatisfaction, -- no dissatisfaction that led to desperation, -- no desperation that led to prayer -- no praying that led to brokenness, -- no brokenness that led to surrender, -- no surrender that led to "joy unspeakable and full of glory" (I Pet 1:8) -- no joy that led to enduring fruitfulness.
That notwithstanding, the vast majority in the group would likely assume they had experienced revival True, they might have experienced their own salvation, the salvation of others, a series of emotional services in a week, or an inspirational experience, -- but not genuine revival. They may have thought it was revival, but it was likely little more than a few "mercy drops" that God released upon them. And, I do not mean to judge them or belittle them or what God did for them in any way. It's just that such moments are not the kind of revival we need.
If, then, you were ask those same 500 people how many had experienced true corporate revival -- that is, a protracted period of God's manifest presence that impacted beyond them to others -- their church, their community, or even a greater regional or national territory, I believe you would be fortunate to find even a handful (that's 5) people who had truly gone through corporate revival. My personal suspicion is perhaps there might be one or two. And, I may be generous at that.
The explanation -- and the reason for my burdened and broken heart -- is because real revival is nothing like what the overwhelming number of Christians think it is. I've already written about that in my earlier letter, "Revival Is God". Simply put, "the proof is in the pudding". If it looks like pudding and tastes like pudding, then it's pudding. It's the real thing. The tragedy is that people still have an unmitigated misunderstanding of what revival is. And, for the most part, the massive number of professing Christians still have no clue as to what it actually is, what it really looks like, what it truly accomplishes, or how it unquestionably changes lives.
Experiencing revival in a way is much like being a preacher. You think you know -- but you've never really been there. No "non-preacher" will ever in a million years understand his calling to such a difficult and resisted ministry -- why and how he was called. They will never understand the struggle and prayer that goes on into the formulation of a sermon. They will never understand why he cannot simply cut off the sermon because someone thought it was too long. They will never understand the struggle with "which" to preach instead of "what" to preach. They will never understand the struggle with "worth", "identity" and "acceptance" a preacher confronts every time he stands to preach. They will never understand the hardships on his family and how he is torn between the responsibilities to family and ministry.
So it is with revival; unless you have "been there", you simply opine. You don't really know revival as it truly is. It is relatively easy to describe a "divine moment" or a rich spiritual experience, but to try to describe a season of time where the presence of God and the activity of the Holy Spirit is prolonged into weeks, months, or even years, is impossible. For that reason, revival cannot be explained by those who have experienced it, and cannot be understood by those who have not.
You see, Revival as most people think of it, is nothing whatsoever like what they think it is. Spiritually speaking revival is "a breed of its own". Revival changes the heart of the Christian so thoroughly that it touches the heart of the lost. This is characteristic of every revival in world history. (I will get to that later.) In recent days for example, a revival in Hammond, Louisiana that broke out last October is still going on today in its 19th week. What started as a week-long meeting of about 125 people in attendance has grown so rapidly that the evangelist had to bring in his 2,500 seat tent to accommodate the people, and even that hasn't handled the crowds. (See https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/2023/march/since-asbury-the-hunger-has-grown-even-more-louisiana-revival-heads-into-19th-week for details.)
The recent Asbury Revival, still going strong across the United States continuing to spread to numerous campuses such as Purdue University, Texas A&M College Station, Texas A&M Corpus Christi, Texas A&M Galveston, University of Indiana, Baylor, Regent, LSU, many I've already mentioned, and hundreds of other campuses -- not to mention churches experiencing their own touch of God. Other nations, including Canada, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, and others. Just moments ago Jo Ann received an email from a CRU (Campus Crusade) friend reporting of a Mayan village who, when they heard Jesus speak in their own language in the Jesus Film, the entire town accepted Christ.
As far as I can tell from reading history and researching current movements, one of the chief characteristics of corporate revival is that it is long lasting and far reaching -- from weeks to years, and from community to nation. At this point, there is no way of knowing the scope or longevity of this current move of revival. We must remember that all of the past revivals we read about were years in the making as faithful saints cried out to God for His touch, often praying for years before revival broke through.
Our biggest danger will be to expect too much too quickly. Like fruit on a tree, it takes time to "ripen" into full-blown revival. Like a fire that can blaze quickly, it takes time for the coals to form and create longevity where more fuel can be added. We can't tell yet whether these are 1) mere "mercy drops" to remind us of how spiritually dehydrated we are, 2) "showers of blessings" to give us hope, or 3) a coming torrent that will sweep like a rushing wave into drought-plagued parched land. We will know in time.
You see, my friend . . . revival is absolutely Not what most people think. You simply cannot restrict God to a one-hour Sunday service (as a few in our chapel would love to do), a week-long series of meetings, or a well-organized plan of churches working together in a given location. Those may all be good, but they are not earth-shattering, life-changing revival.
Why is that true? It's because . . .
REVIVAL -- IS MORE THAN YOU THINK:
I've already listed various definitions in earlier letters by people who have studied and/or experienced revival, and I have pointed out the fact that revival in essence is the manifest presence and inexplicable power of God Himself having (as Roy Hession described it in Calvary Road) "taken center stage and man moved into the background". That being the case, then, . . .
1. It is more than you think in scope. While revival seems to always begin in the heart of one single, burdened, believer, it inevitably reaches beyond. Its scope cannot be measured, for in many ways revival is like the ripples on a lake or waves on an ocean. It starts when God's finger touches the middle of the lake or ocean (the heart of that single believer desperate for more) and it spreads concentrically.
If its destination shore is a short distance away -- like a family or Bible study group -- or far away and out of sight -- like a distant continent, the ripple effect goes on . . . sometimes like breakers and other times like a slight movement on the surface . . . until it reaches its intended place. Whatever the circumstances, revival is always more than what is first seen.
The current Asbury Revival illustrates this. When the students went to chapel on February 8th, they had no idea the service would last days, that up to people 50,000 would visit the campus, or that it would spread to so many places around the world. God's reach is always greater than ours -- and usually greater than we expected even from Him.
2. It is more than you think in purpose. Unfortunately, many Christians believe that revival is simply to make them feel good or motivate them to more faithfulness or greater effort. Those things may happen, but revival's purpose is exactly what the Bible describes it to be -- to change -- forever change -- the believer in some significant way. It is to bring back to life what had once been alive but had died.
In many ways, revival is inexplicably linked to what Jesus announced in Nazareth's synagogue when He revealed His calling: -- ". . . to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." He came to offer the "Year of Jubilee" -- that 50th year when what had been lost could be recovered. So, among other things, God sends revival . . .
1) To restore our confidence and hope: -- "You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth." (Ps 71:20).
2) To Sustain us during hard times: -- "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me." (Ps 138:7).
3) To rediscover the ways of God: -- "Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways." (Ps 119:37).
4) To enable us to be obedient to God: -- "Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth." (Ps 119:88).
5) To fill a life with joy: -- "Will You not Yourself revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?" (Ps 85:6; Ps 51:12).
6) To restore our focus on God: -- "Revive us, and we will call upon Your name." (Ps 80:18).
7) To bring back to life the repentant one: -- "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, 'I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite'." -- (Isa 57:15).
8) To bring forgiveness and freshness again to our lives: -- "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; . . ." (Acts 3:19)
9) To restore us from God's judgment: -- "O God, You have rejected us. You have broken us; You have been angry; O, restore us." (Ps 60:1)
10) To rescue us and grant God's blessing: -- "O God, restore us And cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved." (Ps 80:3, 7, 19)
If you understand true revival -- and especially if you have experienced it personally -- you know that these are some of the things that God does during seasons of revival. Just as all of the bucket can be in the ocean, not all of the ocean can fit in the bucket. There is always more -- much more. Of the 39 times in the Bible the term, "much more" is used, 24 of them are in the New Testament and relate to the idea that "if" this is what we received or "if" this is what happened, there is still "much more" with God. God is, indeed, a "much more" God.
Because revival is not what we think, but is always more than we think, we also know that . . .
REVIVAL -- IS MORE THAN CAN BE GRASPED:
Even though I have studied revival/s for decades, have written about it often, and have experienced it personally in a territorial level more than once, I still find myself unable to get my arms around it. The very nature of revival exposes the presence of spiritual fickleness, frailties, and failures within us.
If we were not fickle followers, we would never be in need of being brought back to life again; we'd have remained faithful and strong from the moment of our salvation. If we did not experience times -- sometimes even seasons or years -- of spiritual anemia, we'd never need to be healed again -- and again -- and again. If our faith and obedience remained strong throughout, we'd never need to be rescued and restored to spiritual vitality.
So, the idea of God rescuing wayward sheep, waking up the sleeper, bringing us back to life is simply more than our minds can wrap around. In a sense, it is truly an "other-worldly" act coming from another sphere of reality. If there is any core uniqueness to revival as contrasted to all other human and spiritual activity, it is this -- it is an in-this-world supernatural act from an other-world origin.
Sadly, we miss this great fact -- revival is NOT of this world. There is nothing in common or compatible with this world. This is why it is so confusing, misidentified, and misunderstood by many believers. Revival, on the other hand, is a divine spirit-world invasion by God into the visible physical world of man. It is the supernatural act of transcending all human reason, overcoming all human barriers, and bypassing all human strategies by coming into the world of common ordinary man.
How else can you explain the emotional, mental, and spiritual release from unseen bondage? How else can you explain a joy that was never moved by human events? How else can you explain the reconciliation of immovable offenses? How else can you explain a serene peace in the middle of chaos? How else can you explain praise and worship that reaches far beyond all human leaders, human choreography, and human manipulation?
Revival is truly from another world -- into this world.
So, consider the work of the Spirit in the following ways:
1. Revival always starts with God. Revival, as I have previously written, not only About God, but it is also always From God. In writing about what we know as the First Great Awakening, Jonathan Edwards stated, . . .
“There is very much to convince us, that God alone can bestow it, and show our entire and absolute dependence on Him for it. The insufficiency of human abilities to bring to pass any such happy change in the world . . . does now remarkably appear.” (A History of the Work of Redemption)
That being the case, then what can we do to "connect" with Him easily and immediately? Keep in mind, revival generally comes to those who are hungry for it, and who are prepared for it. So, how do we prepare?
I really don't want to belabor the point or sound like a broken record, but it's really as simple as what you and I have been taught most of our Christian lives. Stop trying to satisfy our spiritual appetite with things of this world. It never lasts, and it never works. If we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be fed.
We can intensify our hunger for God by feeding regularly on God's Word and by spending time in prayer -- honest prayer. Such disciplines will be magnified through the work of the Holy Spirit Who has been given such responsibilities as opening the Word to our hearts and opening our hearts to the mind of God.
I promise you that, no matter what you try or how hard you try it, you will never -- I mean Never -- generate anything within yourself from yourself that will cause you to hunger for revival. Not one single individual can take even the most minuscule amount of credit for any revival. Even in his worst spiritual condition, no believer can do anything that generates revival. Revival always starts with God -- even the circumstances you face are orchestrated by God to cause you to come to Him for His mercy.
2. Revival is always To and For man. I also noted that differentiation -- it's not ever About us, but always about God. However, revival comes both To us and For us. God doesn't need revival. Neither does the unbeliever need it; he needs forgiveness and salvation. It is the Christian who needs revival. Culture doesn't need revival, but rather the outcome of revival -- a bold witness and merciful compassion from revived believers. Repeatedly Jesus talked about God's availability and willingness to pour out His Spirit on those who are spiritually famished, beaten down, wounded, or living with a sense of exhaustion, helplessness, and hopelessness. He is prepared to pour out His Spirit on all open and available hearts.
"'For I will pour out water on the thirsty land And streams on the dry ground . . ." (Isa 44:3)
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." (Mt 5:6)
3. Revival is always preceded by and primed with prayer. Frankly, I have been a bit stunned -- but not really surprised -- at the strategic role that prayer plays in revival. And I don't know why I should be that way, because prayer throughout the Old Testament was a precursor to God's blessing and intervention for Israel. In like manner, the writers of the New Testament and even Jesus Himself consistently linked prayer to God's intervention in life's affairs.
Then, we have the record of the history of revival. The preponderance of evidence is so overwhelming that sometime soon I will devote an entire letter on the topic. So, for now, . . .
The First Great Awakening was bathed in prayer. In fact, Jonathan Edwards wrote a piece with a title seemingly longer than the article itself. Circulated throughout the colonies, he titled it, An Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer For the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on Earth, pursuant to Scripture-promises and Prophecies concerning the Last Time. In it he stated, . . .
“From the representation made in the prophecy . . . it will be fulfilled something after this manner; first, that there shall be given much of a spirit of prayer to God’s people, in many places disposing them to come into an express agreement, unitedly to pray to God in an extraordinary manner.”
The Second Great Awakening was actually born out of the throes of prayer. It started with a prayer meeting called by businessman Jeremiah Lamphier in New York City.
The Third Great Awakening began as a result of prayer. The Shantung Revival in China emerged out of prayer. The revival in South Korea was birthed in prayer and sustained by prayer. The Welsh Revival with Evan Roberts began with prayer. I could go on an on -- and will later. The bottom line is simple -- revival is always preceded by and sustained by prayer. God hasn't changed:
"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,
2Ch 7:14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (II Chron 7:13-14)
4. Revival always begins personally. I'm trying to "rack my brain", but I cannot think of a single corporate revival that did not begin within the heart of one lone Christian. I think there is a reason for that -- it is because revival -- true revival -- even when seen in corporate settings, is still a very personal matter. It is a time of inner searching. It is a time of inner confession. It is a time when we find ourselves crying out, "It's me, O Lord, standing in the need of . . ."
Perhaps there are reasons -- God's reasons -- that revival always seems to begin personally and then spread. It may be that beginning personally, revival becomes experiential and not just theoretical or theological. It also makes it applicable; it impacts us on a practical way affecting us directly.
Another reason revival begins personally is because that makes it transportable. Because it is your own experience, then revival goes wherever you go. You aren't revived in one place but not another. Because it is personal, you transport it wherever you are. And, finally, since it is personal, it is shareable; it is transmissible. Wherever you are and wherever you go, you have the opportunity to share your story with the prayer that it will ignite in the hearts of those with whom you share the story. And by doing so, . . .
5. Revival always shows in the culture. One of the things that has impacted me as I have studied the history of revivals and awakenings is how culture has so often been affected -- primarily in five ways of which I can think:
1) Motivated Christians inevitably will be inspired and empowered to share not only their own personal stories (called "testimonies"), but also share the message of the Gospel, leading to the salvation of others. Any revival that does not generate witnesses is not much of a revival.
2) Energized churches take the Great Commission seriously, and they also take ministering to the needy compassionately. They both get outside the four walls of the church building, but they also become incredibly creative and "original" in how they minister to people. They stop creating or using "programs" and "methods" and revert to the biblical principle of being salt and light to those around them.
3) Sin and wickedness are greatly reduced when revival hits the culture. I do not know of a single revival or spiritual awakening that did not greatly reduce all forms of sin and wickedness -- be it prostitution, theft, addictions, crime, or anything else. Again, I am no authority on revival even in the remotest sense of the word, but I cannot think of a single experience -- both in the Bible and since then -- where revival took place without sin being seriously diminished.
4) Social improvements and a spirit of service and compassion are often created or expanded. Most revivals we know anything about reveal that characteristic. Numerous social improvements came as a result of revivals and spiritual awakenings. Many do not know that voting rights for women, abstinence movements, child labor laws, the end of slavery, the YMCA, Alcoholics Anonymous, the American Bible Society, and numerous other services agencies were born in the hearts of individuals who had been impacted by revival. This is a topic worth researching.
Finally, we must recognize that . . .
REVIVAL -- HAS A BIGGER GOAL:
Revival in and of itself has never been God's ultimate goal. Actually, in many ways revival -- genuine revival -- is more strategy than it is goal. I suppose in that sense we could call revival a "tool" -- like a sickness, a financial failure, or a job loss -- God creates and then uses with the usable to accomplish a far greater goal.
When it comes to revival, God always has something bigger in mind. Revival is never an end in itself, as wonderful as it may be. Its ultimate objectives are . . .
1. The Salvation of the Lost. This is the driving purpose for which Christ came, died, rose again, ascended to the Father's right hand, and sent the Holy Spirit to continue His work. As scripture declares, . . .
"The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (II Pt 3:9)
God sends revival to His dead and negligent people in order to send more harvesters into the harvest fields already due for a harvest. the problem is not with the seed, the soil, or the harvest itself. The problem is harvesters. So, God sends revival upon Christians, not primarily to make them happier or even more effective, but instead, to share the Gospel with and reach those who do not yet believe. Otherwise, there is no reason for God to send revival to Christians; He could just take them home and out of this mess.
2. Building of Christ's Kingdom. Jesus was clear on this. The Gospel itself is described, first of all, as the release of "the power of God resulting in salvation. . ." (Rom 1:16). However, it is also defined as "The Gospel of the Kingdom". So, the entire thrust of the Gospel to result in the salvation of the lost is to build and expand Christ's kingdom. Look at these verses:
"Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people." (Mt 4:23).
"Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness." (Mt 9:35).
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." (M 24:14).
"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." (Mk 1:15).
You see, we are on a schedule that revival is used for its fulfillment -- the salvation of all who will believe, the building of Christ's kingdom on earth, the fulfillment of the kingdom in anticipation to the end of everything pertaining to this world system. Without the saints being brought back to life again, the completion of this kingdom-building agenda can never be completed. Thus, we must cry out to God not only for our own depraved needs, but for the sake of the lost, and the sake of the kingdom of Christ Himself. Profound!
3. Fulfillment of all things. When it finally dawns on us that revival points toward not only our transformation more into the likeness of Christ in such a way that the lost are attracted to Him, but also that revival is part of God bringing everything, both in heaven and on earth, to it final conclusion as Christ's kingdom is established on earth, we will seek revival more desperately than ever.
Has it ever occurred to you that the work that Christ is doing in your life this very day has a direct connection to the return of Christ? If you really knew that, would it make a difference in how much you desire the transforming impact of revival? Would you be more desperate? Would you be more sacrificial? Would you agonize in prayer more for revival if you knew that? Would you be more submissive to the work of the Holy Spirit?
Well, look at this:
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." (Eph 2:10).
"it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." (Phil 2:13).
"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. [that is, the day Christ returns to set up His kingdom]." (Phil 1:6).
There are other things to be shared, but this must suffice for now.
REVIVAL -- ALL OF THE ABOVE:
Yesterday and today I re-read the transcript of a sermon Duncan Campbell preached in 1968. I first heard an audio cassette recording of the Hebrides Revival in 1972 while pastoring in St. Louis, MO. Later I ran across a printed transcript of that sermon, and fairly recently a PDF version of the book itself that Campbell wrote of the experience. In his recounting that revival that lasted two years, you have "all of the above" about which I have written today: -- Revival wasn't what they thought, it was more than they thought, it it was more than they could fathom, and it had a higher goal than they could grasp. Because it was "all of the above" to the people then, and remains so today,
I want to include a small portion of how it actually began. I have neither edited nor shortened it because it needs to remain intact as it was described by Dr. Campbell. He stated, . . .
There are two things that I would like to say in speaking about the revival in the Hebrides. First, I would like to make it perfectly clear that I did not bring revival to the Hebrides. It has grieved me beyond words to hear people talk and write about the man who brought revival to the Hebrides. My dear people, I didn't do that. Revival was there before I ever set foot on the island. It began in a gracious awareness of God sweeping through the parish of Barvas.
Then I would like to make it perfectly clear what I understand of revival. When I speak of revival, I am not thinking of high-pressure evangelism. I am not thinking of crusades or of special efforts convened and organized by man. That is not in my mind at all. Revival is something altogether different from evangelism on its highest level. Revival is a moving of God in the community and suddenly the community becomes God conscious before a word is said by any man representing any special effort.
Now I am sure that you will be interested to know how, in November 1949, this gracious movement began on the island of Lewis. Two old women, one of them 84 years of age and the other 82-one of the stone blind, were greatly burdened because of the appalling state of their own parish. It was true that not a single young person attended public worship. Not a single young man or young woman went to the church. They spent their day perhaps reading or walking but the church was left out of the picture. And those two women were greatly concerned and they made it a special matter of prayer.
A verse gripped them: "I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground." They were so burdened that both of them decided to spend so much time in prayer twice a week. On Tuesday they got on their knees at 10 o'clock in the evening and remained on their knees until 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning--two old women in a very humble cottage.
One night, one of the sisters had a vision. Now remember, in revival, God works in wonderful ways. A vision came to one of them, and in the vision she saw the church of her fathers crowded with young people. Packed to the doors, and a strange minister standing in the pulpit. And she was so impressed by the vision that she sent for the parish minister. And of course he knowing the two sisters, knowing that they were two women who knew God in a wonderful way, he responded to their invitation and called at the cottage.
That morning, one of the sisters said to the minister, "You must do something about it. And I would suggest that you call your office bearers together and that you spend with us at least two nights in prayer in the week. Tuesday and Friday if you gather your elders together, you can meet in a barn -- a farming community, you can meet in a barn -- and as you pray there, we will pray here.
Well, that was what happened, the minister called his office bearers together and seven of them met in a barn to pray on Tuesday and on Friday. And the two old women got on their knees and prayed with them.
Well that continued for some weeks -- indeed, I believe almost a month and a half. Until one night; now this is what I am anxious for you to get a hold of -- one night they were kneeling there in the barn, pleading this promise, "I will pour water on him that is thirsty, floods upon the dry ground" when one young man, a deacon in the church, got up and read Psalm 24. "Who shall ascend the hill of God? Who shall stand in His holy place? He that has clean hands and a pure heart who has not lifted up his soul unto vanity or sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing (not a blessing, but the blessing) of the Lord."
And then that young man closed his Bible. And looking down at the minister and the other office bearers, he said this -- maybe crude words, but perhaps not so crude in our Gaelic language -- he said, "It seems to me to be so much humbug to be praying as we are praying, to be waiting as we are waiting, if we ourselves are not rightly related to God." And then he lifted his two hands -- and I'm telling you just as the minister told me it happened -- he lifted his two hands and prayed, "God, are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? "
But he got no further. That young man fell to his knees and then fell into a trance. Now don't ask me to explain this because I can't. He fell into a trance and is now lying on the floor of the barn. And in the words of the minister, at that moment, he and his other office bearers were gripped by the conviction that a God-sent revival must ever be related to holiness, must ever be related to Godliness. Are my hands clean? Is my heart pure? The man that God will trust with revival -- that was the conviction.
When that happened in the barn, the power of God swept into the parish. And an awareness of God gripped the community such as hadn't been known for over 100 years. An awareness of God -- that's revival, that's revival. And on the following day, the looms were silent, little work was done on the farms as men and women gave themselves to thinking on eternal things gripped by eternal realities.
Now, I wasn't on the island when that happened. But, again, one of the sisters sent for the minister. And she said to him, "I think you ought to invite someone to the parish. I cannot give a name, but God must have someone in His mind for we saw a strange man in the pulpit, and that man must be somewhere."
Well, the minister that week was going to one of our great conventions in Scotland. At that convention he met a young man who was a student in college and knowing that this young man was a God-fearing man, a man with a message, he invited him to the island. "Won't you come for 10 days -- a 10-day special effort? We have had so many of them over the past couple of years, but we feel that something is happening in the parish and we would like you to attend."
This minister said, "No, I don't feel that I am the man, but quite recently there has been a very remarkable move in Glasgow under the ministry of a man by the name of Campbell. I would suggest that you send for him." Now at that time I was in a college in Edinburgh. It wasn't very easy for me to leave but it was decided that I should go for 10 days. I was on the island within 10 days.
I shall never forget the night that I arrived at the piers in the mail steamer. I was standing in the presence of the minister whom I had never seen and two of his elders that I never knew. The minister turned to me and said, "I know Mr. Campbell that you are very tired -- you have been traveling all day by train to begin with and then by steamer. And I am sure that you are ready for your supper and ready for your bed. But I wonder if you would be prepared to address a meeting in the parish church at 9 o'clock tonight on our way home. It will be a short meeting and then we will make for the manse and you will get your supper and your bed and rest until tomorrow evening." Well, it will interest you to know that I never got that supper.
We got to the church about quarter to nine to find about 300 people gathered. I would say about 300 people. And I gave an address. Nothing really happened during the service. It was a good meeting. A sense of God, a consciousness of His Spirit moving but nothing beyond that. So I pronounced the benediction and we were leaving the church I would say about a quarter to eleven.
Just as I am walking down the aisle, along with this young deacon who read the Psalm in the barn. He suddenly stood in the aisle and looking up to the heavens he said, "God, You can't fail us. God, You can't fail us. You promised to pour water on the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground -- God, You can't fail us!"
Soon He is on his knees in the aisle and he is still praying and then he falls into a trance again. Just then the door opened -- it is now eleven o'clock. The door of the church opens and the local blacksmith comes back into the church and says, "Mr. Campbell, something wonderful has happened. Oh, we were praying that God would pour water on the thirsty and floods upon the dry ground and listen, He's done it! He's done it!"
When I went to the door of the church I saw a congregation of approximately 600 people. Six hundred people -- where had they come from? What had happened? I believe that that very night God swept in Pentecostal power -- the power of the Holy Ghost. And what happened in the early days of the apostles was happening now in the parish of Barvas.
Over 100 young people were at the dance in the parish hall and they weren't thinking of God or eternity. God was not in all of their thoughts. They were there to have a good night when suddenly the power of God fell upon the dance. The music ceased and in a matter of minutes, the hall was empty. They fled from the hall as a man fleeing from a plague. And they made for the church. They are now standing outside. Oh, yes -- they saw lights in the church. That was a house of God and they were going to it and they went.
Men and women who had gone to bed rose, dressed, and made for the church. Nothing in the way of publicity -- no mention of a special effort except an intonation from the pulpit on Sabbath that a certain man was going to be conducting a series of meetings in the parish covering 10 days. But God took the situation in hand -- oh, He became His own publicity agent. A hunger and a thirst gripped the people. 600 of them now are at the church standing outside.
This dear man, the blacksmith, turned to me and said, "I think that we should sing a psalm." And they sang and they sang and they sang verse after verse. Oh, what singing! What singing! And then the doors were opened and the congregation flocked back into the church.
Now the church is crowded -- a church to seat over 800 is now packed to capacity. It is now going on towards midnight. I managed to make my way through the crowd along the aisle toward the pulpit. I found a young woman, a teacher in the grammar school, lying prostrate on the floor of the pulpit praying, "Oh, God, is there mercy for me? Oh, God, is there mercy for me? " She was one of those at the dance. But she is now lying on the floor of the pulpit crying to God for mercy.
That meeting continued until 4 o'clock in the morning. I couldn't tell you how many were saved that night but of this I am sure and certain that at least 5 young men who were saved in that church that night are today ministers in the church of Scotland having gone through university and college.
At 4 o'clock, we decided to make for the manse. Of course, you understand, we make no appeals -- you never need to make an appeal or an altar call in revival. Why, the roadside becomes an altar. We just leave men and women to make their way to God themselves -- after all, that is the right way. God can look after His own. Oh, God can look after His own! And when God takes a situation in hand, I tell you He does a better work. He does a better work.
So we left them there, and just as I was leaving the church, a young man came to me and said, "Mr. Campbell, I would like you to go to the police station." I said, "The police station? What's wrong?" "Oh," he said, "There's nothing wrong but there must be at least 400 people gathered around the police station just now."
Now the sergeant there was a God-fearing man. He was in the meeting. But people knew that this was a house that feared God. And next to the police station was the cottage in which the two old women lived. I believe that that had something to do with the magnet, the power that drew men. There was a coach load at that meeting. A coach load had come over 12 miles to be there.
Now if anyone would ask them today, why? How did it happen? Who arranged it? They couldn't tell you. But they found themselves grouping together and someone saying, "What about going to Barvas? I don't know, but I have a hunger in my heart to go there." I can't explain it; they couldn't explain it, but God had the situation in hand.
This is revival dear people! This is a sovereign act of God! This is the moving of God's Spirit, I believe in answer to the prevailing prayer of men and women who believed that God was a covenant-keeping God but must be true to His covenant engagement.
I went along. I went along to that meeting. As I am walking along that country road -- we had to walk about a mile -- I heard someone praying by the roadside. I could hear this man crying to God for mercy. I went over and there were four young men on their knees at the roadside. Yes, they were at the dance but they are now there crying to God for mercy.
One of them was under the influence of drink, but a young man he wasn't 20 years of age. But that night God saved him and he is today the parish minister, university trained, college trained, a man of God. Converted in the revival with eleven of his office bearers. A wonderful congregation. Well, he was saved that night.
Now when I got to the police station, I saw something that will live with me as long as I live. I didn't preach -- there was no need of preaching. We didn't even sing. The people are crying to God for mercy. Oh, the confessions that were made! There was one old man crying out, "Oh, God, hell is too good for me! Hell is too good for me!"
This is Holy Ghost conviction! Now mind you, that was on the very first night of a mighty demonstration that shook the island. Oh, let me say again, that wasn't the beginning of revival -- revival began in a prayer barter meeting. Revival began in an awareness of God. Revival began when the Holy Ghost began to grip men and that was how it began.
And, of course, after that we were at it night and day -- churches crowded. A messenger would come -- I remember one night it was after 3 o'clock in the morning -- a messenger came to say that the churches were crowded in another parish 15 miles away. Crowded at that hour in the morning. And we went to this parish minister along with several other ministers who I thank God for the ministers of Lewis -- how they responded to the call of God. How they threw themselves into the effort. And God blessed them for it.
We went, and I found myself preaching in a large church -- a church that would seat 1,000 -- and the Spirit of God was moving, oh, moving in a mighty way! I could see them falling, falling on their knees. I could hear them crying to God for mercy. I could hear those outside praying. And that continued for, I'm sure, two hours.
And then as we were leaving the church, someone came to me to tell me that a very large number of people had gathered on a field -- they could not get into the church. They couldn't get into any of the churches. And they had gathered in a field. Along with the other ministers I decided to go to the field. And here I saw this enormous crowd standing there as though gripped by a power that they could not explain. But the interesting thing about that meeting was a sight that I saw.
The headmaster of a secondary school in the parish is lying on his face on the ground crying to God for mercy. Oh, deeply convicted of his desperate need and on either side of them, two young girls, I would say about 16 years of age -- two on each side of him. And they keep saying to the headmaster, "Master, Jesus that saved us last night in Barvas can save you tonight. Jesus that saved us last night in Barvas can save you tonight."
It is true that when man comes into vital relationship with Jesus Christ, his supreme desire is to win others. To win others! And they were there that night to win their master, and they won him. Oh, God swept into his life, I believe in answer to the prayer of four young girls,16 years of age who had a burden -- who had a burden.
Now that was how the revival began and that is how it continued to begin with for five weeks. The first wave of the revival continued for five weeks and then there was a lull -- perhaps a lull of about a week. Oh, the churches are still crowded, people are still seeking after God, and prayer meetings are being held all over the parishes. It was the custom there that those who found the Savior at night would be at prayer meeting at noonday. A prayer meeting met everyday and noonday.
At that time all worked stopped for two hours -- looms are silent. For two hours work stopped in the fields, and men gathered for prayer. And it was then that you got to know those who had found the Savior on the previous night. You didn't need to make an appeal. They made their way to the prayer meeting to praise God for His salvation.
That continued for almost 3 years. Until the whole of the island was swept by the mighty power of God. I couldn't tell you how many -- I never checked the number. I was afraid to do that always remembering what David did. I left the records with God. But this I know, that at least 75% of those who were born again during the revival were born again before they came near a church. Before they had any word from me or any of the other ministers.
I can think just now of a certain village -- the village of Weaver -- and there was a row of cottages by the roadside. There were seven of them altogether. And in every cottage a loom and a weaver. One morning, just as the men were being called for breakfast, it was discovered that the seven of them were lying prostrate behind their looms. Lying on their faces behind their looms and all of them in a trance. Now I can't explain this. But of this I am certain that this was of God because the seven men were saved that day. Now, I should say six of them were saved that day, one of them on the following day.
But they came to understand that something supernatural had taken possession of them. An awareness for God gripped them, and a hunger possessed them and they cried out to God for mercy. And God swept in. I was visiting them recently -- I happened to be up in the Hebrides -- and what a joy it was to listen to them tell again of that wonderful experience when God swept into the seven houses. My dear people, that's revival. I mean, it is so different from our special efforts. So apart altogether from man's best endeavor. God is in the middle and miracles happen.
FINALLY:
Duncan Campbell went on for a very long time recounting one experience after another that took place throughout many villages and islands of the Hebrides. There is simply not space nor time left to include it here.
But, I think that, at least from what you read here, you can see the magnitude and power of revival and how true revival changes the lives of Christians -- permanently changes -- and draws the lost to salvation. Truly, revival is . . .
1. Not what you think.
2. More than you think.
3. More than can be grasped.
4. Has a bigger goal.
You might say that these are what most of us would call "Strange Characteristics" -- because they are so foreign to what most of us know anything about.
As I close, I am gripped by the question leading to this series -- "Is Another Spiritual Awakening eminent?"
What do you think?
Duncan Campbell's story of the Hebrides Revival could, in many ways, be told of almost all other revival movements. You may have noticed just how similar his report was to reports we have heard from what happened in the Asbury revival.
I don't have all the answers. In fact, I have very few. But, this I DO know -- we are in desperate need of revival, the Great Commission cannot possibly be realized apart from it, the Church will never be cleansed and healed without it, and the world will never change without it as it plummets to its final destruction.
So, it seems to me that it's a very good idea to begin taking it seriously, and begin desperately crying out to God for another touch from Him.
Join me in that effort.
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
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