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Shoulder To Shoulder #1335 -- 3/28/23 ---- "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? (Part 7) -- Distinctive Features of Revival (A)"

"Standing Together, Shoulder To Shoulder, As We Fight the Good Fight of Faith"

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 #1335 -- 3/28/23

Title: "Is Another Spiritual Awakening Eminent? (Part 7) -- Distinctive Features of Revival (A)"

My Dear Friend and Pilgrim Partner:

Greetings again from a mild and comfy Yuma, AZ, -- still running about 10 degrees cooler than normal . . . . and I'm enjoying every minute of it.  Sunday was the final formal service of the season for Chapel de Oro, and I concluded the "Straight Answers To Serious Questions" series (20 sermons) and the "Revival: What Is It? Do I Need It?" series with the series (6 sermons), preaching from Hosea 6:1-3 -- "Revival: The Plea, Promise, and Product -- Press On!"  Of all the 21 services of the season, this one was truly the high point with numerous people emotionally moved.  The blend of music to message was exceptional, thanks to our Worship Coordinator, Donna -- who, by the way, is leaving after she and her bass-playing husband, Leroy, have been with the chapel since 2006.  It's a great loss to the chapel.  We're really "gonna miss 'em!" big time.

Numerous remarks of appreciation for last week's letter indicate that the two primary things I did -- included a list of good books on revival, and sharing the blog my daughter, Cheri, had written a few weeks ago -- were both good moves.  On Cheri's behalf, I thank you for the positive statements several of you made.

Even though services have concluded at Chapel de Oro for the season and my sermons there are complete, I still am compelled to write more on the topic of revival.  It's not that I want to do that just for the sake of doing it, but mainly not miss the "Asbury Opportunity" to try to spur you on to an insatiable hunger for God's mighty visitation -- particularly while the topic is still on many minds, and the evidence of a heightened spiritual alertness remains a primary topic of conversation.  Reports continue coming in from around the world of how the Asbury Revival continues to fuel a craving for revival in many hearts and places.

The abundance of printed and recorded information on revival is truly mountainous.  Only those most hungry for revival would try to devour it -- at least as much of it as possible.  My own revived personal hunger drives me to do just that.  Inevitably, some of what I share will be repetitious,  Nonetheless, today I want to share some thoughts about certain distinctive features of revival -- both Circumstances  that tend to foster revival, and Conditions that Inflame revival.  I'll do that momentarily, but first consider . . .

THIS 'N' THAT:

+Update on Ukraine:  It grieves me to see how easily even followers of Christ forget those continuing to suffer under the ravages of war in Ukraine.  This past week we have received numerous reports of how God is using this horrible war to open doors of ministry and see literally thousands coming to faith in Christ.  Please take time to look at . . .

>  Paul Logan and Arise Ukraine: -- The first person to welcome us to Ukraine in 2003, Paul has had an expansive multi-faceted ministry since soon after the country declared independence in October, 1991.  He is one of the most highly respected missionaries in the country.  Here is a brief video report I received just Thursday.  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eiT7OxqsYfXdu2tr2hVD1FUxATjsJAdi/view.

>  NOVO Ukraine: -- "Novo" is the Latin word for "make new".  A diverse ministry throughout many parts of the world, amazing things have happened in their Ukraine operation.  From their March newsletter, Ukraine Director David Bute wrote, "Long before the Russian invasion, a dome of protection was prayed over Cherkasy.  to date, not one Russian Rocket has hit the city.  Since 2014 our Novo Cherkasy team has prepared for such a time as this.  While death and destruction has hit most of Ukraine, our staff and their city have remained untouched.  God has preserved their presence as a place to receive refugees fleeing war from the east, north, and south.

"Through a coordinated Novo US and European effort, the Cherkasy team has provided nearly one million meals to refugees.  Novo facilities have been transformed into shelters for displaced people.  A small fleet of Novo vans have delivered supplies to the frontlines and transported Ukrainians to safety in Cherkasy.  Thousands of winter coats, shoes, hygiene products and much more have been distributed.  Most importantly, psychological and spiritual needs are being met.

"In addition to physical assistance, refugees are receiving trauma care and enrolling in our Discovery Bible Study groups.  Prior to the war our Cherkasy team had seen only four professions of faith.  Since the war there have been several thousand who have placed their hope in Jesus amid the devastation."

QUOTES FOR THE WEEK:

>   “We need God in America again.  And this is further evidence that, as we’ve moved from His truth and from His ways, we suffer the consequences.” -- Tony Perkins (in response to the Nashville shootings at Covenant School)

"The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity." -- Leonard Ravenhill

>   "Revival, no matter how great or small in its ultimate scope, always begins with individual believers whose hearts are desperate for God, and who are willing to pay the price to meet Him." -- Del Fehsenfeld, Jr.

"Never was a church-wide, heaven-sent revival needed than at this present time. It is the only answer to the spiritual warfare we face in every part of the world. Bombs, bullets and body bags will never stem the tide of terror and horror that threatens human existence. We must recognize that 'the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ' (2 Cor. 10:4-5)." -- Stephen Olford, Heartcry For Revival

"I want to see such a revival that the devil prays for the rapture." -- Wayne Huntley

"Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and a hunger for His Word." -- Del Fehsenfeld, Jr. 

REVIVAL -- DESPERATELY NEEDED:

It seems that we no sooner try to recover from one tragedy than another one hits us these days.  I'm trying to remember all of the heartbreaking events that have taken place in the U.S. since the first of the year, and can't grasp them all.  It's even worse globally -- earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, terrorist attacks in Syria, a ravaging war in Ukraine, a political shake-up in France, major unrest in Israel, -- most recently in the U.S. we find devastating storms sweeping through California eastward, major snowstorms in places that normally have little or no snowfall, shootings in various locations in recent weeks, the wave of tornadoes in Mississippi, and the killing of innocent people at Covenant School in Nashville just Monday by a transgender former student.  Jesus' prediction in Matthew 24:33 (3-51) is increasingly vivid in our minds.

Beth Howe is the Minister of Students and Discipleship at the Woodmont Baptist Church in Nashville, TN.  Not far from the Covenant School, Woodmont compassionately opened its doors to terrified children and family members and sought to protect, console, and minister to the students who had be taken there as police officers located and killed the shooter, and then secured the premises.  Tuesday I read what Beth posted on Facebook.  Obviously it was a heart-wrenching ordeal for her and other staff and church members at Woodmont as they tried to help the devastated folks at Covenant.  She wrote, . . .

Today, was a really hard day. Finally home tonight and time to process and cry and scream and look in on my sleeping kids and thankful they are in their beds. I ask you all, pray!!!!   My church was the place of reunification for families of Covenant. Our staff jumped into action and opened doors and everything we could do to help. I watched as parents cried and ran into the doors of the church not sure what to feel or think. And I wanted to hug them all but my job was to hold the door. At one point in time, I told a cop, I can’t hold the door anymore. It was emotionally too hard and a cameraman acted ridiculous as I turned him away. Another story…

Then buses arrived. I asked the Lord for strength like never before, wanting to throw up. But these kids were so incredibly brave. I am so incredibly amazed at how well behaved and brave. I walked with littles as we locked arms and pretended to march and act like lions going to the fellowship hall. We talked about how brave they were riding the school bus. So many potty breaks. Refilling bathroom toilet paper and emptying trashcans.

But I almost broke emotionally when cleaning scratches and putting bandaids on kids that jumped into bushes to hide. They told me all about what they saw. Anger takes over at what evil these kids had to see. And one said, “why are there bad guys?” I hugged her neck and said, “I am so sorry you had to see that today. I am so sorry there are bad people in the world. But also know that there are incredible people too like your teachers, these police officers, your parents, and you who were so brave today.” Another girl with a big smile said, “we were really brave.”

I read books and played games with kids for hours as they waited for their name to be called and meet up with their parents. We fed police officers. We hunted for lost keys. We served our community like I have never experienced before. And I am so thankful and proud of Woodmont Baptist Church. I am incredibly proud of our police department. I hope to one day tell the parents of Covenant School how incredible their kids are and how they were so great. The teachers too. I still don’t know how they held it together.

But as I grieve in exhaustion tonight, I cry for those who lost a loved one today. I am so sorry there is evil in this world. I am so sorry your families and kid’s experienced such evil today. Cry. Grieve. Help your kids name their emotions and feelings. Get your kids counseling. They need to process these feelings. Go to therapy yourself. But ultimately, go to your knees in prayer with your kids and teach them to call out to the Lord. Our help comes from the Lord. Our hope is found in Him. We will endure hardships. But we can stand firm in knowing that the Lord sees and hears the cries of His people.

Mass shootings remind us of how little power we have, how little we know, how defenseless we are. Yet we are reminded throughout Scripture that God is all-powerful and all-knowing and that this world is not all there is. No matter how bad things are or how bad things become, we can find hope in the assurance that we will soon spend eternity in heaven in the very presence of God where there will be "no more death, mourning, crying or pain (Revelation 21:4).”

It is events like this one that should, whatever else it may do, drive us to our faces before God crying out for revival among God's people so that we can begin making serious impact on values gone putrid, government gone corrupt, the Church gone silent, and hearts gone cold.  We can slough it off with the old worn-out response, "Well, that's human nature.", "There's nothing that can be done about it; it's just part of life.", or some other lame excuse -- OR we can get serious, fall on our faces before God, relentlessly intercede, and then rise to the occasion to make a difference.  How much difference is irrelevant.  Making a difference is what matters.

Speaking to founder and president of Family Research Council Tony Perkins, U.S. House of Representatives Tim Burchett of Tennessee recently told him, . . .

“Obviously, it’s a mental health issue, and it’s just a complete and total tragedy.  I honestly feel like this is some sort of demonic possession that has gotten into our world today. And it’s become accepted."  

Burchett added that the “White House has two men who wear dresses.”   He went on to tell Perkins, . . .

“This country needs this revival, Tony.  All the laws and all the politicians pontificating back and forth are not going to solve it. Until we have a revival in this country, I’m afraid this is going to be more the norm than the exception.”

My question to the Church, and to Christians in general, is, "Do we care?  Do we care enough to come back to God in brokenness, repentance, and compassion?  If not for ourselves, at least for the lost around us?"  Our answer will reveal the true condition of our hearts.

When one seriously studies the phenomenon of revival, he quickly is confronted with the idea that "revival" as we understand it is not mentioned in the New Testament.  I noted that previously.  The closest we can come to the subject is when Peter refers to "Times of Refreshing" in Acts 3:19. The Greek text translates essentially to mean "occasions or set times of the recovery of breath."   Or, put in other words, "occasions or set times for one to be resuscitated or brought back to life".  The idea is clearly present in the earthly ministry of Jesus Himself, as in the ministry and miracles performed by those original disciples.

We are just days away from celebrating the event that changed history, the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.  There is no more magnificent example of revival than this -- Jesus Christ, The Life, came to give it in effervescent abundance.  We, who were dead in our trespasses and sins, have been made alive again by His life.  Three times in Ephesians 2, Paul reminds us of that lifeless condition.  Easter is the pinnacle example of true revival.

For some though, the absence of the word "revive" or "revival" in the New Testament raises a troubling question ---- "Is revival, then, necessary in the first place?"   Does this assume, then, that perhaps many of us have been praying for something that God says we don't need?  Are we to conclude that we can get along just fine without "revival" as we traditionally understand it?  Perhaps even more profound is the question as to what "revival" actually is in the first place.

IS YOUR CHURCH REVIVAL-READY?

The late Dr. Leonard Ravenhill, one of the world's greatest authorities on revival and spiritual awakening, certainly believed the Church needed revival . . . radical revival.  More than once he took his scalpel and cut the church to the bone, decrying the spiritual condition of the Church.  As he said more than six decades ago, . . .

"The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity." 

A. W. Tozer was another great prophet of the past who understood the times and the plight of the church.  Someone once told him, "If God withdrew the Holy Spirit tomorrow, my church would function just the same; we wouldn't even know He was gone."  I'm inclined to believe that condition still exists today.  Normally, we expect some kind of entertaining show instead of a special time of meeting with God when we gather for worship.  We attend concerts, but few concerts of prayer.  We settle for information but little exhortation.  We sit and view performances for people, but seldom see prostration before God.

No wonder so little is happening in churches today.  Even in the Chapel where I've been preaching this season there are people who have stopped coming because the service was "too long", it didn't start "at the right time", we sing the "wrong kind of music", or I tell "too many stories" in my sermons (something in which Jesus specialized, I might add), or we have "too much singing".

I wonder sometimes -- do these people (some of them good friends) even recognize how their leaving over such meaningless and trivial matters, actually expose the true level of their Christian maturity, and not the one that is perceived on the surface?  Do they have even the foggiest of notions just how they are exposing their spiritual immaturity and lack of interest in meeting together in God's presence?  For the life of me, I cannot connect an "I'm leaving!" mind set with the claim that they love the Lord, revel in His Word, and long for revival and spiritual awakening.  I long for the day when God's people are fully weaned away from the craving for mere personal gratification and satisfaction, and are instead starved to simply live in the presence of the King to worship, serve, and share Him.

Now, before you take exception with me, take a moment to look at the typical ministry in your own church.  Look first at its calendar -- what is there on the agenda that can still be done without the Holy Spirit's presence and activity?  Probably most things.  What is there about your church that is unexplainable apart from God?  Probably not much.  What is there about your church that is totally different and separate from what goes on outside the walls of its building?  Other than terminology and subject, most can probably be comfortably done either inside or outside the walls.

Look, then, at your church's worship service.  What is its intent?  What is its focus?  If you take a hard and honest look, you may be shocked to discover that much of it may not even focus on Christ -- it focuses on people.  It's not about unashamedly exalting and adoring Him; rather, it's more about singing songs that "inspire me and make me feel good".

Since when did worship have anything to do with making us feel good?  That's called self-worship, not God-worship.  How long has it been since your worship leader selected music that had nothing to do with genre', rhythm, or tune, but everything to do with lyrics to Him -- not lyrics about Him, but TO Him?

Finally, look at your church's spending patterns.  How much of it is related in some way directly to honoring and adoring God, specifically equipping disciplers, or presenting the Gospel to unbelievers, as opposed to making the church more comfortable, attractive, or competitive with the outside world?   If you give me the money most churches spend on staging alone, I'll go build 20 village churches in Ukraine or 30 church buildings in Cuba.  I'll finance a missionary in Jamaica for five years.

Based, then, on what you see, would you think your church needs revival?  To be sure, we will always have to deal with fleshly and worldly tendencies within the Body of Christ -- it's made up of human beings who are good at such things.  So, that's not the real issue, is it.  The issue is, are we actually doing anything about it to become more intentionally Christ-like and less world-like?  It's not about what we think, but about what we do.  This is where true revival has its place -- the act and spirit of repenting of all that displeases the Father.  Do the sins that grieve Him grieve us?  To quote Ravenhill again, . . .

"I believe every church is either supernatural or superficial. I don't believe there's any middle ground." 

Charles Spurgeon wrote, . . .

"It is entirely possible for the church to look alive, but be dead. It may have all the appearance, sound, and praise of a living church. It may have outreach and programs. Yet, it may be dead, and that death may show in what it avoids, de-emphasizes, or neglects. . .  In such a situation, the church needs to be called to repent of its apathy and misguided offense."

I am personally fearful that we know so much about how life looks like from the world's viewpoint and know so little of what the real Church of the New Testament looks like that we have mistaken the former for the latter ---- and can't tell the difference.  Even worse, we're happy with it.

If this is the condition of today's Church, then revival is clearly . . . and desperately . . . needed.

REVIVAL -- RADICALLY MANIFESTED:

We have both historical and modern day evidences of when God has graced America with seasons of His visitation.  One to which we most often turn is the First Great Awakening in the early to mid eighteenth century.  Many do not know that revival and spiritual awakening was actually the precursor to for formation of our nation.  Jonathan Edwards is perhaps one of the best known preachers of Revolutionary days in America.  From the Congregational church background, he was greatly impacted as you know by the ministry of British evangelist George Whitfield who had come to America to preach.  Born in East Windsor, Connecticut in 1703, Edwards was known for his strong promotion of Calvinism and became a central figure in the Puritan movement.

He is particularly remembered for his famous sermon, "Sinners In the Hands of an Angry God" which he preached in Enfield, Connecticut in 1741, during which people would come under such conviction that they would tremble and sometimes fall to the ground unconscious as they heard the piercing indictments against sin and rebellion toward God.  And, if you know anything about Edwards, you know it was not his personality or his preaching style, because he read his sermons in a monotonous tone from a manuscript -- hardly a means of keeping a sinner awake.  Yet, the Holy Spirit visited Enfield, -- and the rest is history.  America's first national awakening to spiritual reality had begun.

When the First Great Awakening erupted in America in 1730 and continued well into 1745, it didn't actually begin with Edwards, but certainly was fueled by his preaching.  It was actually the preaching of British evangelist George Whitefield.  Edwards was clearly impressed at Whitfield's preaching.  But, what impacted him even the more was the way that revival in the churches flowed over into a general spiritual awakening in the social structure -- to such an extent that major unexplainable evidences were readily seen within the culture itself.

The following comments are taken from a letter Edwards wrote to Rev. Thomas Prince in Boston, dated Dec. 12, 1743.  Edwards quickly saw that a mighty rejuvenating move of God in the lives of believers that caused them to return to the fundamentals of life in Christ would assuredly have an impact on any society where His people got serious about surrendering everything to Him. Here is part of what he wrote:

    "The congregation was extraordinarily melted by every sermon [of Mr. Whitefield's in the meeting-house]; almost the whole assembly being in tears for a great part of sermon time. Mr. Whitefield's sermons were suitable to the circumstances of the town, containing just reproofs of our backslidings, and, in a most moving and affecting manner, making use of our great profession and great mercies as arguments with us to return to God, from whom we had departed. . . .

    "The revival at first appeared chiefly among professors [of salvation] and those that had entertained the hope that they were in a state of grace, to whom Mr. Whitefield chiefly addressed himself. But in a very short time there appeared an awakening and deep concern among some young persons  (note that) that looked upon themselves as in a Christless state; and there were some hopeful appearances of conversion; and some professors [of salvation] were greatly revived.

    "In about a month or six weeks, there was a great alteration in the town, both as to the revivals of professors and awakenings of others. By the middle of December, a very considerable work of God appeared among those that were very young (note that); . . . religious subjects almost wholly took up their conversation when they [the people in general] were together.

    "Ever since the great work of God that was wrought here about nine years ago, there has been a great abiding alteration in this town in many respects. . . . There has remained a more general seriousness and decency in attending the public worship. There has been a very great alteration among the youth (note that) of the town with respect to reveling, frolicking, profane and unclean conversation, and lewd songs. Instances of fornication have been very rare. There has also been a great alteration among both old and young with respect to tavern haunting. I suppose the town has been in no measure so free of vice in these respects for any long time together for this sixty years as it has been this nine years past."

After a ministry having a major impact on pre-Revolutionary America, Edwards died at age 54 after being inoculated for the raging epidemic of Small Pox, dying in Princeton, New Jersey on March 22nd, 1758.

Could God once again visit America today as He has in the past?  The answer is, of course, "Yes".

Will he?  That is not so easy to answer.  That really depends on two things ---- His sovereign act of mercy, and the Church's willingness to be repentant and obedient.  Brian Edwards, a Christian minister, author, lecturer, and teacher based in the United Kingdom wrote in his historical biography of Whitefield, . . .

"We often have a tinted view of revival as a time of glory and joy and swelling numbers queuing to enter the churches. That is only part of the story. Before the glory and joy, there is conviction; and that begins with the people of God. There are tears of godly sorrow. There are wrongs to put right, secret things...to be thrown out, and bad relationships, hidden for years, to be repaired openly. If we are not prepared for this, we had better not pray for revival."

Repentance before revival is almost always the way revival comes.  It was true in the First Great Awakening, it was true in the Welsh Revival, It was true in the Hebrides Revivals, it was true in the Shantung Revival, -- it was even true in the recent Asbury Revival.  Repentance, brokenness, and prayer are indispensable elements that lead to God pouring out His holiness, glory, and mercy upon a needy people.  I have no doubt about God's mercy ---- but, to be brutally honest, I do wonder about the Church.  Will it ever become that humble and broken before God?  For now, at least, that seems to be a bit of a stretch.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF A CULTURE NEEDING REVIVAL -- Circumstances Fostering Revival:

Frankly, I don't know if America will ever experience another spiritual awakening.  It could; the conditions are there, but is it in God's plan to bring another awakening?  After all, if our understanding of scripture is correct, then we know that all nations of the world will fall under God's judgment before the return of His Son.  America is no exception.  We've had so many opportunities we have squandered in the past; I just wonder if God intends to give us another opportunity.  I pray He does . . . unless He has entirely finished with us, and it's our time to "go the way of Rome".

There is that terrible "Doorway of Desperation" about which I have written in past years.  It is the doorway to revival.  It is the doorway to joy.  It is the doorway to ministry and mission.  The United States and its thousands of churches have not been desperate since World War II.  Worried, angry, frightened, terrified, . . . Yes!  But desperate?  Absolutely not.  There is absolutely no evidence of such a condition.  Even the wars subsequent to World War II did not lead to desperation.  Neither did 9/11, nor earthquakes, nor elections, nor anything else.

It is exceptionally precarious to be a nation that is not desperate.  God has His ways of making us thus.

Whatever does happen, it is highly likely that neither our past greatness nor goodness will ever return to what they once were.  I personally anticipate a continued deterioration that will soon result not only in even more indescribable moral depravity, but steadily increasing animosity toward and persecution of those who stand for morality, especially those who choose to be consistent, bold, and courageous in their lives of following and sharing Christ.

And, I'm not so certain that we should even anticipate things getting better or our returning to the high moral ground America once held.  One of the ever-present tensions we believers face is that of figuring out how to live as salt and light in a godless society while at the same time recognizing the sovereignty of God and the eminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ.  It's almost as if we're in a "Catch 22" situation where we are commanded to be and do something as the messengers of the Most High God, knowing full well that things will and must "wax worse and worse" (II Tim 3:1-7) if the prophecies of the end times are to be accomplished.  In many ways we believers face a command much akin to Isaiah's in chapter six where he was called to do something that was impossible and would have no positive results.

Somewhere in coming days we will shift from "difficult times" to "perilous times".

Having said all that, I would still rather be alive now than any other time . . . partially because I see the conditions of the day, both bad and good, as indicators telling us the Church is really "ripe for revival" . . . if she will respond properly.  While we may not see a culture-changing awakening, we definitely need to see a genuine revival among God's people.  After all, how will they ever endure what lies ahead?

We find our day characterized by factors similarly seen leading up to great revivals of the past.  Even as far back as Old Testament times there were certain indicators, -- easier to see looking back than living in the present, -- that seemed to have prepared the soul of the Church for an outpouring of God's presence and power.  Here are just a few that I've observed:

+    1.  A Time of Material Prosperity and Extravagant SquanderingThe old saying is true that when you are prosperous with material things, you just don't need God.  This is true both for society in general and the Church in particular.  In spite of past economic instability, we have generally lived in times of unprecedented economic growth.  Even though things have been relatively good in recent years, America's economy has again deteriorated dramatically, making it extremely difficult for most middle and lower income people.  It is during times of greatest materialism that is the time of our spiritual poverty, so perhaps God is trying to wake us up -- again.

Jesus was right . . . you cannot serve God and materialism.  It's not that He was telling us it isn't allowed . . . He's telling us it isn't possible.  Your heart will always follow your treasure . . . always.  "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Mt 6:21).  If, as a believer, you allow material things to capture your heart and win your loyalties, your spiritual life will suffer.  The good news is, however, . . . you're being set up for a visit from the Lord.

+    2.  A Time of Pride, Arrogance, and Self-DependenceSuch things almost always follow material prosperity.  Much like the wagging tail of a happy dog, pride and self-sufficiency wave like a bragging flag of arrogance.  Because God still stands by His commandment that we have no other God than Him, He will patiently wait until such pride brings about the fall He predicted (Prov 16:18).

So, when we see increasing pride and self-sufficiency around us . . . OR when we discover it hiding even in our own dark hearts . . . it is an indicator that the times may be ripening for revival.  What a unique predicament to be in . . . saddened and humiliated that we are guilty of prideful self sufficiency, but in it recognizing that God is preparing to raise up the rod of conviction and brokenness.

I cannot remember a time in my lifetime when arrogance, stubbornness, an independent spirit, and an outright blasphemous attitude against God and all those who profess to follow Him has been any more blatant than it is today.  Some of the statements made by far-left Hollywoodites, humanists, Socialists, TV personalities, and news media absolutely make me shudder.  They don't have a clue as to what awaits those who practice such blasphemy.

+    3.  A Time of Great Moral Decline and Increased Rejection of Moral Values It is almost inevitable that, just as materialism and extravagance lead to pride and self-dependence, such pride and self-exaltation will drag us downward into further immorality and compromise of all the values and virtues we once held to be so precious and non-negotiable.  It was during such times in the Old Testament that God raised up prophets and deliverers . . . prophets to expose the wrong and declare the right, and deliverers to lead the people back to where they belonged.  Every great spiritual awakening in society since then has been preceded by prophets in the Church.  History is dotted with such people . . . Zinzendorf, Zwingli, Hus, Whitfield, Edwards, the Wesleys, Finney, McClarren, Murray, Roberts, Duncan Campbell, and so on.  The rise of strong prophetic voices in the pulpits once again is a good sign.

+    4.  A Time of Social and Scientific Advances that lead to godless secularismAs more and more amazing advances are made in virtually every venue of science, those advances inevitably breed secular humanism, whereas they should not.  Every advance seems to convince man more fully that he is God, and he can manage and manipulate all things for the better, the ultimate evidence notwithstanding that just the opposite is true.  Perhaps it is the vision of grandeur grasping for "God likeness" that continues giving impetus to the theory of godless secularism.

The claims of "God-likeness" during the pandemic,  the arrogance of Putin, the threats from Communist China, the frenzy over "green energy", and the alarming development of artificial intelligence (AI) are all incredibly dangerous signs, the many possible benefits notwithstanding.  It seems pretty simple to me ---- as long as I am God, I'm in control, I determine destiny, and I don't have to explain anything to anybody.  However, if I'm not God, . . . if I'm not the "creator", then someone else is.

If someone else is, that means I must admit there is something or someone higher than I am . . . someone with greater intelligence and power.  That something or someone has to be a god of some kind.  If it is a god, it must have personality, power, and a reason.  If it has power, then that means I must either control it or be subject to it.  If I am subject to it, then I'm not in control.  If I'm not in control, then I cannot deal with my failures, flaws, and wrongs.  Therefore, I am accountable.

If I am accountable, then there is a price to be paid.  If there is a price to be paid . . . if I am both responsible and accountable . . . then I have to pay it.  Or someone else does.  If I have to pay it . . . I'm in big trouble.  Since I don't want to be in big trouble, let's just say there is no God, and that we all just washed up as ooze on a swampy shore somewhere.  That fixes everything . . . and I can go on making great advances without God.

+    5.  A Time of Complacency and Shallow Superficiality in the Church Just as we can see the spiritual life cycle in the nation of Israel where they found themselves in slavery leading to repentance and deliverance, that new freedom ultimately leads to complacency that ultimately manifests itself in meaningless and fruitless activity.  Such things quickly lose their luster and appeal, and believers go adrift to where they are enamored by the glitter of the world's offerings while dutifully clinging to the mundane "activities" of the Church.

This is a deceptive complacency that doesn't actually look complacent and superficial.  It appears to have fruit, when in fact all it displays is ornaments and decoration.  History shows that it was usually in times such as this when the Lord of Hosts mounted His steed and rode in on the wings of revival fires.  It is sometimes when the Church is at its weakest . . . or deadest . . . that the winds of the Spirit stir up and billow into sight.

+    6.  A Time of Dissatisfaction that leads to Desperation in a few heartsAs long as we are content with life as it is and satisfied with things as they are, we'll never desire revival.  One reason many believers really don't desire or understand revival is because they're too happy with things and circumstances as they are.  They don't realize that, as Jeremiah informed the Israelites, they had been drinking from polluted broken cisterns filled with stale water so long that they had no clue what fresh spring water tasted like.

When one is distracted away from the living water, he becomes disillusioned enough to settle for cistern water.  But, cistern water never satisfies . . . at least for long.  Eventually dissatisfaction will lead one to desperation . . . at which time the heart begins to cry out for deliverance.

Just as God uses horrible things such as the war in Ukraine to lead hundreds of thousands to Christ, He also uses these things to help prepare us for revival.  Perhaps we should see them in that light instead of moaning and groaning over all the sin and suffering we see around us -- because from such conditions there will often be . . .

+    7.  A re-emergence of passionate prayer and intercession among hungry believers The heart cry of a seeking and hungry believer always pleads and sobs for a fresh wave of God's presence.  Prayer coming from a non-desperate heart always lacks the passion needed to be importunate.  One great revivalist stated that before there can be prayer for revival, there must be a revival of prayer.  Like David, we must cry out, "As the deer pants desperately for the water brooks, so my soul cries out for Thee, O God" (Ps 42:1).

The disillusionment of empty prosperity that generated prideful arrogance and self-sufficiency drags one down into spiritual bankruptcy resulting in a dead and empty shell of what the Church is supposed to be.  That reality will, in the hearts of some at least, increase to a growing dissatisfaction and desperation that spurs them on to cry out to God for deliverance . . . for revival.

Bottom Line ---- What is the point?  The millennia long history of revival seems to indicate that there are certain factors prior to revival's outbreak that can stimulate the atmosphere in preparation for a powerful territorial move of God.  While there may be others, the seven above seem to have generally been prevalent as precursors to past revival movements.

So, what, then, does any coming revival look like?  When revival does come, what can we anticipate?  What are some . . .

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF REVIVAL -- Consequences Inflaming Revival:

It is often difficult to categorize factors that initiate or result in revival.  However, there seem to be certain characteristics that accompany the beginnings of revival or can be seen as the fruit of the reviving work of the Holy Spirit.  If you want to try to segregate them out, feel free.  I'll just list several that I read about some fifty years ago when I first read Arthur Wallis' 1956 classic, In The Day Of Thy Power.

Wallis, a World War II veteran in England's Royal Tank Regiment, was called into Christian ministry as the result of being wounded at the Battle of the Anzio Bridgehead.  Soon thereafter, and following new experiences with the Holy Spirit, he developed an insatiable interest in revival and spiritual awakening, leading to his publication of the book.  It is still readily available, and also I think has been updated, expanded, and re-published under the title, Rain From Heaven.  (I might also recommend his great book, God's Chosen Fast, one of the best books ever written on prayer and fasting.)

In his book, Wallis identified twelve distinctive features of revival, based on Acts chapter two, the very first "revival" of the infant Church.  Today I will address the first five.  Worth noting, they are . . .

+   1.  Divine Sovereignty All things being said, God has the final word when it comes to granting revival.  I still remember my friend, Dr. Lewis Drummond, declaring that, while we should do everything possible to prepare the way for revival, it is God who will determine if, when, where, when, and how it arrives.  God's sovereignty controls the time and timing of revival, the manner and measure of revival, and the scope and style of revival.

If we try to manipulate any of that, we will hamper it, contaminate it, and pervert it.  I cannot count the times when such distortions and characterizations of revival hindered or halted God's move simply because men and women tried to promote it, control it, maintain it, extend it, or otherwise use it for their own agendas and motives.  We must acknowledge above all that God is sovereign, and has the final say in when, how, . . . or if . . . He endues the Church with power once again.

We must never forget that, just is the Creator of all things and the Author of all scripture, He is also the sovereign authority over all things pertaining to man's redemption.  That means that He has all decision making and form shaping under His sovereign purposes.  It is for this reason that we must, no matter our sincerity and passionate hunger, keep our hands off of what God does.  Nothing will mess up God's plan for revival faster than man's effort to manufacture, manage, or manipulate it.

That means we must trust Him implicitly and obey Him fully.  If we ever try to wrest revival from His hands, the movement is doomed.  For us, then, revival requires . . .

+   2.  Spiritual PreparationThe question always arises as to who is more willing and more prepared for revival . . . God or man.  One thing is certain . . . somewhere behind the scenes God has stirred the heart of one person or perhaps a few to do some inner soul-searching and heart-preparation that was used to break up fallow ground getting it ready for seed, water, and ultimate harvest.  As I've studied the subject, and as I've experienced a few powerful occasions of territorial revival in my own ministry, I've usually discovered after the fact that certain things had already been going on behind the scenes before the revival broke open into the visible world.
>  A desperate dissatisfaction with the status .
>  A craving, driving, insatiable hunger for God's presence.
>  Engrossed, fervent, desperate, enduring prayer for God's presence.
>  Deep self evaluation of and repulsion over personal sin.
>  Return to and absorption of the anointed Word of God.

God gave Solomon the guaranteed formula to be followed in order to enjoy His presence.  It has never 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, 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.  Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.  For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that My name may be there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.

"As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, even to do according to all that I have commanded you, and will keep My statutes and My ordinances, then I will establish your royal throne as I covenanted with your father David, saying, 'You shall not lack a man to be ruler in Israel'." -- II Chron 7:13-18)

Del Fehsenfeld, Jr. wrote, "Revival, no matter how great or small in its ultimate scope, always begins with individual believers whose hearts are desperate for God, and who are willing to pay the price to meet Him."  Sovereign purpose is the beginning point of revival in God's mind.  Spiritual preparation is to be the beginning point in ours.

If you truly want revival, that pathway must be followed purposefully and without deviation of any kind.  If you don't want revival, . . . then you have some kind of spiritual problem.  And many Christians don't.

+   3.  Anticipated but Unexpected "Suddenly-ness".  "And suddenly" is an  oft-used phrase in the Bible.  It characterizes the way God frequently operates.  One person said it was "expectancy interrupted by the surprise factor".  Because God is the sole owner of sovereignty, He seldom acts in the way or at the time we anticipate.  Often it is during times of "business as usual" that God chooses to pour out His presence.

That was the case in the great revival in West Plains, MO in 1966.  Sunday services were running as "typical", we were preparing for that traditional annual "revival meeting", and all the special little attendance-building gimmicks were in place.  But, one evening in a church leadership meeting someone commented that they felt something exciting was about to happen.  A few agreed, but I sensed nothing.  That is, until the following Sunday -- when all heaven broke loose.

As the pastor, choir, and I prepared to "enter on cue", a few choir members were "fidgety with joy", but all proceeded as orchestrated -- that is, until we sang the great old hymn, "Love Is The Theme".

Of the themes that men have known,
One supremely stands alone;
Through the ages it has shown,
'Tis His wonderful, wonderful love.

Chorus:
Love is the theme, love is supreme;
Sweeter it grows, glory bestows;
Bright as the sun ever it glows!
Love is the theme, eternal theme!

Since my earliest childhood I had joined others in singing that song so frequently that I could sing it all from memory.  But that October morning in 1966 the song took on an altogether different and deeper meaning.  I wasn't prepared for it to mean something that actually surpassed the lyrics.  "But suddenly" I knew -- it became more than a song, even a scripture.  It became reality.  It seemed that in my mind a choir of angelic musicians hovered above the congregation of some 450 people, and the singing seemed to surpass even Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" of The Messiah oratorio.

Overwhelmed, I stopped singing.  No, . . . I was stopped -- stopped by the holy presence of God.  While I saw nothing different in the visible world, it was as much like what Isaiah must have seen that day in the temple "the year that King Uzziah died".

". . . I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.  Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.  And one called out to another and said, 'Holy!  Holy!  Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory'!"  

My hands dropped to my side -- and I stood . . . choked up . . . silent . . . watching . . . listening.  Someone else had taken over and was leading worship.

The pastor brought a strong biblical sermon about which I remember nothing, but the next thing I knew, it was ministry time and time for the choir to sing as people were given the opportunity to come to the altar to pray or make public decisions.  In a matter of seconds the area began to fill.  Suddenly members of the choir left the rostrum and began streaming to the front.  Of the 44 members of the choir, 39 of them were on their knees crying out to God -- and I was left with nothing to do but turn to Norma, the pianist, and motion to her to continue playing.

By the time the substitute evangelist (the original had to cancel) arrived three weeks later, the revival was already in full swing.  It had been a "Suddenly-ness" moment that lasted nearly three years.  While it was prolonged over time, it "snuck up on us" and started suddenly.

"Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming," says the LORD of hosts. (Mal 3:1)

"And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting." (Acts 2:2).

+   4.  Holy SpontaneityAfter all of the human elements of planning, preparing, scheduling, creating activities, shaping structures, initiating systems, and engaging personalities, . . . it all boils down to the fact that when God acts, it almost always appears to be spontaneous from our perspective.  The fact is, however, in heaven it was already all planned out.

This is not the same as "Suddenly-ness".  "Suddenly-ness" has to do with timing; spontaneity has to do with control.

Just as the Holy Spirit came suddenly in Acts chapter two, the evidence came "from heaven" and not from earthly strategies and plans.  The disciples did nothing other than obey what Christ had commanded them to do -- go back into town and "wait for the promise of My Father" (Lk 24:49; Acts 2:33).

Look at the many revivals throughout history -- the First Great Awakening, the Prayer Meeting Revival, the Hebrides Revival, the Welsh Revival, . . . especially the recent Asbury Revival, the revival at Lee University, what i going on at the various Texas A&M campuses, or Baylor University.  The only thing planned in any of those revivals was to meet and to pray.

Everything else was spontaneous.  What started at Asbury as a regularly scheduled event with a specified speaker went within minutes into a flood of spontaneity.  For weeks, nothing was choreographed.  No featured speakers, no pre-selected people to lead a prayer, no worship team scheduled to appear at any given moment.  The same was true during the Welsh Revival and the Hebrides Revival.  Essentially, God simply side-steps all our preparation and hopes and . . . just does it.

This is often troubling for some believers.  After all, we by nature love to be in control; we love to have everything planned out -- to have all our "ducks in a row".  It might shock you to discover that the real reason is not so we have everything planned; no, we have everything planned so we can control what happens.

God doesn't do well with that.

+   5.  An unexplainable God-consciousness This speech-halting, activity-stopping awareness of God, much like what Isaiah experienced in chapter six, humbles us and puts us quickly in our place.  There is an awareness of God on levels seldom experienced save a few special occasions.  This God-consciousness is recognized in several ways:

1)  First is the awareness that the God Whom we believe in and trust is truly and beyond any doubt real, and He is the One True God.  All that we have heard and believed about Him is validated by His initiative.  Any hint of "theory" vanishes, and we know He is Who He claims to be.  What we know to be true is proven to be true -- and we know it.

2)  Second, in the current Asbury Revival people referred to the "tangible" presence of God.  Others used the term, "manifest presence".  In the 1966 revival in West Plains, MO, the term, "atmospheric presence" was used to characterize God's presence.  Even after more than two years, whenever I walked into the sanctuary of the church, I sensed God's presence -- just like God had promised Solomon in II Chronicles 7.  And whenever I stood behind the pulpit or below at the altar area, it was as if I was truly standing on sacred, consecrated, holy ground -- a "take off your shoes" place.

Whether you use the word, "tangible", "manifest", or "atmospheric", the terms all mean essentially the same -- God had come in the person of the Holy Spirit, and He makes sure we know He's there.

3) Also, this kind of God-consciousness results in there also being an overwhelming level of sin-consciousness and sinner-consciousness.  What Isaiah experienced in the temple that day (see Isaiah 6) is what happens in true revival.  The outcrop of seeing the Lord inevitably results in our seeing sin as it really is -- putrid, repulsive, inexplicably offensive to God -- and subsequently seeing ourselves as we are without him -- "undone . . ruined . . . unclean" (Isa 6:5).  The holiness of God exposes the hollowness of our souls and the horridness of our sin.  It is an unbearable weight upon us.

4)  Next, that God-consciousness usually seems to center around God's power that results in an awareness of and the presence of His miracles testifying of His power, grace, and mercy.  In the Asbury Revival reports have come out of a growing number of people who were emotionally, physically, or relationally healed.  Even today I read of at least three different people who were healed physically, but didn't even realize it until weeks later.

5)  Finally, there is inevitably an awareness of His Holiness that brings on deep conviction of sin and godly repentance.  Such revival becomes a season of fully knowing you are standing on holy ground where no one would dare stand except he has been ushered in by God's Spirit.

In real revival, there is a very clear sense of God's presence where you are.  Though you do not see Him with your eyes, your spiritual senses persuasively testify to you that He is right there with you.  You're not alone in the room.  Even when others may be there, you are oblivious to them -- but you know He's there with you.  And you sense Him -- so aware of His presence that you feel that if you reach out your hand, you'd actually touch Him.

FINALLY:

In closing, let me caution you from looking at those six circumstances of culture that tend to alarm us as something to be only judged, condemned, and shunned.  Yes, you should do that -- but look further at them.  Use them as motivations driving you into your closet of prayer and intercession.

In doing so, it's my prayer that you'll also soon become aware of these indicators that tell us revival is on the way --
1.  Confidence in God's sovereignty.
2.  Being personally responsible to be spiritually prepared yourself.
3.  Awareness that revival can come suddenly and without warning, meaning that, like the five virgins, we must be ready.
4.  When revival happens, it will be filled with joyous moments of divine spontaneity, free from human choreography or manipulation.
5.  God will be the absolute center of attraction as He manifests His personal presence right where you are.

Quoting Del Fehsenfeld again, "Revival awakens in our hearts an increased awareness of the presence of God, a new love for God, a new hatred for sin, and a hunger for His Word."

That's my prayer for you -- for me -- for all who seek after Him.

In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,

Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11

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"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
    examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."
-- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)

"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy

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Copyright March, 2023

"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill

"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep,  the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon

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