Revival

What is this thing called "revival"? Surely, the Spirit of God has been sent, and has not departed. Why do we accept that revivals are rare occurrences? I will certainly grant that they are miraculous, but isn't all preaching to be bathed in prayer, depending upon the Spirit that it might touch the hearts of those listening? When did the first revival end? When the Jewish Christians were dispersed? No! That was no end to that revival, but a spreading of it into many regions.

Where the Church lacks a revival, there she is sick. Why does the world ignore us? We who ought to have a joy which surpasses understanding, and a love so much greater than that which the world is capable of. Should those in the world not either be repulsed by seeing in us such an image of the Most High God, or else drawn to him by that beauty which we, though fallibly, ought to be displaying in that manner?

Church, come out. I pray that you would come out as Lazarus, and be unbound from worldly things and let go to make disciples.

Look away from whether it is, in fact, normal for the Church to have revivals. The question is rather, whether we ought to always be seeking such? Well, do we not desire that the whole world should be full of the glory of Christ? And does the filling of the world with his glory not increase during periods of revival? Where, then, is the question? Of course we ought to desire that we should have more and longer and more intense periods of revival, for that is what shall bring it to pass most quickly that the whole earth be filled with the glory of God.

We ought, indeed, even in times of great revival, desire that God would reveal his righteousness by his Spirit more than he is, and desire that he should sanctify his saints wherever they are found, so that in them he might be seen, and not ignored, but either reviled or clung to. Cling is, indeed, the right word, for we have no hope apart from Christ. Do you think you have enough to last you? Then you are still thinking in the wrong terms, for our Christ is not one to be gotten enough of. Are you satisfied by what you have of Christ? Then you do not yet see his beauty and majesty and glory, for it is impossible to realize how much of Christ there is to be had, and not to desire to know and to have all of him. "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" Romans 8:32. But what more could we want? "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen." Romans 11:36.