REVIVAL-MEANS-HUMAN
RESPONSIBILITY
Let Christians remember, that in a
season of revival as well as in a season of coldness, the evidence of piety is
to be sought in the fruits of the Spirit. And let sinners remember that no
degree of attendance or means, no degree of fervor, can be substituted for
repentance of sin and faith in the Savior
William Sprague
Revival is a
reality about which we must give ourselves no rest,
and the Lord no rest, until He comes and makes His church the praise of all the
earth (Isa. 62:6-7).
Erroll
Hulse
A Call to Extraordinary Prayer for Revival,
Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 2.
Prayer [is]
the genesis of revival. The beginning of a time of revival invariably has been
marked by quickening of the ordinary prayer meetings, resulting in new
vitality, more participation, more sense of the presence of the Holy Spirit,
and more unction in intercession.
Erroll
Hulse
A Call to Extraordinary Prayer for Revival,
Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 3.
We are not to
think that we can organize prayer as if we are in control. The very ability to
pray with unction and faith is given by the Holy Spirit, and although that
activity largely precedes revival, prayer also is an integral part of revival.
Erroll
Hulse
A Call to Extraordinary Prayer for Revival,
Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 3.
When the
vision of Christ's glory, demonstrated in the salvation of souls, becomes an
intense desire in our hearts, that is especially the
time when we must pray with fervor for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in
revival.
Erroll
Hulse
A Call to Extraordinary Prayer for Revival,
Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 4.
From
the day of Pentecost, there has been not one great spiritual awakening in any
land which has not begun in a union of prayer, though only among two or three.
And no such outward, upward movement has continued after such prayer meetings
have declined. It is in exact proportion to the maintenance of such joint and
believing supplication and intercession that the Word of the Lord in any land
or locality has had free course and been glorified.
A.T. Pierson
There has
never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin
in united prayer.
A.T. Pierson
Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been
going on of late – and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem
is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply
will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get
nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as
a substitute for obedience.
A.W. Tozer
Oh!
men and brethren, what would this heart feel if I could but believe that there
were some among you who would go home and pray for a revival – men whose faith
is large enough, and their love fiery enough to lead them from this moment to
exercise unceasing intercessions that God would appear among us and do wondrous
things here, as in the times of former generations.
C.H. Spurgeon
The
coming revival must begin with a great revival of prayer. It is in the closet,
with the door shut, that the sound of abundance of rain will first be heard. An
increase of secret prayer with ministers will be the sure harbinger of
blessing.
Andrew Murray
True
revival lives in prayer. Prayer draws
power from revival. We need only to follow the way-marks of their remarkable
history to be satisfied of their inseparable unity.
J.B. Johnston
The Prayer Meeting and its History, 1870, p.
158.
All revival
begins, and continues, in the prayer meeting. Some have also called prayer the
"great fruit of revival." In
times of revival, thousands may be found on their knees for hours, lifting up
their heartfelt cries, with thanksgiving, to heaven.
Henry T. Blackaby
Revival Scenes, Revival Commentary, v.
1, n. 1.
Powerful
preaching is a hallmark of true revival. Revival preachers demonstrate their commitment
to the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures, with bold, urgent, and
uncompromising preaching, as they set before God’s people the way of life and
death. Powerful, Spirit-filled sermons concerning sin, Christ and the cross
penetrate the hearts of the saved and lost alike with the realities of
eternity.
Henry T. Blackaby
Revival Scenes, Revival Commentary, v.
1, n. 1.
While revival
originates from God, the Holy Spirit has appointed certain means to be used for
the advancement of His kingdom. The foremost of these is the preaching of the
Word of God accompanied by earnest prayer. Yet, no amount of human endeavor can
assure results. The same is true of revival: no measured amount of our activity
will guarantee an equivalent blessing, for God's blessing is bestowed according
to His good pleasure (Zech. 4:6).
John Sale
Revival's Source, Revival Commentary, v. 1,
n. 1.
What
characterizes revival is not the unusual means we might employ, but rather the
"extraordinary" degree of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the
normal means that God has given to the church.
John Sale
Revival's Source, Revival Commentary, v. 1,
n. 1.
When I pray
for revival I pray first for the most radical thing: The utter devotion and
allegiance of your hearts to Christ. That you would love Him so deeply and long
for Him so passionately that His coming would be your great hope,
and death would be gain, and life would be for Christ and His kingdom.
John Piper
Sermon: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, What Happens
When You Die? July 25, 1993, www.DesiringGod.org.
It’s true
that [many] are praying for a worldwide revival. But it would be more timely, and more scriptural, for prayer to be made to
the Lord of the harvest, that He would raise up and thrust forth laborers who would
fearlessly and faithfully preach those truths which are calculated to bring
about a revival.
A.W. Pink
Men are
wondering why the Revival delays its coming. There is only one thing that can
delay it, and that is lack of prayer. All Revivals have been the outcome of
prayer. One sometimes longs for the voice of an archangel, but what would that
avail if the voice of Christ Himself does not stir us up to pray?
Author
Unknown
The Kneeling Christian, circa 1930, ch. 2.
No great
spiritual awakening has begun anywhere in the world apart from united prayer –
Christians persistently praying for revival.
J.
Edwin Orr
When God is about to bestow some great blessing on His
church, it is often His manner, in the first place, so to order things in His
providence as to show His church their great need of it, and to bring them into
distress for want of it, and so put them upon crying earnestly to Him for it.
Jonathan Edwards
The
nature of the operations and affections are to be inquired into and examined by
the rule of God’s Word and not by the actions of mere sensual spirits.
Jonathan
Edwards
Distinguishing
Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God, 1741.
Modern language courtesy of Archie Parrish, The Spirit of
Revival, Crossway Books, 2000, p. 64.
There
are no magic formulas for revival. We cannot command it. We may await it with
longing, and we are bound to express our longing in prayer.
Tom Wells
Christian: Take Heart! By Permission of the
Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA. 1987, p. 56.
If we would
do much for God, we must ask much of God… I cannot insist on this too much.
Prayer is the first thing, the second thing, and the third thing necessary for
a minister, especially in seasons of revival… Pray, then, my dear brother,
pray, pray, pray.
Edward Payson
Our wills
must be broken to His will. To be broken is the beginning of revival. It is
painful, it is humiliating, it is the only way. It is
being ‘Not I, but Christ,’ and a ‘C’ is a bent ‘I.’ The Lord Jesus cannot live
in us fully and reveal Himself through us until the proud self within us is broken.
This simply means that the hard unyielding self, which justifies itself, wants
its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory, at last bows
its head to God's will, admits it’s wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus,
surrenders its rights and discards its own glory – that the Lord Jesus might
have all and be all. In other words, it is dying to self and self-attitudes.
Roy Hession
The Calvary Road, Christian Literature Crusade, 1950,
p. 21-22. P.O. Box 1449, Fort Washington, PA 19034-8449. Used by Permission.
Personal
revival beings when the believer faces his sin honestly. Though painful, only
honesty with God and others will enable the Christian to walk in purity and
power. The following resolves are not a formula but are required of every
believer.
1. Repent
of every known sin (Rev. 3:19).
2. Forsake
all questionable habits and activities (Rom. 14:23).
3. Make
right any wrongs between yourself and others (Mt. 5:23-24).
4. Commune
with God in prayer and be personally instructed through His Word (1 Thes.
5:17).
5. Trust
God to use you as His specially designed tool for revival in others (Jas.
5:19-20).
Jim Elliff
Five Resolutions for Personal Revival, Christian Communicators Worldwide, www.CCWtoday.org. Used by Permission.