REVIVAL, HOW TO GET IT?

Though I have been an Evangelist for more than 42 years, I am still amazed when I am reminded how little some Christians,  and even some Preachers, know about Revival.  The most common mistaken opinion by some Pastors is that we have to somehow make better Christians of our Church members in order to have Revival.  This idea could not be further from the truth. 

Another false idea is that Revival is kind of like spontaneous combustion.  They say, "if we get enough activity and excitement going, it will burst forth into a full-fledged Revival."  Wrong again!!

Let me list a few ideas that cannot (and never will) produce Revival.  Believe this, Revival is not produced by:  Emotionalism, Excitement, Entertainment, Fleshly Effort, Ability, Talent, Personalities, Preaching, Push...Pull...or Work!

Nothing that anyone can physically or emotionally do will ever produce or obtain Revival.  Search the Scriptures and check it out.  Then write it down, remember it, and believe what I am about to tell you.

There is one, and only one, thing along that will ever obtain or bring Revival.  And, that is PRAYER!

Revival cannot be worked up, it can only be prayed down!  Why?  Because, God is the only one who has Revival to give.  And, as in II Chronicles 7:14, He only gives it in answer to prayer.  However, we're not talking about casual prayer.  Not even through the normal and, more often than not, perfunctory, prayer meetings where coffee, donuts, and/or fellowship takes more time than the prayer meeting itself.  No, that kind of light and easy praying that requires little or no burden at all will never being Revival.

GOD'S PRESCRIPTION FOR REVIVAL:

II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

There are several simple and easy to understand principles in that one Verse of Scripture explaining how to obtain Revival from our Father who lives in Heaven.  Let me point out a few of them:

1 - Only true, born-again Christians can expect to be able to pray and get Revival from God.

2 - We must truly humble ourselves in prayer before our God and acknowledge our personal sins, and that we are unworthy and undeserving of His mercy and grace. 

3 - We must pray...and really mean business about our praying.

4 - We must seek God's face with all our hearts.  In Jeremiah 29:13-14A, we read, "And ye shall search for me with all your heart.  And I will be found of you, saith the Lord..."  That doesn't sound like casual, lazy praying, does it?  Neither does SEEK MY FACE.

5 - We must be willing to confess AND forsake our individual personal daily sins...before we can expect God to hear and answer our prayers for Revival or anything else.  After talking about our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, Hebrews 4:16 tells us to "...come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may OBTAIN MERCY (first), and (afterwards) find grace to help in time of need."

6 - Then, God will hear from Heaven where He lives...where He alone has Revival to give...and after forgiving our individual and collective sins...He will heal our land by sending the Revival we so desperately need.

7 - We must humble ourselves before the Lord in prayer...refusing to be denied; confessing and forsaking our sins and wicked ways, public and secret, with all our hearts so He will be able to hear our prayers, forgive our sins, heal our local churches, and heal our land we call America or whatever the name of your country may be...with a Heaven-sent, Holy Spirit Revival!

This is the only way to obtain real Revival.  God help us to do it!

HELP IN PRAYER

Let me encourage you to click on our category called PRAYER, and read our little Booklet, "How to Pray for Revival...in America and the World."  Use it as a guide and help in praying for Revival.

SPECIAL TIMES

Labor to set aside a special time every day to pray for Revival.  It only takes about twenty (20) minutes to read the prayer (even out loud) we have printed in our Booket.  All we ask is that you pray fervently, hopefully, with brokenhearted persistence, meaning every word as you use the guide in praying for Revival.  After using it a few times, the Prayer Pattern on the last page should be a sufficient guide to help you pray scripturally.

SPECIAL REMINDERS

Let me also encourage you to do another thing.  When you see, read or hear of things that cause you once again to realize how desperately we need Revival, let it be a reminder to pray immediately for Revival...even briefly...no matter where you are.

Things such as our liberal Supreme Court; the demand for same-sex marriages; abortion; the effort to remove the Ten Commandmants and the words "under God" from our Pledge of Allegiance; and the recent ruling of "eminent domain" giving local government the right to confiscate any American's property...these all remind us the need for Revival in America.

ONLY REVIVAL

Politics is not the real answer to our problems in America or in any other country.  Neither will new legislative rulings and laws solve our problems.  As Christians, we should be praying for and working towards changing things and people such as liberal Justices, Judges, Senators, Congressmen or Congresswomen.  But, none of that will solve our real problems...which are cold, backslidden Christians and the wicked hearts of unsaved people.  Our only hope to really change America is Revival. 

Let every wicked and wrong thing in America that we see or hear about REMIND us to pray for Revival.