Revival

Call to Prayer

Title: Revival

By: Daniel Peter

Date: 21/02/2023

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land 2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV

We have come to an important time, where we are expecting the return of our Lord for His Church. One of the things we expect before His coming is that the Church will be revived, and walking in the fullness of her inheritance. The Spirit of God has been bearing witness to this revival and preparing His vessels for it. One way we are prepared is for us to know what revival truly is so we can recognise and appreciate God for it.

Based on the literal definition of the word revival, it means “coming back to life” or “an improvement in the condition, strength, or fortunes of someone or something.” It can also be referred to as “renewal” or “an awakening“. But to truly understand God’s mind about it, we have to look at scriptures. Though revival is an event experienced by the Christian Church, the concept was a promise to Isreal in the old covenant. God knowing that the people of Israel would sin and He will judge them and send them out of their land, He made a way of reconciliation, so that the nation can be restored to the true worship of God. Therefore, revival is said to happen when people return to the true worship of God. This is a product of the mercy of God.

2 Chronicles 7:14 highlights the three stages of revival. The first stage is the restoration of corporate prayer. In a time of revival, people are awakened to the need to pray. The Lord saying “if my people…. will humble themselves and pray (2Chro. 7:14)” goes to show that this is corporate prayer.  The Lord facilitates this process by releasing the spirit of grace and supplication on people (Zach.12:10).

The second stage of revival is the repentance from dead works. Revival means coming from a dead state to being alive. When people walk in sin, they are said to be dead in sin (Eph. 2:1-2). However, when we practice righteousness and fellowship with the spirit, we are said to be alive (Rom. 6:10-11, 8:11). Therefore, revival is said to happen when people stop sinning and start walking in the ways of God. This will reflect in sinners accepting Jesus as Lord and saviour, and Christians learning the doctrine of Christ and practicing it. It’s the restoration of the fear and love of God in the Church.

Finally, the last stage of revival is the response of God. He said “…I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2Chro. 7:14)”, the healing of the Land is the removal of the consequence of sin. For natural Israel, it was a return to the physical land of Israel and God making the land fruitful. However, for us Christians, it goes beyond the literal healing of our land by it being fruitful (productive), it also involves us producing the fruit of the Holy Spirit and manifesting His glory, which is the product of abiding in the word and prayer.

Prayer Point.

Let’s thank God for His word today. Let’s ask Him to revive His people once again.