I have already reflected here on revivals, particularly the difference between a revival and “revivalism” (Ian Murray’s very helpful term). The first is produced by God; the second is produced by humans. The first is unplanned and unpredictable; the second is planned and often very predictable. The first yields lasting fruit; the latter fruit that appears suddenly and falls rotten to the ground after a short period of time. Yet, the presence of “revivalism” does not mean that we throw out the baby with the bathwater. We pray fervently and seek God to send a revival to His church and through His church bring an awakening to the land. We do pray for God to come as a “mighty rushing wind” to His church to refresh and renew us. But the truth historically is that we often see the fruits of real revival that brings real awakening only months or years after the revival has passed. We do not really see it as clearly to define it for what it is when it is taking place right before our eyes.
We have all followed with great interest what happened last year on the campus of Asbury that then seemed to spread to other places in our country. Was/Is it real? I just read with great interest of a great movement of God in a chapel service on the campus of a school I love deeply. Hundreds of students in the aisles weeping before God and seeking HIs face. Praise God! Is this a part of a revival that is going on in our land? Well, every child of God should hope and pray so. But we will not know until we see what are the lasting fruits that come out of this movement of God–when we begin to hear testimonies two to five to ten years from now of real and lasting life-change that took place on college campuses in 2022- whenever this move of God passes. And it will pass. This work of the Wind of God brings real change when it is real, but it does not last. Why? I don’t know. I just know that historically, revivals come and revivals go. But real revival leaves behind real change. One other thing. Those who are moved by God toward real repentance and real change so not know that they are in the midst of revival, they just know that they have been and are in the presence of God.
Let me talk to you about how I know that. I have read recently, partially due to the feature film The Jesus Revolution, about this phenomenon of revival among students in the last sixties and early seventies. Well, I was saved in 1969 and called of God to preach in 1970. This is what I know now and knew then: Three of my friends were called of God to preach during that same time frame, three of us out of one rather mid-sized church and the other out of another church in our county. Three of us were either in high school or college, the fourth serving at the time of his call in the Navy. We were all ordained within the same time frame in the same year, three by one church. Three of us had been a part of a Spirit-driven and directed gathering of students on Monday nights at our local church. Lots of students came. We were hungry for God. We worshipped. The three of us who were called to preach often led the “preaching” time. We had to get adults to come in just to help us because we had so many coming. We had no pizza! We played no games! We sang. We preached and prayed. We really prayed. We were pouring out our hearts to God. It was real. And there was some real fruit from it not only in four preachers coming out of our small town in one year, but in men and women who are still faithfully loving and serving Jesus as a part of local churches in that town and in other towns. We were a part of what came to be known as the “Jesus Revolution,” but we did not know it. That is how revival works. Those often in the midst of real revival are just riding the wonderful wave of what God is doing.
One final note: real revivals historically come out of and are accompanied by the practice of the ordinary means of grace: the faithful preaching of the Word of God and fervent prayer offered to God as we cry out to Him to send revival. Real revivals produce extraordinary results through very ordinary means. Revivalism does the opposite: it produces very ordinary results through the use of extraordinary means. Revivalism focuses on the means of the “revival;” Revival looks to and longs for God as we preach the Word and pray for God to send the Wind. Blow Wind of God; Blow today.