(Photo taken from http://www.flickr.com/photos/fracturedfotos/2991603406/ )After joining a series of teaching session and the Global Day of Prayer at JB last week, I believe that a great revival is about to happen. But it doesn't mean that it'll happen anytime soon. It may be 5, 10 or even 20 years from now. I don't know. But one thing for sure - REVIVAL will happen. Not because the pastors say so (in fact the pastors mentioned nothing abt it) but it's mentioned very clearly in the Bible.
But what is REVIVAL? I came upon a teaching on end time revival that cited Charles Spurgeon. Charles Spuregon not only preached about revival, he prayed for it and experienced it in his life. As I googled for Charles Spurgeon n revial, I came upon an article which I think is very helpful for us.
The below is an excerpt from the article, taken from http://theresurgence.com/robert_lescelius_1994-04_spurgeon_and_revival
What lessons can we glean from what we have learned about Spurgeon and Revival? We list them briefly in conclusion.
1. We benefit from rehearsing the mighty works of God.
Israel was commanded to rehearse to succeeding generations the mighty redemptive works of Yahweh (Ps. 78:4). The Psalmist was delivered from his depression, when he remembered the years of the right hand of the Most High (Ps. 77:10). He went on to resolve: "I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember Your miracles of long ago. I will meditate on all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds" (Ps. 77:11-12). Revivals have been sparked by the retelling of the mighty movements of God in the past. The rehearsing of revival times, such as that in the days of Spurgeon, can have an effect for good upon this present generation. This is why Spurgeon related the story of God's mighty acts to his own people:
My dear friends, the first effect which the reading of God's mighty works should have upon us, is that of gratitude and praise. Have we nothing to sing about today?- then let us sing concerning days of yore. If we cannot sing of our well-beloved a song concerning what He is doing in our midst, let us, nevertheless, take down our harps from the willows, and sing an old song, and bless and praise His holy name for the things which He did in His ancient church, for the wonders which He wrought in Egypt, and in all the lands wherein He led His people, and from which He brought them out with a high hand and with an outstretched arm.
When we have thus begun to praise God for what He has done, I think I may venture to impress upon you one other duty. Let what God has done suggest to you the prayer that He would repeat the like signs and wonders among us! 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 of religion-men whose faith is large enough to exercise unceasing intercession that God would appear among us and do wondrous things here, as in the times of former generations. 32
May the same effect be realized in the church today!
2. We are encouraged in our personal and local church life.
The God of Spurgeon still lives. There is no reason why each individual believer cannot have the same fellowship with his Savior that Spurgeon had. Personal revival is our portion as well as his. The provisions of grace and the ministry of the indwelling Spirit are still available today. May we follow the example of Spurgeon in consecration and obedience! Better yet, may we follow Spurgeon's Savior!
The New Testament standard for local church life has not been lowered since Spurgeon's era. Spurgeon saw revival in his church even before days of general awakening. It has often been the case that God has sent local church revivals to prepare the instruments of widespread revival. May we preach and pray for such return to New Testament practice in our churches!
3. We can be faithful even in times of declension.
One may become discouraged by rehearsing the life of Spurgeon, saying, "But I'm not a Spurgeon." Or, "We're not living in times of revival." The temptation is to sit back in passivity and wait for God to move, or to dismiss the positive lessons that could be gleaned from his life and ministry because we do not have the gifts and abilities he had. We must remember the truth of God's sovereign distribution of His gifts (1 Cor. 12:11) and realize that if God wanted us to be a Spurgeon, He would have made us the way He did this man. He gave us the gifts and ministries that we have and expects of us faithfulness within the arena of our gifts and calling.
Spurgeon lived in unique times of spiritual awakening. All fruit comes as God gives the increase. Though we ought to expect fruit and plead for it, the extent and increase of our ministries is dependent upon His blessing. God does not expect the same results from us as of a Spurgeon. He may glue us more, or less. The judgment seat is where it will all be made manifest (1 Cor. 3:13-15). Let us be faithful!
4. Revival cannot be separated from reformation.
The Reformation, we noted, gave birth to the age of revivals. The church must reform itself in accordance with the Word of God. Spurgeon believed the doctrines of sovereign grace were owned of God in revival blessing.
Whether we become accomplished "theologians" or not is not the issue. The issue today is the gospel and the way it is preached. Is the message we preach God-centered or man-centered? The answer you give will mean you have either a God-centered or man-centered methodology. Spurgeon believed in a God-centered gospel. Such a message must be preached in utter dependence upon God, for its efficacy is in His hands.
We noted that Spurgeon believed that "the preaching that moves one heart needs not to be altered to attend upon ten thousand." Herein lies the relationship between Spurgeon's theology and revival. In revival the same God who operates through the ordinary ministration of the gospel, operates in the same way, only the intensity and extent are greater. The same regenerating grace that saves a sinner here, and another there, in one season is multiplied to the salvation of multitudes in times of general awakening.
A deficient theology in times of declension (besides contributing to the declension) will not stand one in good stead in times of revival. The advice of Spurgeon will stand us in good stead today: "John Newton put Calvinism into his sermons as he put sugar in his tea. Don't be afraid of putting in an extra lump now and then." 33
5. We are moved to pray for revival.
Surely upon reflecting on the marvelous life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon our hearts are moved to pray, "Lord, do it again." Oh, that He would raise up another of his caliber in our day! Oh, that He would pour out His Spirit upon our churches and our land! We close with this prayer of Spurgeon for revival:
O God, send us the Holy Ghost! Give us both the breath of spiritual life and the fire of unconquerable zeal. O Thou who art our God, answer us by fire, we pray Thee! Answer us both by wind and fire, and then we shall see Thee to be God indeed. The kingdom comes not, and the work is flagging. Oh, that Thou wouldst send the wind and the fire! Thou wilt do this when we are all of one accord, all believing, all expecting, all prepared by prayer.
Lord, bring us to this waiting state! God, send us a season of glorious disorder. Oh, for a sweep of the wind that will set the seas in motion, and make our ironclad brethren, now lying so quietly at anchor, to roll from stem to stern!
Oh, for the fire to fall again-fire which shall affect the most stolid! Oh, that such fire might first sit upon the disciples, and then fall all round! O God, Thou art ready to work with us today even as Thou didst then. Stay not, we beseech Thee, but work at once.
Break down every barrier that hinders the incoming of Thy might! Give us now both hearts of flame and tongues of fire to preach Thy reconciling Word, for Jesus' sake! Amen!
I believe one key that will unlock the door of revival is prayer in unity. Nothing can come between us when we pray together in unity. Jesus' last prayer was that we be one, just as He and the Father is one (Jn 14:22-23) . Jesus also mentioned that when we are gathered in his name, he'll be with us (Mt 18:20). What greater power can anyone have against the presence of Jesus with us? Let's pray in unity to unlock the floodgates of heaven. Repentance and prayer must happen before revival comes (2 Chr 7:14).
Looking back in history, revival did come as swiftly as the wind blows. But as fast as it came, it was as fast as it went away. Revival did happen across England. But what happened many years later? Today England is just Christian by name. The wind of revival is now sweeping across Asia. What can contain the revival is the CHURCH - a strong and biblcal church. We need to build the store house (church) to contain the great harvest (multitudes of souls). So it is important that we build the church right. Else we'll not be able to contain the harvest.
Really looking forward to the coming semester and new intake. But what happens now is very crucial - the PREPARATION. Let's pray, pray and pray and build our lives and our CGs right. We ourselves need to be revived by God.
Greater things are yet to come.... Amen!
