#WHAT IS REVIVAL?

Revival is something we all want.  We know that a revival can change all things in our hearts, minds and souls.   But what is revival,  what can prevent it and how do we get revival?

What is revival?

Revival, according to Webster's dictionary is the act of bringing something back to life - a rebirth!  In Afrikaans:  herlewing of wedergeboorte.

According to Adrian Rogers it is when God shows up!!  Isaiah 64:1  Oh, that You (Almighty God) would rend the heavens, that You would come down, that the mountains might shake at Your Presence!  

God came down when Jesus was baptized.  His Holy Spirit came down at Pentecost and baptized the disciples with amazing powers and gifts.  And... we are also waiting for Jesus to come down a second time!

We all want revival in the church, in our country and in every town. BUT... and this is a big but... our country does not  have to be changed for us to have revival.  You can have personal revival!!  You can have revival in your family, at your work and even be a one person revival!!!!  When God "comes down", mountains will melt, sinners will shake and the righteous will rejoice.

WHAT PREVENTS REVIVAL?

OUR SINS

Our sins is standing in the way of revival!  We have become so busy that we nearly do not spend time alone with God, so we sin a lot.  Stress and fear has got us to a place where we fight for survival every day of our lives.  And this is where the problems begin.  Because we want to get somewhere in life, we start to sin.  Maybe at first just one curse word.  You feel a little bit guilty about this, but push that "small voice" under the carpet.  Then you curse a little bit more and before you know it, you are cursing like a sailor.  You don't even hear that "little voice" - the Holy Spirit - talking to you anymore!  One sin leads to another sin and before long, your whole life is engulfed with sin.  You are a Christian, not a child of God.  What is the difference you ask?  A Christian is only a name given to people who believe God exists.  A child of God is a person who is committed to God, who have a specific time for prayer and a specific time for Bible study.  It is a person that really wants to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, wants to be cleansed and is looking forward to meeting God when they die.  Are you a Christian or a child of God?

HOW DO WE GET REVIVAL?

CONFESS YOUR SINS

Honesty and openness is of the utmost importance before God.  It is most important that you do not withheld anything from God.  God knows everything already, but it is important for YOU to bring everything to the light.  That which is in the light, can never go back to darkness!!!  Adrian Rogers puts it this way:  "But God cannot put away our sin by forgiving unless we put it away by forsaking it."  

Please repent and confess your sin!  There is a freedom you get in your whole being when confessing sin that is soooo wonderful!

I have expanded more about confessing sin  on my blog.  See the article at this link: https://babsgeldenhuys.blogspot.com/2017/09/confess-my-sins.html.  

PRAY TOGETHER FOR REVIVAL

Pray by yourself but also gather other people around you to pray for revival.   You can get the church involved.  You can even send a prayer on social media everyday about revival.  Don't wait for someone else to start a prayer group.  Start one yourself!! You must yearn, burn and long for revival in your heart, mind, soul and body. You must pray and pray until God opens the heavens and come down to earth to meet you with revival!

ALLOW GOD TO USE YOU

You must become the hands and feet of Jesus here on earth.  Ask God to use you everyday, to become His instrument here on earth.  Ask Him to guide and lead you to where He want you to minister His Word to someone.  Just a little bit of a warning:  don't get angry if you get away a little bit later than usual to run an errand.  In God's plan you will be at the right spot, at the right place to be used by Him!!  But... you must also look for the opportunities that God is placing on your path everyday.  Listen to that small voice that is telling you to greet someone, to just smile at someone or just make a little bit of small talk.  Sometimes this is the way a conversation starts and this conversation can be life changing to someone else! When you allow God to use you, you are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime!!!!  

God is waiting for your prayer, your confession, your plead for revival.  You don't have to persuade God to send revival.  He wants to give revival!  You only have to permit Him to send revival!

Be blessed!