Revival is not brought by a speaker or a family. Nor does revival start with a large group of people. Revival begins in an individual's own heart. Consider these few things concerning the subject of revival.
- Without an obedience to God's Word, there cannot be revival. There must be repentance.
Praying for revival can not be substituted for obedience to God's Word. We must obey God in the areas we know we ought too before we begin praying for revival! Tozer noted, "Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late — and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work.”
- We should pray for revival, beginning with ourselves.
Praying is essential for revival. We must pray for God to break our hearts in humility. (James 4:6) We must pray for God to reveal where we are not right with him. (Psalms 19:12-14) We must pray for God to reveal sin in our own lives so we may confess it before Him. (Proverbs 28:13)
Revival begins with the humility of our own hearts.
God is a holy God. When we see God in His Holiness our only response should be in humility. God says in Isaiah 57:15, "For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
We should ask God to reveal obstacles and remove hindrances to revival.
The greatest hindrance to revival is sin. (Psalms 66:18) We must ask God to remove all other hindrances so His Holy Spirit's work will not be hindered. Psalms 139:23-24 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
We must pray for the preacher to speak God's Word with power, authority, and fervency.
God wants men to proclaim his word unashamed and boldly. God uses Spirit-filled preaching to revive the hearts of His people. We must pray that God will empower thepreacher with the Holy Spirit to proclaim God's Word with clarity, conviction, and carefulness. (1 Corinthians 2:1-4 & 2 Timothy 3:16-4:5)