Revival 101

Well, August has come to a close, not only marking the end of Summer, but also the end of revival season. During this time of year, churches often have what they call “Revivals”, scheduled gatherings that emphasize the movement of the Holy Spirit, encouraging personal growth and radical lifestyle change. I used to always chuckle to myself a little bit when I saw banners in church lawns advertising their annual revival, which was often just an excuse for a gospel concert and potluck fellowship. These scheduled meetings often leave congregants with a vapid sense of self-righteousness, a church box checked, and no real character change.

But true revival is more than just a check-the-box calendar event, it’s a radical change.

Revival is defined as :

• Return, recall or recovery to life from death or apparent death
• Return or recall to activity from a state of languor
• Recall, return or recovery from a state of neglect, oblivion, obscurity or depression
• Renewed and more active attention to religion

Simply put, revival is a rebirth of spiritual fervor; it cannot be planned, as it is initiated by God himself. However, that is not to insinuate that there is nothing that can be done on our part to set the stage for a spiritual awakening. If a person believes he may be about to have a heart attack, he cannot perform an operation on himself, or prescribe any heart medication; that must be done by a doctor. But this man can pick up his telephone and call 911, or set up an appointment with his heart doctor, who will be able to care for him. In the same way, we cannot force revival to happen, but we can prepare for and respond to revival when it happens.

In Joshua, chapters 3-4, we find a practical picture of what true revival looks like.

Here’s the background: The nation of Israel is in desperate need of a revival. Having been lead out of slavery in Egypt by their fearless leader Moses, the people have seen the mighty wonders God performed in the past. Now, after 40 years of wandering, Moses has died, and a new generation of Israelites stands at the bank of the Jordan river, the gateway to the land God had promised them, unsure of the power and presence of God. This is where the story begins.

Joshua, the people’s new leader, feels that the spirit of God is about to move and sends out this order to the Israelites:

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God (symbolic of the presence and power of God himself)…. you are to move out from your positions and follow it.”

Joshua 3:3, italics added

When Joshua senses the movement of the spirit, he gathers the Israelites together, instructing them to watch and wait for the Lord.

• The first step of revival is developing an expectant watchfulness, ready to move wherever God leads.

After the people were gathered, Joshua gave them another instruction.

“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.'”

Joshua 3:5

Consecration, while it was a well known concept in Biblical times, may not be as well understood today. To consecrate something means to make it holy or dedicate it to a special purpose, (in this case, God). The Israelites would consecrate themselves by washing their clothing, which was symbolic of being purified from sin; and abstain from sexual relations, a symbol of their commitment to God before any worldly pleasures. While it is not necessary for modern-day Christians to wash several loads of laundry and avoid sex like the plague to experience spiritual revival, the practice of repentance and purification is still valid. Shifting our focus from worldly pleasures and concerns towards our Holy God and his will helps us to regain the right perspective and priorities.

• The Second step of revival is preparing our hearts for what God would speak, by purifying our thoughts and developing an attitude of repentance.

After consecrating themselves, the Israelites wait for the Lord to move, and he shows up in a miraculous way.

“And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all of Israel, so they will know that I am with you, as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: ‘when you reach the edge of the Jordan’s waters, go and stand in the river.””

Joshua 3:7-8

” So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage during the harvest. Yet as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing……and all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completely crossed on dry ground.”

Joshua 3:14-17

As soon as God began to move among them (as only He can), the Israelites responded with enthusiastic obedience and faith. Their obedience was met with God’s direction, and they were able to surmount an obstacle that would have been impossible to cross on their own.

• The third step of revival is letting God move, and enthusiastically following Him where He goes.

Unfortunately, this third step is where most Christians, even sincere, committed ones, stop. Once they are on that “Jesus high”, they are content to return to their previous lifestyle, sure that the feeling of spiritual excitement will stay forever. Like a flare that quickly burns out, they are soon swept back into a state of religious apathy. But this is not the end of a true revival. True revival has lasing change, long after the excitement of the moment is gone.

After the Israelites had all crossed the river, they did not simply waltz off into the distance; they set up a memorial so that there would be a lasting reminder of God’s work in their life.

” He (Joshua) said to the Israelites, ‘In the future, when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed over the Jordan on dry ground.’ ….. [The Lord] did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

Joshua 4:21-24

• The fourth and final step of revival, possibly the most important step, is remembering what God has done.

Whether it is a pile of rocks, a sticky note, a Journal entry, or whatever it may be, we need tangible reminders of the grace and power God has shown in our lives. When we create these reminders, we will be able to look back during difficult times and “Know that the hand of the Lord is powerful”.

This process of revival is not something that just happens once or twice in a person’s life; It is an ongoing cycle of repentance, obedience, and remembrance that brings us back to Christ every day. Like a flame that burns slowly but surely, our spark can become a blaze over time, constant and strong. That’s how you start a revival.