Revival is like that!

Revival is like that 

During a recent trip to visit our daughter and her family, we were watching a television broadcast that was focusing on revival. Nothing unusual about that, considering that both she and her husband are staff pastors at a very prominent church.  In fact, their church’s moniker is “the revival capital of the world”, certainly a bold profession with the highest of aspirations.

The broadcast team, a group of distinguished Christian leaders, was quickly assembled for an on-site program at a church in another state. This church had experienced a sweeping move of God several years prior, one they would certainly like to repeat!

Over this past week (02/08/23…) reports are surfacing of groups of students that are experiencing “revival”. Christian colleges, first one, then another, then a third, were gathering to, what? Experience God’s presence? To renew their relationship with Him? 

This broadcast panel, now on the very site of a similar move of God years before,  is focused on that very topic. When asked, most believers would agree that revival is a good thing. But what is it? How do you get it? Where will it take us? What will it cost us?

My wife and I reminded our daughter of a time that we too had experienced revival. She asked us, what was it like?  I told her that, “I found myself laying flat on the floor, unable to move, barely able to breath”. 

In that moment, while talking with my daughter, while looking back, I remembered! Like a flood, it all came rushing in, the events, the emotions, even the tastes and smells! 

The dates, the times, the places, those that spoke, those that had lead worship. In that moment, none of those things mattered. Oh the weight of sin, like tons of bricks! Lying there in agony. Unable to cry out. No breath. No words! Minutes, hours? I don’t know. I lay there, knowing that certain death was at the door, and rightly so! Never in the history of the earth was anyone more deserving! 

A fraud. A cheat. A liar. Guilty of all! Hopeless! There was Christ, but not for me. I could not possibly make the cut!

I knew my bible. I knew the verses, the promises. Vacation Bible school, church, Sunday school, even training union! I had earned gold stars for church attendance and participation. I knew about salvation. But I knew me! I was way outside the limits of His reach. So I just lay there, dying.

How long does it take to die? I didn’t know. Agony! Pressure! Just enough breath now to cry. How ever long it takes, I knew I would not recover. I knew I would never get up from that spot. 

Hundreds of people, all around. My loved ones near. But I lay there, alone, likely unnoticed by anyone. Though resigned to my fate, I didn’t really know how it would happen. Would the floor beneath me sallow me up into hell? Would demons drag me out into the street? Would the flames of hell immediately engulf me, as well they should? Would the devil even pay me passing notice as I disappeared into the abyss? Probably  not. He has bigger fish to fry. 

I was about to die and I was terrified!

A last ditch effort with no hope of reprieve, with what little breath remained in my lungs, I whispered His name. Not audibly, but as loud as I could manage, Jesus. Jesus! 

At The Name, the raging storm ceased. There was singing coming from the stage. People were all around me, many lying prone as was I. 

Light, followed by deep, cleansing breaths. Peace. Hope. Someone offered a tissue. I took it. I sat up. I just sat there, for a long time, remembering.

We had come to this place together. In fact, we had come to this place everyday for the past several days. Many speakers, many worship leaders. Hundreds of people, then thousands. Everyone seeking, what? A deeper walk with God? Probably. We came, everyday, for the same reason. And it nearly killed me. The truth is, I died that day! 

…buried with Him in baptism unto death, raised to walk in the newness of life”  

What an incredible word, newness! Did I know more than I have known before? Not really. Was I somehow transformed into some different kind of life-liver? Absolutely! Not just escaping hell’s grasp, but being transformed into a genuine threat to Satan and his minions! Quietly confident, a well equipped soldier in God’s army. Ready to stand with the saints against the wiles of the devil or equally ready to stand alone. In a  “newness of life” kind of way, I knew that when in His service, God would win every battle, if only I would stay true to this life! This is the kind of soldier that  will capture the attention of the enemy. So know this light angel, we are coming for you!

During what was slated to be a three day meeting, this gathering of believers was extended to a week, then another. Six weeks later, having experienced God’s presence as never before, at least for some, the meeting came to a close. People had come from all across the country because they heard that God was moving. Now they were heading home. Some, like me, had had their entire lives turned upside down! It was go-time, and God had just equipped many of His saints for the work of the ministry! Not “go through the motions” lackys. I’m talking special forces! 

What they experienced, what we experienced, is called revival.

 The word “revival” itself falls well short of capturing what can only be described as God being given the freed to work. No, He doesn’t need our permission, but He does demand that we yield to His will and to whatever He is doing. 

Revival is messy. It doesn’t fit into our usual box. In our own revival experience, God is more interested in breaking down our box in order to build us new ones as He sees fit. (They used to call them wineskins back in the day). Everything we believe, everything we hold dear, everything must be on the table. If you hold anything back, don’t expect to experience revival. Regardless of the place, the speaker, the singer, it’s just going to be another meeting, unless we put everything on the table! But when we willingly and purposely step outside of our box, then God will begin a new work in you. 

Then why are we so fascinated when news of revival breaks out in other places? What is it that captures our attention? 

Why them and not us? Why there and not here? We seek after revival as much as anyone! Is it jealousy? No! Is it confusion? Maybe. Let’s place all of that, all of who we are, all of what we do and don’t do, let’s place everything on the table! 

Then, let’s wait…

How long? As long as it takes. (He is faithful that promised). Are we willing to hear and follow His voice? Do we fear what He may say, or even demand of us?

“Sell all that you have, then come follow Me”! Ouch! How much will it cost to experience revival? How much is too much? How much are we willing to pay? How much would we be willing to pay to save our own life?

However, should we choose to continue today as with every other day, if we are not “all in” to seek God for revival, the battle for the soul of our nation is lost! We are powerless to do anything about it. But find a man or a woman who is “all in”… I for one would drive across a nation just to watch God work in and through a person like that. Better yet Lord, let that person be me!

I lay there on that floor, condemned and undone, literally fighting God for control, to hold on to some semblance of my old box! Trying to maintain the bearing I had set and long followed; plans, goals, beliefs, now dogmatic and fixed. “I will either die on this hill, or live on His!” My choice, His gift, but so agonizing! 

Did I “get saved” in that moment? Was it the right time to “walk an aisle”, to “speak with other tongues”? In that moment, none of that mattered! How about we ask the only important question there is while laying in a pool of your own tears? Lord, can You use a sinner like me to change a nation, to change the world? Now that, God can work with!

DL Moody may have said it best; “The world has yet to see what God can do with a man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man!”

God, I surrender! I give up on me. Take this life and do whatever needs doing, in Your way, in Your time. Drop the plow deep. Pull hard against who I was. Make me over in Your image. Allow me to watch You do powerful things in and through my life. Keep me from falling. Keep me from failing! Always cause me to remember, to stand in the power of Your might!  In Christ we live, and move, and have my being!

Revival is like that. It really is.

Stan Richardson 

2/17/23