Revive Us!
My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word! Psalm 119.25
Revival is not a series of tent meetings. You cannot visit a revival. In fact, revival is a visitation from God. Ask a paramedic what revival is and they will have a better definition than most of the church. Revival is bringing someone who is nearly dead back to life. The psalmist knows that revival is not something you can attend, but something that God must do to his people.
Psalm 119 is certainly the “Word” psalm as every verse (176 of them!) refers to the word of God with some synonym. It is also the “revival” psalm as many verses talk about the reviving nature of God’s word (verses 25,37,40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156,159). Psalm 119.25 gives us some direction concerning true revival.
Personal revival begins when God’s child recognizes their true state. Corporate revival begins when God’s church recognizes their true state. National revival begins when that nation recognizes their true state. “My soul clings to dust;” This is a statement of fact. This is where we are at. Apart from the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in my life, “I am dust, and to dust I shall return.” Apart from God’s intervention that is the end. Revival begins when we really believe, “that apart from Jesus we can do nothing” (John 15.5). Spiritual neediness is not a hurdle to revival it is a friend of revival.
Even corporate or national revival begins with one person. “Revive me…” Revival doesn’t begin with the church complaining about how the world is “going to hell in a hand basket.” It doesn’t begin by saying, “I wish so and so was here to listen to that message—THEY really need it.” It begins by saying, “Send revival, and let it begin with me. I need you Jesus. Forgive me.”
True revival doesn’t pit the Word of God against the Spirit of God. Anything that sets these two apart is false, and doesn’t claim the full inheritance of every believer. The Holy Spirit uses the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God to call and convict sinners. The Word of God bears witness to the diverse work of the Holy Spirit. “Revive me according to your word!”
Here are some quotes on revival compiled by my friend, Pastor Bob Lee:
Come Lord Jesus! Come Holy Spirit! Send Revival!
Revival is not a series of tent meetings. You cannot visit a revival. In fact, revival is a visitation from God. Ask a paramedic what revival is and they will have a better definition than most of the church. Revival is bringing someone who is nearly dead back to life. The psalmist knows that revival is not something you can attend, but something that God must do to his people.
Psalm 119 is certainly the “Word” psalm as every verse (176 of them!) refers to the word of God with some synonym. It is also the “revival” psalm as many verses talk about the reviving nature of God’s word (verses 25,37,40,50,88,93,107,149,154,156,159). Psalm 119.25 gives us some direction concerning true revival.
Personal revival begins when God’s child recognizes their true state. Corporate revival begins when God’s church recognizes their true state. National revival begins when that nation recognizes their true state. “My soul clings to dust;” This is a statement of fact. This is where we are at. Apart from the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in my life, “I am dust, and to dust I shall return.” Apart from God’s intervention that is the end. Revival begins when we really believe, “that apart from Jesus we can do nothing” (John 15.5). Spiritual neediness is not a hurdle to revival it is a friend of revival.
Even corporate or national revival begins with one person. “Revive me…” Revival doesn’t begin with the church complaining about how the world is “going to hell in a hand basket.” It doesn’t begin by saying, “I wish so and so was here to listen to that message—THEY really need it.” It begins by saying, “Send revival, and let it begin with me. I need you Jesus. Forgive me.”
True revival doesn’t pit the Word of God against the Spirit of God. Anything that sets these two apart is false, and doesn’t claim the full inheritance of every believer. The Holy Spirit uses the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God to call and convict sinners. The Word of God bears witness to the diverse work of the Holy Spirit. “Revive me according to your word!”
Here are some quotes on revival compiled by my friend, Pastor Bob Lee:
Revival is God’s coming to the aid of His sick church.
Revival does not cost a penny—only blood, sweat, and tears.
Revival is the church falling in love with Jesus all over again.
Revival is ultimately Jesus himself moving, living, breathing through his body here on earth.
Come Lord Jesus! Come Holy Spirit! Send Revival!
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