What Is Genuine Revival?
After Asbury University broke out in revival earlier this year, there has been lots of talk about revival in the Christian community. Many ministers are writing and teaching about revival with many talks, videos, and pictures about revival all over the Internet. The question is, “What is a genuine revival?”
The answer, too many times, becomes convoluted amidst all the discussion and excitement. But we can draw our answer from the Bible and previous authentic revivals. Both are valid sources for determining and defining what a genuine revival is.
I was fortunate enough to take part in a revival as a teenager and young adult. I was part of the Jesus Revolution and Charismatic Renewal.
Yet, I never realized it was a revival. I was too busy experiencing what God had for me during that time to even recognize it as a revival. I know that what I experienced has stayed with me for over 50 years. It is the foundation upon which I built my spiritual life.
In this article, I will explore genuine revival, what it is, and how it happens, using the Bible and experiences from previous genuine revivals.
You can recognize genuine revival by deep repentance from believers, insatiable hunger for the Word of God, increased evangelism, and cultural change that marks a generation.
My Experience of Genuine Revival
First, I will start with my experience during the Jesus Revolution. My first exposure to the Jesus people was through Young Life. I started attending meetings with other teens when I was fourteen years old.
Our leader was Paul King from Mars, Pa. He was in his mid-twenties with long red hair and coke-bottle thick glasses. When you met him, you knew for certain he loved Jesus and he loved teens.
We would gather at someone’s home and sit cross-legged in a circle singing choruses accompanied by a guitar or two. Afterward, there would be a bible study and then a discussion.
You couldn’t help noticing the teens’ hunger for the Word of God. A hunger for the Word of God is one sign of genuine revival.
The next year, 1972, I attended Explo’72. What is Explo’72? Billy Graham and Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ held a rally for teens and college students in Dallas, Texas. This was when teens and college students were rioting and burning campuses across the nation.
Everybody believed that doing it without violence was impossible. Yet, when you let God do His thing, miracles happen. The police and city officials in Dallas said they were the best-behaved group they have ever hosted.
They Taught Us Evangelism
Eighty thousand young people descended on Dallas from all over the nation and even from other countries. The emphasis of the meetings was evangelism. They taught us how to share our faith using a tract called The Four Spiritual Laws. Of course, there were other classes about useful things like how to live with your parents and obeying authority.
Saturday night, the last night of Explo ‘72, over 100,000 young people gathered in the Cotton Bowl. Billy Graham preached about each of us going home and letting our light shine. Then they turned out the lights in the Cotton Bowl and Billy Graham lit a candle. He turned and lit Bill Bright’s candle and it went from there, lighting candles until everyone in the Cotton Bowl held a lit candle.
An awe-filled hush settled over the Cotton Bowl as we realized just how much of an impact 100,000 people could have on a nation of 200 million. Meanwhile. Citizens of Dallas were calling authorities with reports the Cotton Bowl was on fire. It was on fire all right. Just not a natural fire.
A few months after Explo ‘72 I experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. It marked the beginning of my thirst for the Word of God that continues to this day.
The First Sign Of Genuine Revival
From my study of God’s Word and of revivals through history, I am convinced the one common denominator of all revivals is a hunger for God’s Word.
In 2 Chronicles, chapter thirty-four, we have the history of King Josiah. He started his reign at eight years of age. Josiah was king for 31 years, becoming king at 8 years old. We are told in verse three, at seventeen years of age, Josiah began to seek the God his ancestor David served. Not the gods his father and grandfather served. This is the key to what happens after. Josiah began to seek the One and Only True God.
During the eighteenth year of his reign, Josiah ordered the Temple to be cleaned and repaired. Now look what happened.
“When they brought out the silver that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses. Consequently, Hilkiah told the court secretary Shaphan,” I have found the book of the law in the Lord’s temple,” and he gave the book to Shaphan.” (2 Chronicles 34:14–15 CSB)
We pick up our story in the 17th verse:
“Then the court secretary Shaphan told the king, “The priest Hilkiah gave me a book,” and Shaphan read from it in the presence of the king. When the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. Then he commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the court secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah, “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for those remaining in Israel and Judah, concerning the words of the book that was found. For great is the Lord’s wrath that is poured out on us because our ancestors have not kept the word of the Lord in order to do everything written in this book.” (2 Chronicles 34:18–21 CSB)
Josiah understood the importance of obeying God’s Word. Once the priest read the Word of God, he then sought what the prophets had to say about the situation.
Josiah is an excellent example of hunger for God’s Word, leading a person to put the Word first in their life. Hunger for God’s Word and the accompanying desire to please God led Josiah to seek the Word of the Lord from the prophets.
Heartfelt Repentance Brings Genuine Revival
Say this to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the Lord: ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: As for the words that you heard, because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before me, and you tore your clothes and wept before me, I myself have heard’—this is the Lord’s declaration. ‘I will indeed gather you to your ancestors, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace. Your eyes will not see all the disaster that I am bringing on this place and on its inhabitants.’ ” Then they reported to the king. (2 Chronicles 34:26–28 CSB)
Josiah showed true repentance to the Lord. Not only was there remorse, he decided to no longer sin. From his heart, he made the sincere decision to obey everything that is written in God’s covenant and His Word.
This wasn’t a show he put on for the nation of Israel. This was a decision he made personally and because of his decision, Josiah led the entire nation of Israel into revival.
An Example of False Repentance
We find a classic example of false repentance in Genesis chapter twenty-seven. Here we find the story of Jacob tricking Isaac into giving him Esau’s blessing.
The blessing was to always go to the first-born son of the family. This is part of the birthright of the first-born son. Not only was he to inherit his father’s authority and possessions, he was to receive the blessing from the Lord.
Esau never valued his birthright. Just because he was tired and extremely hungry, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.
Later in the story, Jacob tricks Isaac into pronouncing the blessing over him instead of Esau. Read of Esau’s reaction:
Isaac began to tremble uncontrollably. “Who was it then,” he said, “who hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it all before you came in, and I blessed him. Indeed, he will be blessed!” When Esau heard his father’s words, he cried out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” But he replied, “Your brother came deceitfully and took your blessing.” (Genesis 27:33–35 CSB Emphasis is the author’s.)Now let’s see what the New Testament records concerning Esau’s repentance.
For you know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, even though he sought it with tears, because he didn’t find any opportunity for repentance. (Hebrews 12:17 CSB)
Even though Esau wept bitterly, he still wasn’t truly repentant. He experienced worldly sorrow over not receiving the blessing and all its benefits, yet wasn’t willing to give up his worldly ways. Esau wanted the benefits without having to obey God’s Word.
Repentance without change isn’t true repentance. True repentance is a key to having revival. Every revival I have studied included true repentance.
Genuine Revival Can Change History
Josiah was the catalyst for a revival that changed the culture of Israel and even changed its history. Because of the revival and Josiah’s response to the Word of God, God held off the inevitable conquest of Israel.
While Josiah reigned as king, the nation of Israel served God. The nation experienced true repentance, and the revival spread across the entire nation. No longer was sin tolerated as long as Josiah was king.
This seems to be an earmark of revival. Revivals have changed the history of the United States several times. The First Great Awakening sparked the desire for independence from Great Britain. The most common slogan before the revolution was, “No king but King Jesus!”
The Second Great Awakening brought slavery into the conscience of the average American. That, along with the Prayer Revival that followed in 1857, encouraged Americans to take a stand against slavery, again changing the course of our nation.
Revivals change culture, society, and history in the nations where it occurs. In fact, it changes them for a generation.
Each Generation Needs Their Own Revival
Revival isn’t forever. Once the generation that experienced revival ages and goes to meet Jesus, what happened from the revival fades. It doesn’t seem to carry on into the next generation.
Each generation needs their revival. It is my generation’s job to help the next generation prepare for revival. We are the ones with the wisdom and knowledge to help them.
How help the next generation experience revival:
- Teach them how to pray. We must teach this generation how to pray. It doesn’t come naturally, and there are certain principles involved with each type of prayer. I remember as a young boy being taught how to pray by my parents and the older generation of men in the church.
- Teach them how to study the Bible effectively. There is more involved with Bible study than just reading scripture. It was my parents that taught me to use a cross reference Bible and various Bible study helps. Again, this isn’t a skill that comes naturally.
- Teach them the value of true repentance. There is too much false repentance in the world today. The Gospel requires true repentance from believers.
Let’s help usher in revival for this generation. It is important for the future of the Church.
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