An Article of Faith

The word “revival” has a variety of meanings for Christians today. For some it means a series of meetings in the spring or fall. Some think of revival as a time when people place their faith in Christ and receive Him as Lord and Savior. Other people have used the term “revival” to describe a spiritual awakening in which large numbers of people are converted to Christ.
In recent history we have tended to use the term “revival” to describe a time of evangelistic services, i.e., special services focused on preaching the Good News of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. That has not always been the case. In fact, not many decades ago churches usually held two-week revival meetings. The first week focused on God’s people getting right with Him. The second week focused on sharing the Good News with those who need Christ.
As churches have accommodated their plans to the pressures on family schedules, revival services have been reduced to three or four days, if they take place at all. With the limited time, churches have often chosen to emphasize sharing the Good News rather than focus on genuine revival, i.e., God’s people getting their lives right with Him. Consequently, we have lost our understanding of what “revival” really is.
What is genuine revival? The word “revive” is made up of two parts: “re-“ meaning “again,” and “vive,” meaning “to live.” Thus, “revive” means “to live again, to come or be brought back to life, health, or vitality.”
Revival is a time when spiritual life and vitality are restored. Someone quoted an old country preacher as saying, “You can’t be revived unless you have first been vived!” Those who are dead in trespasses and sins don’t need revival; they need life that comes by being born again.
Revival is a return to spiritual health after a period of spiritual decline into sin and broken fellowship with God. We will use the word “revival” to describe what God does to restore His people to a right relationship with Him. Revival is for God’s people when they need to be forgiven and restored to life, spiritual health, and vitality.
Revival is a sovereign act of God. We cannot force God to do anything. Yet in His sovereignty God has set forth the requirements for revival. He has said, “Return to Me, and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). The heart of revival is returning to the LORD.
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to Me with all your heart, And with fasting, weeping and mourning; And rend your heart and not your garments.” Now return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil. Who knows whether He will not turn and relent And leave a blessing behind Him ... (Joel 2:12-14)?
“Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him. So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth” (Hosea 6:1-3).
Pray the prayer of the psalmist in Psalm 85:1-6. Pray for God to send revival to your life and your church. Pray that revival will become contagious and spread to many churches and communities all across our nation.

(Jessie J. Charpentier Sr. is pastor of Jenkins Memorial Baptist Church in St. Martinville.)