What is revival in a religious or spiritual sense? First, a revival by this definition is a renewal of something and/or a return to it with new fervor.  What is revival in a Biblical sense? Simply put, it is a renewed and conscious focus on my First Love, coupled with a sincere longing for His Holiness in my life; a desire for my sanctification.  This is a different work than justification; that is my initial coming to Jesus, The Christ, beseeching Him to save me from my sin and become my Lord and Master.  Justification is the saving event that begins my journey as a Christian, literally a little Christ.  Sanctification is the continual process of being saved by my cooperation with The Holy Spirit of God who now indwells me, guiding and directing me in my new life with my Lord, and who has sealed me for the day of the final phase- my glorification.  Yet, in some sense all three phases are continual.  Salvation, like the trinity, is three-in-one.

When the people of God (Christ’s body the church) are functioning appropriately, according to instruction from The Word of God, cooperating with their sanctification- others from outside the body and imposters residing inside the body will be justified. People will be delivered from their sin and spiritually healed.  Prayers of praise and thanksgiving will be plentiful.  There will be a hunger for Scripture and an active interest in and emphasis on its application in our lives.

Revival may occur corporately in the sense that many people are experiencing personal revival together, in other words, a group of people in congregation are having separate personal revival as individuals.  This may be what is now occurring on the campuses of Asbury College, Lee University, and other American institutions of higher education.  As my Granny was fond of saying, “the proof is in the pudding.”  We shall see if this has been the case by the fruit  (See Matthew 13: 18-30).

If you are unable to be a part of a corporate revival event, but are experiencing an intense desire for God to do a new work in your life, pray for personal revival.  I have done it and have experienced it.

The elements of personal revival are simply outlined for us in The Word of God.  Apply them now:

1. Prayer:  Offered In sincerity and humility, requesting that God make known to me my specific sin or pattern of sin (Ps. 139:23-24).
2. Confession:  With discretion, of that particular sin or pattern of sin to another Christian or Christians (James 5:16).
3.  Atonement:  With discernment and in compassion, seek forgiveness of anyone directly offended by me due to that sin or pattern of sin (Matthew  5:23-24).
4.  Repentance:  An obvious turning away from that sin or pattern of sin to live apart from (separated from) that sin or sin pattern (Acts 3:19).
5.  Witness:  Become a living testimony to the power of the event in your life, to The Saving Gospel of Jesus Christ; to the continual saving power of God’s Word actively lived, to sanctification in the life of a Believer (Ephesians 5:25-27).

May GOD bless us as we continue the journey of our salvation- saved and being saved and ultimately saved by His great love, mercy, and grace!

Copyright 2023.    L. L.  Shelton