We seek revival every fall with about 400 student leaders in SoCal.

In the Southern California Region of InterVarsity we have been talking about revival a bunch over the years. It is what we feel God has called us to seek Him for during this season of ministry. Our core work is to “plant and build multi-ethnic witnessing communities on colleges and universities in Southern California” and it is inside of this that we are asking God for revival on campus and in our lives.

Of course this brings up many questions. Revival is a scary word to some people. But I think it can help us become more of the Mystic Leader that Brian Sanders talked about last week.

Here is a definition from Tim Keller that I really like. He is one of the main people we follow in our understanding of revival.

“Revival is an intensification of the ordinary operations of the work of the Holy Spirit.”

Ryan Pfeiffer, the Divisional Director of San Diego InterVarsity, is the one who does a lot of the teaching and spurring us on into our seeking of God. I was just with him the last few days, and he gave  a great handout on what is the role of seeking God for revival. I thought I would share it with you here.

What is the role of seeking GOD in revival leadership?

M.L. Jones. “I shall see no hope until individual members of the church are praying for revival, perhaps meeting in one anthers homes, meeting in groups amongst friends, meeting together in churches, meeting anywhere you like and praying with urgency and concentration for a shedding forth of the power of GOD, such as he shed forth one hundred and two hundred years ago, and in every other period of revival and of reawakening. There is no hope until we do.”- Martyn Lloyd-Jones, REVIVAL.

Jonathan Edwards: For three days Edwards had not eaten a mouthful of food: for three nights he had not closed his eyes in sleep. Over and over again, he had been saying to God, “Give me New England! Give me New England!” and when he arose from his knees, and made his way into the pulpit they say that he looked as if he had been gazing straight into the face of God. They say that before he opened his lips to speak, conviction fell upon his audience.

J. Piper ”The persistent burden to pray for something, like revival or the conversion of a friend, is a good sign that God is moving to do something special. A movement of prayer usually precedes the great works of God, not because enough people have the power to twist the arm of the Almighty, but because God is pleased to prepare us to behold his work as a gift of grace and to cherish it dearly by having us plead for it so fervently” -John Piper

Welsh Revival, 1904-05 Throughout the day there was intense spiritual activity. Two young women held an open-air meeting in Gorseionon which attracted a large crowd. Some went to a Gipsy encampment at nearby Kingsbridge Common to hold a meeting, resulting in the conversion of not a few from their midst. in many homes in the areas there were prayer meetings for most of the day; eternal issues were discussed freely and unashamedly, and above all a sense of the presence and holiness of GOD pervaded every area of human experience, at home, at work, in shops, and public houses. eternity seemed inescapably  near and real.

Evan Roberts– By the time Roberts was twenty five he had the kind of  spiritual encounter that would characterize new light leaders in Africa, Asia and Latin America in the rest of the century. In 1904 Roberts experienced an “anointing” by the Holy Spirit. He started holding prayer meetings at his home.  These meetings were full of remarkable spontaneity with young people singing, confessing, and testifying with a fervor that sometimes went on all night. This youth revival soon spilled over into the wider church. By the time the revival fires waned some 100,000 converts had joined the movement and many times that number were influenced by its teaching and spirituality.

George Muller: This man of GOD had staked everything upon one great experiment- he had set himself to prove that the prayer which resorts to GOD only will bring help in every crisis, even when the crisis is unknown to his people whom he uses as the means of relief and help.

Muller’s 5 conditions for prevailing prayer:

1. Entire dependence on the merits and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only ground of any claim for blessing.

2. Separation from all known sin. If we regard iniquity in our hearts, the Lord will not hear us, for it would be sanctioning sin.

3. Faith in GOD’s word of promise as confirmed by his oath. Not to believe GOD is to make him both a liar and a perjurer.

4. Asking in accordance with his will. Our motive must be godly; we must not seek any gift of GOD to consume it upon our own lusts.

5. Importunity in prayer. There must be WAITING on GOD and waiting for GOD, as the farmer has long patience to wait for the harvest. (importunity= Persistence to the point of annoyance or intrusion)

A. Murrary. The whole of creation is ruled by one unalterable law of waiting upon GOD… It is simply and truly our restoration to our original destiny and our highest nobility, to our true place and glory as people blessedly dependent on the all-glorious GOD.

What are your thoughts on revival? Do any of the quotes above speak to you? Share in the comments!