“A revival almost always begins among the laity. The ecclesiastical leaders seldom welcome reformation. History repeats itself. The present leaders are too comfortably situated as a rule to desire innovation that might require sacrifice on their part. And God's fire only falls on sacrifice. An empty altar receives no fire” Frank Bartleman.
Revival—a word that has been heard countless times in churches, but has been scarcely experienced by Christians today. We read of the Asuza Street Revival, the First and Second Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival, the Voice of Healing Movement, the Hebrides Revival; but why does it seem like the fire that once ignited many across the Western world has dimmed.
Prosperity: a blessing and a curse
The very trees that God gave to Adam and Eve for food served as cover from the presence of God when they sinned:
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis Chapter 3, verse 8).
The gains of capitalism can be seen in the West today: nice houses, electronic devices, skyscrapers, good healthcare, auto vehicles, etc. With these blessings have followed a sad reality: man has fallen to the deceit that Nimrod initiated thousands of years ago:
“And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth’” (Genesis Chapter 11, verse 4).
The sad reality that plagues the post-modern man is the rejection of God; he has decided that he will ascend to heaven without God. The very things that God gave to bless man have become idols. No greater idol plagues the West today than that of the ideologies of the mind. God’s word has been replaced by all sorts of ideologies—both rational and irrational. As Adam and Eve hid among the trees so many have hidden from God behind ideologies, and philosophies of the mind. Fallen man will invent any theory to escape the idea of God.
Why revival tarries
Society is often a reflection of the church. When the church arises, hell retreats! Revival tarries not because of the government, the educational system or the media; revival tarries because the church has left the place of prayer. There are nice sermons, beautiful lights, vibrant worship, well groomed pastors with perfect diction, skinny jeans, and latest sneakers.
As nice as these things are, they neither move heaven nor trouble hell. Hell does not retreat because you have a certificate from a Bible college; hell, retreats when men pray; I mean really pray! The kind of prayer that brings revival is the prayer of groanings. There is no birthing without labor. Revival will remain a prophetic word as long as men shy away from sincere, heart-felt prayer.
Before the Asuza Street Revival, men like Frank Bartleman spent several days in intercession. The Hebrides Revival was preceded by nights of prayer. Today, we have many theologians, but less weepers! Many Bible school graduates, but less prayer school attendees.
People of God, don’t think we will see revival without paying the prize out fathers paid! Revival is possible, but we will have to go back to the ancient paths. This new age, greasy grace Christianity will take us nowhere! It’s time to get back to the school of prayer:
Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the portico and the altar. Let them say, “Spare your people, LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’” (Joel Chapter 2, verse 17).