True Revival
by Sandy Simpson, 1/2/09


We have been treated to many years of counterfeit revivals by way of Toronto, Brownsville, Lakeland led by many false teachers like John Arnott, John Kilpatrick, Todd Bentley, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, C. Peter Wagner, John Wimber and hundreds of others.  The Latter Rain ideas of revival are not based on what the Bible teaches is true revival at all.  They teach that revival can be staged and planned when brought to town by those who carry a transferable anointing.  I have dealt with the issue of a transferable anointing in a number of other articles proving there is no such thing according to the Bible.  The Holy Spirit is the One who brings revival, not according to the enthusiasm and orchestrations of man ... not by the will of men.  Revival can only as a result of true repentance and forgiveness.

Acts 3:19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; (NASB)
I have been involved in some true revivals over the years and in every case they happened because someone was moved by the Holy Spirit to confess their sins to another person publicly and ask for forgiveness.  Out of that simple act came revival of prayer, the preaching of the Word, and evangelism.  Those affected were not driven by some uncontrolable force to try to press the "anointing" into people or throw the Holy Spirit around a room, but were renewed in their spirit to prayer, to obedieince to the precepts of the Word, and to preaching the Gospel.  The great missionary efforts (not "missional" efforts") of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were based on true revival which caused Christians to move beyond their own comfort zone, to sell what they had, to travel to a foreign country, to leave their own families, to commit to live there for their rest of their lives, and to learn another language and culture so that they could effectively communicate the Gospel message.  This type of result of true revival is rarely in evidence today which is why true missionary work is in decline.  But it is in decline because there is a lack of true revival, which is the result of a lack of repentance.  Yet the Bible calls all believers to continue to repent as a lifestyle.
Re 3:3  Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. (NIV)
Re 2:5  Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. (NIV)
These verses were spoken to the Church by Jesus Christ Himself.  True repentace involved returning to obeying the precepts taught by Jesus Christ, the Apostles and the prophets in the wirtten Word.
Psalm 119:25 My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word. (NASB)
Psalm 119:107 I am exceedingly afflicted; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word. (NASB)
Psalm 119:154 Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word. (NASB)
Revival comes by way of the Word of God and obedience to it.
Psalm 119:40 Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness. (NASB)
Psalm 119:93 I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me. (NASB)
If we live according to the Word we will obey the precepts wirtten there.  We are revived when we obey the Lord, repent of our sins, and follow Him.  We prove we love the Lord by obeying His commands.
Joh 14:15  "If you love me, you will obey what I command. (NIV)
Joh 14:23  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (NIV)
Joh 14:24  He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. (NIV)
Joh 15:10  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. (NIV)
1Jo 5:3  This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, (NIV)
If we keep the testimony of The Testimony we will be revived.
Isa 8:20  To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (KJV)
Psalm 119:88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth. (NASB)
Those who want to experience revival must be faithful and obedient witnesses of Jesus Christ according to the Word.  Then they can know the lovingkindness of the Lord as it relates to revival.  In this old revival song we see the precepts of true revival.

Set My Soul Afire
Words and Music by Gene Barlett

(1) Set my soul afire Lord, for Thy Holy Word, Burn it deep within me, let Thy voice be heard
Millions grope in darkness in this day and hour, I will be a witness, fill me with Thy pow'r

Refrain: Set my soul afire Lord, set my soul afire. Make my life a witness of Thy saving pow'r.
Millions grope in darkness, waiting for Thy Word. Set my soul afire, Lord, set my soul afire!

(2) Set my soul afire, Lord, for the lost in sin, Give to me a passion as I seek to win;
Help me not to falter never let me fail, Fill me with Thy Spirit, let Thy will prevail.

(3) Set my soul afire, Lord, in my daily life. Far too long I've wandered in this day of strife;
Nothing else will matter but to live for Thee, I will be a witness for Christ lives in me.

Revival is not some feeling sent from God to be spent on for our emotional pleasure.  It is based on the written Word which is to be obeyed.  It is evidenced in a desire and carried to fruition in witnessing the Gospel to the world.  It is based on repentance from "wandering in this day of strife" in our daily lives.  This then is true revival.

Commemoration of Crispin & Crispinian, Martyrs at Rome, c.285 Beginning a short series on prayer: Have you noticed how much praying for revival has been going on of late -- and how little revival has resulted? I believe the problem is that we have been trying to substitute praying for obeying, and it simply will not work. To pray for revival while ignoring the plain precept laid down in Scripture is to waste a lot of words and get nothing for our trouble. Prayer will become effective when we stop using it as a substitute for obedience. (A.W. Tozer, Of God And Men, Chapter 14, Prayer: No Substitute for Obedience, Page 55, Par. 3)