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Just a thought about the term “revival.” Revival is the re-establishment of New Testament Christianity. It is the re-gaining of new and normative spiritual life-- Re..vive…re…life!....It is what Christ counseled the Church of Ephesus to do in Revelation 2. We should be living in this all the time. It is life in the Spirit--the normal Christian life.
But an awakening is when the power of of the Holy Spirit of God sovereignly descends on a church, community, country and a general move toward God occurs.
But awakening is something else…it is beyond revival…it is completely a God thing and should be sought, prayed for and anticipated.
Awakening? I pray so and, Lord, let it begin with me. But until it comes, I must walk in the Spirit and walk in New Covenant Christianity. When I don’t, it is my fault and I should repent and do the first works over and return to my first love.
-- Mike Morrow
HT: Mack T
A Clarification on Revival
Just a thought about the term “revival.” Revival is the re-establishment of New Testament Christianity. It is the re-gaining of new and normative spiritual life-- Re..vive…re…life!....It is what Christ counseled the Church of Ephesus to do in Revelation 2. We should be living in this all the time. It is life in the Spirit--the normal Christian life.
But an awakening is when the power of of the Holy Spirit of God sovereignly descends on a church, community, country and a general move toward God occurs.
Here is my reason for distinction between the terms…Revival comes as the local church repents and does the first works over and returns to its first love. That is achievable at any time and the only reason a church is not in revival (that is, having fresh and normal new life) is because of willful sin.
But awakening is something else…it is beyond revival…it is completely a God thing and should be sought, prayed for and anticipated.
In my early ministry, I used to think that we could not possibly be right with God unless we were in “revival”, but that was always described in the same terms as a spiritual awakening coming with an outpouring of the Spirit. This kept me in perpetual depression when I did not see it happening.
But I found that this is not so. Since an awakening is completely under the sovereignty of God, we can be right with Him and still not be “in” an outpouring of the Spirit, which potentially becomes an awakening.
But I found that this is not so. Since an awakening is completely under the sovereignty of God, we can be right with Him and still not be “in” an outpouring of the Spirit, which potentially becomes an awakening.
So…Re vival? Yes. Let’s have it now!
Awakening? I pray so and, Lord, let it begin with me. But until it comes, I must walk in the Spirit and walk in New Covenant Christianity. When I don’t, it is my fault and I should repent and do the first works over and return to my first love.
-- Mike Morrow
HT: Mack T
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