The Heart of True Revival

By David Mathis

When revival came under Ezra and Nehemiah, God’s word was at the centre, God Himself working in power through His Spirit by the word.

 

For those of us longing and praying for awakening today, on this side of the greatest renewal in history — the coming of God’s Word incarnate and the pouring out of His Spirit at Pentecost — what might we take away from the remarkable renewals described in Scripture?

 

First, God will see to it that His people, in the ups and downs of their spiritual journeys in this sin-sick world, are renewed and revived. Even in our longing and praying for revival is already a great glimmer of God’s sovereign work.

 

Then, second, when the Spirit’s fire comes in power, it falls on the wood of God’s word. In our holy longings and fervent prayers, we open the Book. We read it, reread it, meditate on it, memorize it, study it, teach it, preach it, live it, spread it. It will be the word of God that fans the flicker of our burning hearts into a flame.

 

And in and through His word, God Himself will be the great prize. God in Christ will be the greatest gain in any true revival. The end will be His people’s fresh rejoicing in Him.

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