Will You not revive us again: that Your people may rejoice in You.  Psalm 85:6

Have you ever wondered if anyone has made more mistakes or done as many dumb things in their life as you?  When that nasty thought comes to my mind, I transfer the focus to good old Apostle Paul.  Remember, he was the one who claimed to be the heavyweight champion of wrongdoing.  He was the worst sinner of sinners, the open terrorist of Christians.  Yet God, in His mercy and grace, chose him to do more than a mighty work.  It was Paul, after all, who wrote most of the New Testament epistles. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he became one of, if not the most influential writer ever.

In addition to Paul’s personal example of transforming hope, the scripture he wrote in 2 Cor 5:21 makes me want to stand up and shout for joy.  It says, “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God.”  I suppose shouting has its place but real action is necessary for true appreciation to be expressed.  In light of God’s spiritually intense, perfectly supernatural, and thoroughly practical plan to solve our iniquity, may our quest this week and beyond be to purpose as best we can to behave in personal revival.

Please note that revival only comes to those who openly carry the Spirit of Jesus in their heart. These stand ready to receive a renewed spark or impetus to move them forward in a higher and more anointed fashion. I know I’m thirsty for such a thing. If you care to join me in this divine course, we must operate in His essential power.  The following list is by no means exhaustive, but it carries enough weight for us to seriously consider:

1. We must rededicate ourselves to reading the Bible.

2. We need to review and recognize the meaning of the Holy Book.

3. We must restore the scriptural truths of God’s graceful function as our inner guard, guide, and governor.

4. We must rekindle our first love; the One who loved us first!

5. We need to rediscover the strengthening power of God’s joy when we obey Him.

6. We must review our baptismal records to make sure we’ve been baptized in water as God commanded.

7. By faith, we must be baptized by Father God Himself or in the repowering of His Holy Spirit — just like Jesus and His ardent followers received who went on to operate in signs, wonders, and in miraculous fashion.  

Godly revival is more than a concept when it becomes personal, focused, energized, biblically referenced, and fully hopeful in Christ.  It leaves no place of welcome in our mind for lasting condemnation or “doom and gloom” self-assessments. For those of us who believe, we must never forget that God is for us and not against us. He is our Heavenly Father who loves us, is jealous for us, and is already dedicated to reviving our lives back into His Holy Kingdom.

Family and friends, in His name, a personal revival for you and me is my prayerful intention and reasonable service for this week and beyond.  For God’s sake and ours, let’s be the work in progress He has promised. From His heart, there is nothing better, and in the baptismal power from on high (His Holy Spirit), revival for us as His children, is guaranteed.

Acts 1:8; Rom 14:9; Gal 2:20; Rom 12:1-2; Phil 1:6; Neh 8:10

** A note of credit to Pastor David Legge of Belfast Ireland.  His sermon transcripts on the Book of Nehemiah were inspiring to this article.