Revive Us

“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?”


Psalm 85:6


Listening to Pastor Jack Graham last week he said something I have not been able to stop thinking about. He said, “If we can live without revival, we will.” I kept thinking what did he mean by what he said? When he speaks of revival what does that actually mean and what does it look like? Gotquestions.com defines revival like this, “Revival refers to a spiritual reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It encompasses the resurfacing of a love for God, an appreciation of God’s holiness, a passion for His Word and His church, a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness. Revival invigorates and sometimes deepens a believer’s faith, opening his or her eyes to the truth in a fresh, new way. It generally involves the connotation of a fresh start with a clean slate, marking a new beginning of a life lived in obedience to God. Revival breaks the charm and power of the world, which blinds the eyes of men, and generates both the will and power to live in the world but not of the world.”

As I considered Pastor Graham’s words I couldn’t help but think why would anyone want to live without being revived? Solomon said it best, “apart from God all is vanity, grasping at the wind.” 1 John 5:11-12 states in the clearest possible way, “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” What I appreciate along with you who love Jesus too is that God would be so gracious as to revive us, to awaken me from my stagnation and usher me into the fulness of life that is ours in Christ.

If you feel far from God today or distracted by the cares of this world that seek to choke out our faith, don’t delay another day! God is as close as a prayer. Invite the Lord just like King David did to do a fresh work in you. Cry out to Him, “create in me a clean heart O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me” as God promises He will. Revival is possible because we serve the God of what I like to call “the second chance.” The mercies of God really are new every morning and great is His faithfulness. Look at it this way. What a shower or bath is to the refreshment of our physical being, revival is to our soul.

Repentance is a wonderful gift from God that always leads to revival and maybe thats what keeps many from experiencing it. Our pride, the original and most deadly of sins the world has ever known keeps us from admitting we are wrong and that God is right. Don’t forget, the first step of to revival and times of refreshing is repentance. But don’t take my word for it, take God’s Word…

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord”

Acts 3:19


I LOVE YOU!

Michael Osthimer

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