The Continuation of Revival
by Harold Vaughan
Scripture Reading --Psalm 85:6
"Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?" (emphasis added).
Spiritual vitality is not a one-time shot. The word again indicates that what has happened before needs to happen over and over again. God has moved in the past, and we need Him to move among us once more.
As we read church history, we discover that God periodically brings a neglected truth to the forefront. Like a fresh spring, the illuminated truth gives life to thirsty souls. People are refreshed and invigorated when they feast on the recovered truth. God's presence and power energize His people, and God's kingdom is expanded. If not for these seasons of rejuvenation, the entire Christian enterprise would have collapsed long ago.
The word revive means to give life again. Because our hearts are "prone to wander," we stand in need of a reviving work from time to time. We don't have a single experience that sets us up for the rest of our lives. A river flows continuously. Our needy hearts need the ever-flowing grace of God to meet our deepest needs. Like branches on a vine, we must abide in the true vine if we are to bring forth fruit.
God will complete the good work He started in us (Phil. 1:6). As we cooperate with Him, we grow in grace and go from glory to glory. Every life experiences crisis points. Unless our spiritual crisis leads to a process, it will become an abscess! The purpose of a wakeup call is to keep us awake, not to put us back to sleep! The purpose of revival is to set us on the path of spiritual progress.
Paul admonished Timothy to stir up the gift of God (2 Tim. 1:6). The gift was there, but it needed to be rekindled. Yesterday's manna won't meet today's needs. The old hymn says,
Revive us again --
Fill each heart with Thy love;
May each soul be rekindled
With fire from above.
Song Time: Sing "Revive Us Again."
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