Years ago, men were said to be sinners, lost, without God. This eventually gave way to men being “unsaved,” needing to “accept Christ.” This generation has given way to yet another phraseology: those who once were “lost without God” have now taken on the title of “the unchurched.” What!?!

They were sinners, now they are the “unchurched.” Our terminology shows a change in our basic attitude toward sin. There are doubtless millions who might qualify as being “Churched,” who know nothing of saving grace. What sort of message is being broadcast to this world any way? Is there some “power” in our churches whereby the needs of the people can be met? Oh sure, God is given honorable mention in the “services” --?but who is the real authority? Who really runs the “church?” And how long, before the 10 Commandments are deemed too harsh and unnecessary to display in our “churches?” Remove them from public and governmental institutions now--?what’s next? It won’t happen, you say? If not before, it will surely happen when antichrist comes on the scene.

Revival has not come because we have decided that we can get along without it. . .our advances in the number of Bible colleges, expertise in planning and conducting meetings, our knowledge of “how to”. . . Our ever increasing technological advances have an effect on our services, and even our good old American spirit of “we can do it ourselves” have had negative affects on any thinking regarding genuine revival. Remember James, “ye have not, because ye ask not.”

Evangelist Glenn Mathews

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful. . .they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. . .” Rom. 1:21a.28a. Though these scriptures are directed at the ungodly, they fearfully depict the attitude of the “church.”

Revival? What is it that we assume we must do to have it? Well, we must decide when we want to schedule it; get involved; put forth every effort: advertise, talk it up; preach it up; sing it up; get an evangelist or pastor to hold the meeting; enlist special singers; invite others; attend the meeting yourself; have it in the church building; have it under a tent. Let it run from Sunday through Wednesday, or extend it for a couple of weeks. Let’s not forget to pray – Lord, send the power; send a great revival. And for several days we’re in the glory! But many of these “revivals” seem to be little more than Spiritual Side Shows where we think to put God on display and watch him perform miracles before our eyes! Comes the end of the meeting. It was good, but - a silent sigh of relief - it’s over and now we can get back to the normal every day life.

This method of promoting revival: is it in agreement with the scriptures -- or is it something that has evolved with men over the years? Is it in reality a man-oriented substitute; something closely resembling the real thing. . .?

But we have approached this matter with negative thinking and in much satire. God forbid that we should sit on the sidelines and do nothing! Continue to hoist the tent! Plan revival meetings. How do we know whether God will choose one day to pour out His Mercies and Grace toward us in revival? Cease not to sing, to preach the gospel, to pray!

Years ago I was attending a “revival” meeting at a large church. The people were asked to gather around the altar for prayer. While kneeling at a front pew I heard a lady crying out to God; and she repeated over and over: Oh God! My husband’s heart is so cold; his heart is so cold! My heart went out to her. I wondered who she was, but dared not look up to see. After the prayer, as we arose to return to our seats, I was shocked. The lady who prayed to God about her husband’s cold heart - was the pastor’s wife!

And I would say, if there is a lack of conviction in the pulpit, then how can we expect conviction in the pew? Spiritual leaders, pastors, should feel the weight of their responsibility toward God and their congregation. If the people can not discern a holy reverence in the man of God; if they can not sense that he has toiled and labored and poured himself out over precious Truths; if they do not know that his own heart has been moved; then how is it that they should be expected to respond to the same? If the believer is to humble himself, to seek to be drawn to and know the Person of Christ, then let the pastors and teachers lead the way. Shepherds, don’t drive your sheep, lead them! And feed them! I understand that these are difficult days, that people are suffering. But they need more than a kindly pastor to comfort them. True, the Holy Spirit is our Comforter; but know this: com fort - “com” is “with,” “fort” is “strength.” The Comforter is He who comes with strength. When storms or trials come, the people need more than a comforting word: they need the strength of the Living God to sustain them. They need a firm foundation on which to stand; to be grounded in the Truth; to have a faith and trust that is in the Person of Jesus Christ. Brethren, don’t just point the way to Christ: lead the way.

“And, [Jesus] being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. . .And when they were come in, they went into an upper room. . .these all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication. . .” Acts 1:4,13a,14a.

We marvel as we recount the events following Pentecost. And what did those 120 believers do to promote a meeting of such magnitude? Schedule when they wanted it; put forth every effort; advertise, talk it up; preach it up; sing it up; invite others; have it in the church building or under a tent; pray, Lord send the Power, give us a great revival? No. They came apart from the world into an upper room. . .they waited for God. . .they continued in one accord in prayer and supplication. They got alone with God; they sought his face, his Person; they sought to know his will; they were willingly submissive to his Divine Purpose, his Sovereign Will. In so doing, they were in a position to worship their Lord. I fail to see any possibility of true worship in this day of “worship and praise” apart from a yielding and submissive spirit: let us bow before Him; may we be found sitting at His feet.

“But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” Acts 1:8. The Divine order: the Holy Ghost would come upon them; that is, they would first receive his Person: power would be received from that Person; but only as that Person has become permanent resident within their being. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” Phil. 2:13. Pray for power,” we are told. “Pray for the presence of His power.” If we should follow the order given us in the scripture we might better declare, “Pray for the power of His Presence.”

Revival has not come because even many of those who say they want genuine revival are seeking “revival” instead of fulfilling Matthew 6:33: But seek ye first [preeminently] the kingdom of God and his righteousness: and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I fear that there may be some who would rather lust after the “power” and avoid the “Presence.” In Acts chapter 8 we are given the account of one Simon the sorcerer, of whom the people declared, “This man is the great power of God.” Philip went down to the city of Samaria, preaching Christ. Simon believed and was baptized. Peter and John came to Samaria, praying and laying hands on believers that they might receive the Holy Ghost. Brother Simon “offered them money, saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.” But Peter rebuked him in that he thought the gift of God could be purchased with money; told him his heart was not right in the sight of God; that he should repent of his wickedness; further, that he perceived the man was “in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” Simon himself had not received the Spirit, yet would have continued his sorcery, seeking “power” that he might have the gift of laying on of hands as did the apostles. May we carefully examine our own motives, for fear that they be found less than pure in the sight of a Holy God.

Why revival has not come?

“. . .because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” I Peter 2:21.

“Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” John 5:19,30. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” John 6:38.

“And it came to pass in those days, that he [Jesus] went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God” Luke 6:12. cf. Matt. 14:23, Mark 6:46, Luke 9:28. Neither should we think these to be isolated incidents. Consider the account given us in Mark chapter 4: “And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?” What a question to ask the Incarnate One whose purpose in coming was to “rescue the perishing; care for the dying!” And why was he asleep while the others were awake? Could it be one of those occasions where he stayed up all night in prayer with the Father while they slept? That he prayed in their behalf; that the calming of the winds and storm was not a flippant thing that he might do without spending much time before the Father? Remember, as he said, “I can of mine own self do nothing. . .I seek not mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.“ May we recall Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed until his “sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground,” yet while he prayed, his disciples slept.

Ephesians chapter one reveals to us what Jesus knew and embraced to himself: “Having made know unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed within himself. . .according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the council of his own will.”

But what did Jesus pray as he communed with the Father in the midnight hours? What did we read earlier: “I can do nothing of myself . . . I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” When he prayed in the Garden, “ not my will, but thine, be done,” it was a prayer that remained consistent throughout all his earthly pilgrimage.

What are we to do? Shall we continue down the path of “Revivalism,” excusing ourselves and God because he does not see fit to bless our efforts in promoting what we have labeled “revival. . .?” What if we were to set our plans aside. What if some of us were to set ourselves aside . . . unto God. What if we were to find ourselves an upper room as the early church. . .or a mountain as our Lord. What if we were to set aside our thoughts, our plans, our schemes, and focus on our Father; to seek his face, to long to discover His good pleasure, His purpose, the council of His will? What if we were to come clean before the Lord; to admit, confess our selfishness; that our prayers are basically centered in self desire; that we would have the good pleasures of our self-will to be answered? We may seek to cloak our behavior behind the “good works” of our hands; to busy ourselves with much clutter – but to fail to seek out the heart of God and His Holy Desires for those who are His -- well, it’s sin. I am ashamed as I read again the words penned by the apostle: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering. . .I follow after. . .reaching forth. . .I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. . .Brethren, be followers together of me. . .” Phil. 3. Who among us will dare say to other men, Brethren, be followers of me, follow my example as I follow Christ? As I continue to read Philippians chapter four I receive little comfort, for my heart condemns me as I begin to see how far short of the glory of God I come in carrying out the admonitions given me.

But “revival” may never come. At least, not until we find the quietness of an upper room or a high mountain; until we come to that “place” where we’re willing to get alone with God, seeking His face and his fellowship, submitting to His will. . .

Return to Scripture Studies