"Revival is the sovereign work of God to awaken His people with fresh intensity to the truth and glory of God, the ugliness of sin, the horror of hell, the preciousness of Christ's atoning work, the wonder of salvation by grace through faith, the urgency of holiness and missions, and the sweetness of worship with God's people."- John Piper, A Godward life, p 111
I have been praying for a revival in Central Kentucky ever since I began doing ministry in 1999. I haven't prayed regularly, or with regular intensity, that entire time. I have gone through seasons where I pray with fervor and intensity, and then through dry spells where I hardly even think about it. All that being said, the prayer for revival in Central Kentucky has probably been the most consistent prayer I've prayed throughout fourteen years in ministry.
Revival is a God-centered, God-determined, God-started, and God-glorifying event. Only God can start a revival. Like Piper said, it is the sovereign work of God. I have seen humans try to start revivals. It doesn't work. Only the sovereign hand of God can begin a revival.
The church I serve started as a result of a revival in the 1800s- the Cane Ridge Revival which drew around 30,000 people. Lives were miraculously changed- people were healed, people experienced the powerful presence of God, and God was worshiped with an intensity that makes most Sunday mornings look dull by comparison. The effects of this revival cannot be overstated. Any student of Kentucky history knows that in the early 1800s, Kentucky was a rough place. It was full of outlaws, bootleggers, and folks that were hewn from the rough side of the cloth. It was said that anyone who could make a Christian convert in Kentucky would receive a seat next to Jesus Himself in heaven.
We all know that things are quite different in Kentucky now. You can say that it's a result of the natural evolution of society, or because of good laws, or because of whatever, but the real reason that Kentucky has changed is because of the power of the gospel.
When revival hits, it changes three primary things.
1. Revival changes the individual. The person is awakened, like Neo out of the Matrix, and is hit in a fresh and intense way the reality of his or her own sin and depravity. This person is cut to the heart and repents in a heartfelt and genuine way. Then the grace of God floods the person's life with such intensity and love that the person can hardly stand it. The person walks out of the experience profoundly changed possessing such an intensity of faith that friends and family hardly recognize him.
2. Revival changes the churches. Imagine what happens to dead, lukewarm churches when a large number of individuals who have experienced revival walk in. Needless to say, things change. Worship changes from dull monotony to true, Spirit-filled praise. A fresh intensity and obedience to God's commands awakens, and the practice of evangelism and missions moves to the forefront as Spirit-filled believers realize the lostness of the world around them. Churches place a new emphasis on repentance and experience true Godly sorrow over sin instead of just minimizing it or looking the other way. A new emphasis on going into all the world with the gospel breathes fresh wind and fire into churches that were previously just sitting on the street corner taking up space. Lastly, the Holy Spirit of God draws unbelievers to these churches where they meet God face to face and become converts themselves, many times in very large numbers.
3. Revival changes the community. With individuals awakened and churches revitalized, the surrounding community begins to take notice. Drug dealers and drug addicts experience the goodness of God and repent of their sins. Abusive spouses and selfish parents repent and begin living out Scriptural commands such as James 1:19 ("Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry") in their homes. The divorce rate plummets. People turn their sex lives over to God, and the rates of STD's and abortions plummet. The plagues of society such as slavery, greed, robbery, home break-ins, murders, etc disappear as the perpetrators of those crimes experience the power of God and they are broken in repentance.
This is what happens in a revival. People cannot be changed through laws, threats, coercion, criticism, politics, or violence. People can only be changed through the power of the gospel.
Because of this, I ask you to join with me in praying with intensity during the month of February. I ask you to pray for revival. Pray that the things listed above will happen in Central Kentucky or in the community that you live in. Prayer moves the very hand of God Himself. Large numbers of His followers praying with intensity moves His hand even more.
I am dedicating the entire month of February to prayer for revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says this, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." I am setting my alarm for 7:14, am and pm. At 7:14 in the morning and evening, I will pray for revival. Why don't you join me at that time as we stand together as a church- standing together in agreement before God, asking Him to bring revival to our community.
Then, let's sit back and watch God work His miracles.
I have been praying for a revival in Central Kentucky ever since I began doing ministry in 1999. I haven't prayed regularly, or with regular intensity, that entire time. I have gone through seasons where I pray with fervor and intensity, and then through dry spells where I hardly even think about it. All that being said, the prayer for revival in Central Kentucky has probably been the most consistent prayer I've prayed throughout fourteen years in ministry.
Revival is a God-centered, God-determined, God-started, and God-glorifying event. Only God can start a revival. Like Piper said, it is the sovereign work of God. I have seen humans try to start revivals. It doesn't work. Only the sovereign hand of God can begin a revival.
The church I serve started as a result of a revival in the 1800s- the Cane Ridge Revival which drew around 30,000 people. Lives were miraculously changed- people were healed, people experienced the powerful presence of God, and God was worshiped with an intensity that makes most Sunday mornings look dull by comparison. The effects of this revival cannot be overstated. Any student of Kentucky history knows that in the early 1800s, Kentucky was a rough place. It was full of outlaws, bootleggers, and folks that were hewn from the rough side of the cloth. It was said that anyone who could make a Christian convert in Kentucky would receive a seat next to Jesus Himself in heaven.
We all know that things are quite different in Kentucky now. You can say that it's a result of the natural evolution of society, or because of good laws, or because of whatever, but the real reason that Kentucky has changed is because of the power of the gospel.
When revival hits, it changes three primary things.
1. Revival changes the individual. The person is awakened, like Neo out of the Matrix, and is hit in a fresh and intense way the reality of his or her own sin and depravity. This person is cut to the heart and repents in a heartfelt and genuine way. Then the grace of God floods the person's life with such intensity and love that the person can hardly stand it. The person walks out of the experience profoundly changed possessing such an intensity of faith that friends and family hardly recognize him.
2. Revival changes the churches. Imagine what happens to dead, lukewarm churches when a large number of individuals who have experienced revival walk in. Needless to say, things change. Worship changes from dull monotony to true, Spirit-filled praise. A fresh intensity and obedience to God's commands awakens, and the practice of evangelism and missions moves to the forefront as Spirit-filled believers realize the lostness of the world around them. Churches place a new emphasis on repentance and experience true Godly sorrow over sin instead of just minimizing it or looking the other way. A new emphasis on going into all the world with the gospel breathes fresh wind and fire into churches that were previously just sitting on the street corner taking up space. Lastly, the Holy Spirit of God draws unbelievers to these churches where they meet God face to face and become converts themselves, many times in very large numbers.
3. Revival changes the community. With individuals awakened and churches revitalized, the surrounding community begins to take notice. Drug dealers and drug addicts experience the goodness of God and repent of their sins. Abusive spouses and selfish parents repent and begin living out Scriptural commands such as James 1:19 ("Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry") in their homes. The divorce rate plummets. People turn their sex lives over to God, and the rates of STD's and abortions plummet. The plagues of society such as slavery, greed, robbery, home break-ins, murders, etc disappear as the perpetrators of those crimes experience the power of God and they are broken in repentance.
This is what happens in a revival. People cannot be changed through laws, threats, coercion, criticism, politics, or violence. People can only be changed through the power of the gospel.
Because of this, I ask you to join with me in praying with intensity during the month of February. I ask you to pray for revival. Pray that the things listed above will happen in Central Kentucky or in the community that you live in. Prayer moves the very hand of God Himself. Large numbers of His followers praying with intensity moves His hand even more.
I am dedicating the entire month of February to prayer for revival. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says this, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." I am setting my alarm for 7:14, am and pm. At 7:14 in the morning and evening, I will pray for revival. Why don't you join me at that time as we stand together as a church- standing together in agreement before God, asking Him to bring revival to our community.
Then, let's sit back and watch God work His miracles.
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