10 Principles of Revival and Awakening
With the recent spiritual awakening going on in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury University, and the subsequent responses around the country, America could be on the edge of another significant shift. Could what we are seeing today across this country, and around the world, be what we have been praying for the last 40 years?
We have to be careful to criticize the thing we have been praying for, especially, when it happens differently than we thought it might. I mean, read the book of Acts and the rest of scripture. When God moves, the response is pretty radical, and, often very different.
For my generation, it is exciting and emotional to finally see a Revival on this scale. The millennials and Gen Z have never seen this in their lifetime. So, let me give you 10 principles of revival that I’ve learned over the years.
This is something that many of us have prayed for over the last three decades. As a student on the history of Revivals and Awakenings, I have researched outpourings, visited several smaller movements, and prayed for the activity and the work of God we are seeing in this moment. We must not miss this timely opportunity.
Thanks to social media and the Information Age, we might be seeing a viral assist to the work of God.
A Theology of Revival
Let me give you some theology behind revival:
Acts 3.17-26 may be the most thorough text in the scriptures on revival.
In the book of Acts, Luke gives us a prescription for a Theology and practice of revival in this powerful chapter. It’s interesting that this text on repentance and forgiveness of sins and revival would be linked together. Luke says that times of refreshing would come from repentance and the presence of God. What is even more interesting is that a supernatural miracle took place at Solomon’s colonnade right before this.
I believe there are many precursors to Revival and Awakenings. But this text certainly suggests that repentance and the supernatural are instrumental to revival. There are many other elements that lead to Revival and Awakenings. Look at this text.
In 2 Chronicles 7.12-16 we have the iconic text of how God is moved by the prayers, fasting, repentance, and seeking or hunger of His people. And God chooses to inhabit that place. In all actuality, looking at the Scriptures and history, revival and awakening have very clear prescriptions.
Those prerequisites are just not easy and go against our human nature.
10 Principles of Revival
Here are 10 principles of revival taken from years of studying, praying for, visiting smaller renewals, and writing on this topic:
1. Revival begins with repentance
Repentance is found in the scriptures and in the history of revival (Psalm 51)
2. Revival is sustained by obedience
Obedience to the move of the Holy Spirit becomes a lifestyle and not an event. If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead, is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead, will also give life to your bodies by the Spirit in you. That will allow us to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh. That is ultimate revival. (Romans 8)
3. Revival is more about people and not merely Places
People are the most important buildings God occupies. What a lesson an onlooking society needs to learn. That we do not go to church. We are the church. We do not go to revivals. We are a revival. (Acts 7)
4. Revival as a destination can become a monument/museum
As quickly as we can, we must move from ground zero and ask God for as many national and regional movements as we can from this moment (Luke 7/The Acts)
5. Revival is the work of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit’s role since Jesus sent Him 2,000 years ago is to bring power & life to God’s people. (John 14-16)
6. Revival is the message of Jesus
The message of Jesus is the centerpiece of revival. It is the gospel. ADMIT that you have sinned, BELIEVE in your heart that He is the son of God and takes away the sin of the world, and CONFESS that He is risen from the dead. Because he’s the ABC’s of salvation. (Romans 3, 6, and 10; Acts 3)
7. Revival is the will of the father
God the Father’s will has always been to bring His creation to abundant life. And John chapter 3 is so clear, that God‘s plan was reviving His creation through the work of the Holy Spirit and the message of Christ. (John 3)
8. Revival is born in the church
The Church becomes the foundational work of the Holy Spirit to move believers in an apologetic mission. God has always had a plan for the church in Mission! (2 Chronicles 7)
9. Revival will ultimately become an awakening in culture and society
The culture becomes the frontier work of the Holy Spirit as the Church moves in mission. What a missiology of the church in Mark 16 that details a description of what happens when a revival comes to a region. (Mark 16)
10. Revival is spiritual formation and discipleship
Ultimately, spiritual formation and discipleship are the outcomes of every revival. (Matthew 28)
Finally
The history of spiritual awakenings in America goes all the way back to the First Great Awakening in the mid-1700s. It was followed by the Second Great Awakening in the mid-1800s. In the next 100 years, the Azusa Street Outpouring in Los Angeles, the Jesus Movement in central California, and other smaller outpourings have taken place.
Could it be that this revival that we are in today is the Next Great Awakening in America?
The collective prayer of America should be to host a move of the Holy Spirit where you are. We have to move as quickly as we can from Ground Zero to every neighborhood and community in America. Look at the quote from the President of Asbury university this week.
Calling America to host a move of the Holy Spirit in their own community, Ausbury University President Kevin Brown said,
"We look to other schools, churches or ministry communities as co-commissioners in this movement that’s taking shape for us.”
And it’s happening: We have seen spiritual revivals in Kentucky, Tennessee, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Ohio, Colorado, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City, to name a few.
Come, Holy Spirit.