When Do We Need Revival?

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel,
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth.
Stir up your might
   and come to save us!
Turn again, O God of hosts!
   Look down from heaven, and see;
have regard for this vine.
Restore us, O LORD God of hosts!
   Let your face shine, that we may be saved!

(selected verses from Psalm 80 ESV)

We Need Revival When: 

• We do not love Him as we once did.
• Earthly interests and occupations are more important to us than eternal ones.
• We would rather scroll social media and binge-watch shows and movies than read the Bible and pray.
• Church dinners are better attended than prayer meetings.
• Concerts draw bigger crowds than prayer meetings.
• We have little or no desire for prayer.
• We would rather make money than give money.
• We put people into leadership positions in our churches who do not meet scriptural qualifications.
• Our Christianity is joyless and passionless.
• We know truth in our heads that we are not practicing in our lives.
• We make little effort to witness to the lost.
• We have time for sports, recreation, and entertainment, but not for Bible study and prayer.
• We do not tremble at the Word of God.
• Preaching lacks conviction, confrontation, and divine fire and anointing.
• We seldom think thoughts of eternity.
• God’s people are more concerned about their jobs and their careers than about the Kingdom of Christ and the salvation of the lost.
• God’s people get together with other believers and the conversation is primarily about the news, weather, and sports, rather than the Lord.
• Church services are predictable and “business as usual.”
• Believers are at odds with each other and do not feel compelled to pursue reconciliation.
• Christian husbands and wives are not praying together.
• Our marriages are co-existing rather than full of the love of Christ.
• Our children are growing up to adopt worldly values, secular philosophies, and ungodly lifestyles.
• We are more concerned about our children’s education and their athletic activities than about the condition of their souls.
• Sin in the church is brushed under the carpet.
• Known sin is not dealt with through the biblical process of discipline and restoration.
• We tolerate “little” sins of gossip, a critical spirit, and lack of love.
• We will watch things online, on television, and in movies that are not holy.
• Our singing is half-hearted and our worship lifeless.
• Our prayers are empty words designed to impress others.
• Our prayers lack fervency.
• Our hearts are cold and our eyes are dry.
• We aren’t seeing regular evidence of the supernatural power of God.
• We have ceased to weep and mourn and grieve over our own sin and the sin of others.
• We are content to live with explainable, ordinary Christianity and church services.
• We are bored with worship.
• People have to be entertained to be drawn to church.
• Our music and dress become patterned after the world.
• We start fitting into and adapting to the world, rather than calling the world to adapt to God’s standards of holiness.
• We don’t long for the company and fellowship of God’s people.
• People have to be begged to give and to serve in the church.
• Our giving is measured and calculated, rather than extravagant and sacrificial. 
• We aren’t seeing lost people drawn to Jesus on a regular basis.
• We aren’t exercising faith and believing God for the impossible.
• We are more concerned about what others think about us than what God thinks about us.
• We are unmoved by the fact that 2.5 billion people in this world have never heard the name of Jesus.
• We are unmoved by the thought of neighbors, business associates, and acquaintances who are lost and without Christ.
• The lost world around us doesn’t know or care that we exist.
• We are making little or no difference in the secular world around us.
• The fire has gone out in our hearts, our marriages, and the church.
• We are blind to the extent of our need and don’t think we need revival.

Not Just for Thee, but Me

Based on the evidence you’ve just read, do you see the need for revival in our world, in your nation, in your church? Surely the answer is yes. But the ultimate question is not “Do we need revival?” The question is, “Do I need revival? In my heart.” May our prayers echo the hymn writer:

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy-drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead. 

Make it so, Lord. And let it begin with me.