REVIVAL! WOW! Now that's a word. The word revival is probably one of the most used words in the Charismatic and Pentecostal Circles. It is undoubtedly the most exciting, misunderstood, misused, undefined, over emphasized, but most hoped for in these movements. We have everything from personal revival to revival meetings, revival fire and revival lifestyles. Revival even seems to have its own lingo. In our search for revival, could there be a deeper meaning to this word? Could there even be a RECIPE FOR REVIVAL? When you listen to messages from the older ministers, the ones known as REVIVALISTS, they speak of the word which such power and reverence. They speak often of both their personal and corporate encounters. It seems by the longing in their voice that they want so desperately to be in those moments again. This leaves the listener longing for that experience as well. I believe the reason we name so many of our services and events "Revival meetings" because we hope that we can encounter something that will shake us to our core and make us speak as passionately about God as the Revivalists of old. In my own personal quest for revival, I have become a student of revival. You could even say I have become a revival junkie. I have studied the bigger corporate revivals like The Brownsville Revival, The Welsh Revival, and the Hebrides Revival. Once again you can name a town and simply add the word revival to it and everyone knows what you are referring to. People who experienced any great revival know and remember what it was like. They remember the power & presence of God, the sweeping of souls into the Kingdom, the healing power of Jesus Christ, the repentance, and the hunger of the people crying out to God! So you see, it's not just the word revival that has grabbed the hearts of millions. It's what it represents. If you have done it once you can and will do it again, Lord! You also have the Toronto Outpouring, The First & Second Great Awakening, The Reformation, The day of Pentecost, Jonah in Nineveh, Azusa Street and many more to study. Whenever you experience something tangible there must always be a set of instructions, blue print or recipe for it, right? When my kids got their new swing set and trampoline for Christmas, both came with instructions. My wife and I custom built our last home and it had blue prints that showed all the tiny details we wanted. When my wife makes her famous Poppy Seed Chicken or Open Face Chicken Enchiladas there is a recipe, which she follows perfectly every time! So where are the instructions, the blue print or the recipe for revival? I'm so glad you wanted to know the answer because we are going on a journey to find out the answer. You see there are many different types of revival. So we are going to take a look at personal revival, congregational revival, national revival, some biblical revivals, revivals of the past and the Revivalists that led them, and finally, last day revivals.
