Just what is "Revival" anyway?
More and more I am coming to the conclusion that revival is the opposite of religion (or, more to the point, religion is the absence of revival). Although it begins as a human attempt to seek after God, religion quickly becomes an end in itself. Revival, on the other hand, is God's work. Mission statements, ministry plans and liturgical calendars are religion. Breathing new life into the church is revival. That is something only God can do. But when God does it, look out!
Is there a difference between Revival and Renewal?
Yes, but not much. There is a great deal of overlap and some would argue that they are one and the same. None the less, there are many who believe that renewal is an important step that leads to revival. Renewal is something that happens to churches and to those who are already believers. In renewal the church comes alive again and the believers are recharged in order to prepare for the coming harvest. Renewal is more an empowering of the faithful while revival implies the salvation of lost souls. Still, people are saved during renewal and believers are strengthened during revival, so we ought not draw the boundaries too rigidly.
What is Soaking in the Spirit?
Soaking is a time of intentional tarrying in God's presence. Often worship music is played in the background while the people sit, stand or lie on the floor. Imagining the River of God that flows from the throne of glory, we are called to go in the water and get totally soaked with the presence of God. As with a refreshing stream on a hot day we are in no hurry to get out and dry off. We linger in the time of refreshing for as long as we can and let the presence of God touch and heal every part of our lives.
What is all this talk about the "Coming Revival"? Has God been away?
No. God hasn't gone anywhere. But many would argue that we have moved away from God. Some say the church has become complacent, settling for religious observance rather than a loving relationship with the living God. Some say the church has given away its spiritual authority and has become powerless. As a result, the general population is staying away in droves because they honestly can't think of one good reason why they should bother going to church. They may have even visited once or twice, but nothing much happened to merit a return visit. And yet the church is supposed to be the one place where the divine and the human intersect and interact. The people's experience, however, has not borne this out.
But across the land and around the world there have been murmurings of a coming revival. Like the revivals of old, the church will come alive again and God's power will be manifest. The church on earth in the 21st century will once again resemble the church in the book of Acts. Preachers and evangelists from a variety of churches are proclaiming prophecies of the coming revival. And a good many of their prophecies include words and phrases they may not yet understand. There have been prophecies that the coming revival will come out of an oppressed people. Some say the revival will come from a nation that is within all other nations. Some say the revival will arise out of a despised people.
The Rainbow Nation could certainly fulfill those prophecies. With that in mind, Rainbow Revival Ministries International is formed, to instigate and encourage revival within, throughout and beyond the Rainbow Nation.
Following September 11, 2001 there was a brief surge in attendance in churches around the country. But the church was unprepared and the moment passed. Within a few weeks things were as before. But the world has not stopped going crazy. I predict that current events will again drive multitudes into churches looking for meaning, comfort and evidence of the presence of God. What will they find? Will it be the same dull place they left years ago because they were bored beyond belief? Will it be a place where polite Christians politely worship a polite God, where nobody gets offended and nobody's lives are changed? Or will they find power? Will they discover a God who has the power to turn their lives upside down and inside out and remake them into a new creation in Christ? Will they find a church with faith so radical that it offends some but inspires others to come directly into the presence of God? Will they find a church where the glory of God is manifest, the miracles of God are evident, the love of God is palpable and the presence of God is overwhelming?
That would require revival. That is why we do what we do. If God sees fit to use us in any way, large or small, to hasten the coming revival, then we can only say, "All glory and honor and praise be to our God, now and forever. Alleluia and amen."
When revival comes, there is a wholesale rush to the Lord. Convicted by the Holy Spirit, lost souls pack the churches, yearning to be in right relationship with God. There is a veritable hunger for the Word of God and an insatiable desire to be in the presence of God. When revival comes, the people's eyes are opened and they behold the glory of God. Seeking after God becomes their top priority.
