The Necessity of Revival

Nothing settles a debate quite like the presence of God. For some time now, the church in America, indeed in much of the West, has slowly adopted the falsehood that God is here to please us. The modern church argues that humans are who we are, and that God and His Word should change to suit our needs, satisfy our desires, and placate our requests.

The Scriptures, on the other hand, make a different case. In the Bible, we see that the early church was so focused on the life of Jesus and so infused with the reality of His death and resurrection that no personal sacrifice was considered too great and no act of service too extreme.

The church of the Bible lived in prayer and communion, sharing all they had and eagerly awaiting Christ’s return. By contrast, many in today’s church can’t decide if it's worth getting out of bed to worship God in community. Perhaps, it asks itself, we could just Livestream the highlights over brunch?

But, when we come face to face with the magnitude of His holiness and the power of His love, we quickly realize who got it right. When God shows up, there is no question to whom all authority belongs. His presence blasts our pop-psychology, control group-driven, comfortoriented version of the Gospel right out of the water. It reminds us in no uncertain terms who is Creator and who is mere creation. It reminds us that we are here to please God, not the other way around. The good news is that a life lived to please God is the most thrilling life possible. The presence of God is to the human soul as water is to a fish. It is the atmosphere in which we thrive. And when we live according to God’s Word, our lives are full of His presence.

WHEN GOD SHOWS UP, THERE IS NO QUESTION TO WHOM ALL AUTHORITY BELONGS.

This is the necessity of revival – an extended, unadulterated, community encounter with the presence of God. In His presence, our arguments are silenced, our questions are answered, and the clarity of His Word gives us purpose and direction. Our nation can’t change unless our churches change. Our churches can’t change unless they meet with God. That is the purpose of the Light the Fire Again Conferences, like the one just held in Pensacola, FL – a city famous for the historymaking Brownsville Revival. We need revival because it is there that we encounter Him in profound and life-shaping ways. When we encounter Him, we want to be like Him. And when the church begins to look like Him again, the world will be irresistibly drawn to His Kingdom.

*Article is an excerpt of the message delivered at the Light the Fire Conference in Toronto, Canada.