WHY DO WE NEED REVIVAL?
by Evangelist George Zinn

A few years ago I was told by a deacon of a pastor-less church that they did not need special meetings. "It is the local church's responsibility to have revival," he said. This is true, but not in the sense that this man was thinking. His premise was that the church did not need an outsider (evangelist) to come in and hold special meetings, but that the church itself could have revival on its own.

Sad to say this does not always happen. In Exodus 24 Moses was called by God to go up into the mountain and worship. He gave Israel explicit instructions and they all "answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words that the Lord hath said will we do'" (Ex. 24:3). The leadership was left in the hands of Aaron and Hur.

This brings us to the conditions which made revival necessary. First, there was spiritual degradation brought about by idolatry. Moses was a long time in returning and the people were impatient and requested manmade gods. They broke their promise to obey the Lord.

Another condition for the need of revival is God's grief over their disobedience and His resulting wrath and promised judgement in Ex. 32:7-10. Please note that in all cases of disobedience (Israel's idol worship and our acts of indifference and disobedience to the will of God) that the object of worship (idols, love of money, material things, etc.) must be destroyed. Even the leaders of idol worship had to be destroyed. Sounds severe, yet it is the only thing a just and righteous God can do. God certainly has the right, but is loving enough to forgive and cleanse if his people get right.

A characteristic of TRUE revival is a necessary course of action in intercessory prayer. Moses made an impassioned, sincere prayer before God on behalf of the people (Ex. 32:11-14; 31-32). How important it is that we recognize our sin, the need of revival, and pray on our faces before God for that revival.

Undoubtedly an important circumstance in bringing about a revival comes from fear (a genuine respect for God's authority) - a genuine fear of the removal of God's presence from his people (See Ex. 33:3 - read the verses in context). These people of God had seen God's power, had eaten His manna, had experienced His miracles. Now they are threatened by His statement of removal of his presence. What a sad commentary on their attitude and that of ours today. We have ‘turned Him off'. Should He not do the same to us? We really don't deserve His presence, His patience, His patronage because we have also ‘turned Him off' for idols of our own. God help us!

Other characteristics of a TRUE revival involve BOLD and DIRECT preaching and witnessing plus BIBLICAL AUTHORITY AND INSTRUCTION (Ex. 33:5). God has not changed. His Word has not changed. We need to ‘tell it like it is'. Then, most important of all, is the need for true repentance (Ex. 33:4, 6 and Col. 3:8-10).

After all is said and done there should be the consequences (results) of revival. First, a renewed interest in PURITY of worship (Ex. 33:7-11). There should be a satisfaction and peace when God is present. There is the added privilege of conservation with God where he listens and answers. There should be the desire for and the evidence of a life that is SEPARATED unto God and from worldly pursuits (Ex. 33:17).

May the Lord help us as individuals - and as churches, God's people, to recognize the CONDITIONS that indicate the need for revival, to realize the CHARACTERISTICS that will bring about revival, and to realize the CONSEQUENCES that will result in revival.