I've been watching Todd Bentley's revival meetings from Lakeland, FL on God TV a couple of times lately. Several prophetic words have come forth about the revival fires spreading around the world. This has led me to wonder about what constitutes a true revival. In particular, what constitutes the end-times revival that is mentioned in the Bible?
Here is a good prayer for revival that was written by Saint Augustine: "O fire, that art always and never quenched, kindle me! O light, always shining and never darkened, enlighten me." I adopt this as my prayer for personal revival. May we be kindled with the fire of God and enlightened by His light, which dispells all darkness.
It seems that many revival meetings today do not focus on the Word of God, which I think is a core requirement for revival. P. Doddridge wrote, "The reading, and especially the preaching, of the word, is the grand occasion and instrument in the conversion of souls Of His own will He begets them with the word of truth; and it is admirably suited to those saving impressions which it is intended to make on the heart, being quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword."
I know that it was the Word of God that penetrated my heart when I was a boy of thirteen, leading me to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior at Camp Shadowbrook in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. The leader read these words from the Bible: "But as many as received him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God" (John 1:12). It was then that I said yes to God, for I knew I needed to receive Christ and I knew I wanted to know God as my Father.
I'd love to hear your thoughts about revival.
