Where is the Revival?

2 Chronicles 7:14, "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

This Sunday at Oakland Baptist Church we begin what is commonly called revival in Southern Baptist circles. We meet Sunday through Wednesday for 5 services in the hope God will move, and true revival will come. Sadly, most of the time, it winds up being a series of meetings that people enjoy, but no true revival comes. Now I do believe such meetings are useful, but in my heart, I long for a true, heaven sent, Holy Spirit ignited revival. I am always hopeful such a thing can occur, but up to this point in my life, I've never seen a true biblical revival.

If we look at 2 Chronicles 7:14, widely regarded as the best description of what is needed for God to send revival, we see conditions that God needs to be met. First and foremost, we must acknowledge, revival is a sovereign act of God. Only He can send it. But in this verse we see the conditions on our part God expects in order to send true revival.

Their are 4 thing God wants from us for Him to send revival. First, humility. He needs for us to humble ourselves. This means that we deny to ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. When I ask myself do I see this attitude in the church today, the answer is sadly no. We seem more and more reliant and trusting in human methods, business models, running the church like a company than truly submitting to God. I do not believe we meet the first condition.

Secondly, God wants us in earnest, fervent prayer. When I examine my own life I know I fall short here. It's not that I don't want to pray, but Satan is very clever in finding ways to distract us. Until I, and the rest of God's children, are firmly and fundamentally committed to crying out to God for revival, we will not have it.

Thirdly, we're to seek God's face, and we see God first and foremost in His word. Since the reformation I do not know if the church as a whole has ever been less grounded in the word. We are willfully ignorant of the bible, not desiring true bible study, teaching or preaching. We live in the age of "itching ears" where far to many desire teachings pleasing to them instead of the clear truth of God's word which convicts and changes lives. Their will never be revival without a fire for God's word.

Lastly, their is repentance. Turning from our wicked ways. We live in a wicked world and the ways of this wicked word have infiltrated or been willfully embraced by the church. God cannot move as long as their is unrepentant sin allowed and condoned in the camp, His church. Repentance is the evidence of a movement of God, yet it is virtually ignored in pulpits all around our land.

You see, these 4 things work together. If we truly humble ourselves, we will fervently pray and study and return to God's word. When we do these things, conviction and repentance will follow. When I ask myself do I see these things in myself, well, sometimes I do. But I also know I fall short. When I ask myself do I see these things at Oakland, well, in some I do, but I know we fall short also. When I ask myself do I see these things in our nation, I must answer a resounding no. In fact, I see us moving away from these things instead of towards them.

So in this atmosphere where we do not seem to meet God's standards of revival, what are our chances of seeing true revival. If I'm honest, I say slim. But I do know we serve a merciful God full of grace. God's grace is us receiving something we do not deserve. Do we deserve revival, honestly, no. But in God's mercy and grace I still believe He can send it, if He so chooses. I pray He does so this week at Oakland.