Revival can be defined as the process of becoming more active or popular again. The process in which something starts to grow, develop, or become successful again.
It can be termed as restoration to life, consciousness, vigour, strength. It can be defined as a reawakening of faith or renewal of commitment to Christianity. It can also be an improvement in the condition, strength or fortune of someone or something.
Revival is a time when interest in Christianity starts again in a stronger way than before, or a meeting or series of meetings organised to encourage such. It can also be an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again.
On a personal level, revival is the reawakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It has to do with the resurfacing of one’s love for God, a deeper appreciation of God’s holiness, an intense passion for God’s word and the longing to be present in Church, a personal conviction of one’s sin or shortcoming, a spirit of humility that leads to repentance and the zeal to uphold righteousness.
Revival brings back to life something that was once alive or it increases the degree of liveliness of something that is yet living. Whatever has never been alive cannot be revived, it has to first be given life.
The significance of revival is such that it brings about salvation to the lost, restoration to those who are backsliders, and reawakening of passion to those who are still believers.
The first persons that God created were made living souls by the breath of God (Gen. 2: 7). This continued for as long as they obeyed God instructions. But when they disobeyed God, their souls died, even though their body still existed (Gen. 2: 15-17; 3: 1-14).
Having seen that the soul of men was doomed, God made an interim plan to revive the soul of men (Gen. 3: 21), and promised to proffer lasting solution to revive them and restore them to the position they were before (Gen. 3: 14-15).
At the fullness of time, God sent His only begotten Son to this world to purchase the promised revival for the soul of men (Gal. 4:4; Rom. 5:8; John 3:16).
Through different dispensations, persons and peoples have reached out to God for revival, having realised the need for such. This has been a cry that God never rejects (I John 1:8-10; Jonah 2:1-10).
In Judges 6:1-10, the children of Israel disobeyed God and they were delivered into the hands of the Midianites who oppressed them. When the Israelites cried out for mercy, God raised Gideon to lead them to freedom (Judges 7:22-25). Gideon had to effect his family revival first and subsequently led the entire nation to a national revival (Judges 6: 24-24; 8: 28-35).
In this nine month of the year, the Lord is calling us to a time of personal and collective revival. This is a time to further humble ourselves before the Lord, a time to seek necessary repentance and eagerly pursue righteousness.
A time to revisit our passion for the word of God fervently and observe a close fellowship with Him. A time to ignite the fire of our service unto God and our readiness to appear in His temple for worship.
A time to be awoken from spiritual dormancy and slumbering. A time to demonstrate fervour in reaching out to the lost and the backsliding. A time to obtain fresh oil to do the things of the kingdom.
It is my earnest prayer that God will indeed baptise us with this fresh fire in this season, revive us again and also use us as agents of revival for many in Jesus mighty name.
