Grace and Revival

It was a Tuesday in October of 1998 and was on my way to a meeting that I did not want to go, but was going because I had promised a friend I would go. I still don’t remember the man who spoke at the meeting. I do remember what he talked about; he spoke about revival. I had been through the study called Fresh Encounter by Henry Blackaby but not really desired or sought revival from God for His church. This man who spoke challenged me, and through that challenge God impressed me to beginning praying and inviting my church to pray for revival. I have been personally praying for and leading the church God has called me to pastor to pray for revival for over 20 years.

I realized three things in the process of praying for revival.

First, that it comes only as an act of God’s sovereign grace and, just like salvation, is not something I can make happen.

Second, that in the process of praying for revival I need to be ready to obey God as He speaks to me about doing or not doing certain things.

Third, that most people are not going to get excited about praying for revival and will not join me.

Revival is the reawakening and repowering God’s church.

In 2 Kings 22 and 23 we see one of several revivals God out of His grace sent to His people, Israel.

Israel had strayed from a pure worship of Yahweh. They had mixed worship of Yahweh with the worship of other false gods. When Josiah became king, he began to make spiritual reforms.

Josiah was only eight years old when he became king.

There are four things we see in this passage that show aspects of revival.

2 Kings 22:2

Josiah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning to the right or to the left.

Revival begins with a personal commitment to worship, serve, and obey God.

Josiah from an early age chose to follow God rather than follow the ways of those leaders who came before him who followed the ways of false gods. God’s people must commit to follow God regardless of circumstances or consequences.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is committing to follow and obey God no matter what.

For revival to happen, God’s people must prioritize the Word of God.

The Book of the Law was found in the temple when they began to make repairs on the temple.

When the Book of the Law was read to King Josiah, his reaction is recorded in 2 Kings 22:11-13

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shahan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant. “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.”    

When King Josiah heard the words of the Lord, he repented, torn his robes, and told his leaders to pray to God because His people had not obeyed Him. God’s Word brought conviction. God’s Word needs to bring conviction to His people today.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is allowing God’s Word to convict us and restore us into right fellowship with God.

When God’s people long for revival, they must recognize and confess their sins and ask God for mercy.

2 Kings 22:19

“Because you heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard what I have spoken against this place and its people – that they would become a curse and be laid waste – and because you tore your robes and wept in My presence, I also have heard you,” declares the Lord.

Disobedience and sin will never bring God’s blessing, but obedience will always allow God to pour out blessings on His people.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is recognizing our sins, confessing them, and repenting by turning from them and back to God.

Those hoping for revival must decisively turn from everything and anything that competes with God for our hearts.

2 Kings 23:3

The king stood by the pillar and renewed the covenant in the presence of the Lord – to follow the Lord and keep His commands, statues, and decrees with all their heart and all their soul, thus confirming the words of the covenant written in this book. Then all the people pledged themselves to the covenant.

We are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul, and all our strength.

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is loving God with all that we are all the time.

In God’s Grace Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                         Joe