Forgiveness in Revival — E.A. Johnston

Christ’s Command to Forgive

We are in the Evangelism Awakening Revival Institutes, and if you'll turn in your handouts, friends, to Session 16, Forgiveness in Revival, Martin Luther said, Forgiveness is God's command. He was referring to the words of Christ Jesus from Matthew 6 .15, But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Prayer, Resentment, and Reconciliation

The great A. B. Simpson once told the following story, he said, I once knew a brother minister who'd been unkindly treated by some members of his flock, and had fallen into a spirit of deep resentment.

There fell upon him a spirit of prayer for his bitter enemies, and he found himself irresistibly pouring his heart out to God for them. Then he was promoted by a deep desire to return to his people, whom he'd left for a time under a sense of injury.

As he finished his morning service, the first persons to greet him were the two brethren that had so grievously wronged him. To his surprise, they hastened forward with the most cordial welcome, and the reconciliation that followed was deep and lasting.

The moment his own heart had gotten right, God made all the other things right. Well, our session today is entitled, Forgiveness and Revival, because there is a golden thread that weaves its way through revivals, and if this purified thread is broken, it has been a bar to revival throughout history, to which I refer is the golden thread of a forgiving heart toward others.

Unforgiveness as a Barrier to Revival

When one researches the history of revival, it is plainly shown that many revivals began accompanied by a sudden manifestation of God's presence when Christians began to confess their sins of an unforgiving heart to one another.

I remember years ago I received an invitation to preach at a country church down in the state of Mississippi by a pastor who had read my book, Reality's Revival. His hope in having me come to preach would result in a revival in his church, but what he didn't tell me was that his church was badly divided and much infighting was going on.

When I arrived at his church that evening, I was greeted by a member who told me the meeting was in the basement downstairs. I entered a room full of angry deacons who were plotting the removal of this pastor.

During my entire sermon, I was preaching to the walls. It was as if my words were bouncing back at me. No one there wanted to have revival. They just wanted to fight among themselves and get rid of their pastor, and the only reason that pastor invited me to come was to hopefully help him keep his job.

If your church is praying for revival and there is a spirit of division among the people of God, this bitterness must be dealt with openly or your revival efforts are in vain. But I believe that revival is not only possible, it is probable, as long as we are expendable.

Self-Denial in the Work of Revival

Ted Randall wrote in his wonderful book on revival, Fire in the Church, the following words, God is looking for a man who will throw himself entirely on God whenever self-effort, self-glory, self-seeking, or self-promotion enters into the work of revival, but then God leaves us to ourselves.

Confession and Revival at Prairie Bible Institute

Well Ted Randall witnessed a campus revival that swept through Prairie Bible Institute in Canada when he was on the staff there. It occurred in the 1970s, and it began when faculty members and students began confessing their sins of an unforgiving heart to one another.

Soon classes had to be dismissed as the entire time was given to prayer and testimonies of students who were getting saved in the revival. The spirit of forgiveness was the key that ignited that campus revival.

John Dick’s Forgiveness Before Execution

The grass market in Edinburgh, Scotland, was the scene of many hangings of Christians. The Scottish Covenanters were hounded and persecuted for preaching and praying in the fields. One of these martyrs, John Dick, stood upon the scaffold at the grass market as he addressed the crowd assembled to watch him hang.

He said, I am come here this day and would not change my lot with the greatest in the world. I lay down my life willingly and cheerfully for Christ and His cause, and I heartily forgive all mine enemies.

I forgive all them who gave me my sentence and them who were the chief cause of my taking, and I forgive him who is behind me as he motioned to his executioner. I advise you who are the Lord's people to be sincere in the way of godliness and you who know little or nothing of the power thereof to come to Him.

Will those were his words before he was hanged for the cause of Christ. Well, friends, if a man can forgive his enemies who are taking his life, should not we forgive those who have wounded or wronged us for whatever reason?

The Cross, Self-Crucifixion, and God’s Power

How can we honestly say we want revival if we are harboring bitterness in our hearts toward one another? Listen, friend, if you want more Jesus, then be prepared to have more of His cross. When sin is exposed and self is crucified, then God will come in His glory and power.

Offering Ourselves for Revival

J. Sidlo Baxter used to say, What I give to Him, He takes. What He takes, He cleanses. What He cleanses, He fills. And what He fills, He uses. Let's apply those principles in our hearts as we prepare ourselves for revival.

Remember, revival starts with you. With this ends our session today. Let us prepare for session 17.