It's Time for Revival — E.A. Johnston

Revival Comes from Heaven

Revival is not a natural thing, but supernatural. It is not earthly, but unearthly, for all true revival is sent from above. Even though revival appears in our temporal atmosphere, the source of real revival is heaven.

Prayer and the Presence of God in Revival

If the spirit of prayer is the heart of revival, the spirit of God is the heartbeat of revival. The pulsing presence of Almighty God is the primary object of revival. Its subjects are those rare individuals who have experienced real revival.

Revival Restores Churches and Communities

In a real revival of religion, churches are reborn, broken marriages put back together, bitter rivalries made best friends again. A church divided can go arm-in-arm and hand-in-hand to carry out the work of God in unity and harmony.

In true revivals of religion, backsliders are reclaimed and sinners in a community are born again. If God is the author of revival, then Satan is its worst enemy. The last thing the devil wants is a revived church.

Spiritual Opposition to Genuine Revival

Every evil artillery will be leveled at a true revival of religion. Just study the revival of religion in England under Wesley and Whitefield and see how those dear men were persecuted by the enemies of the cross.

Wesley was knocked off his horse and dragged through town by his hair. Whitefield was stoned by an angry mob until the point he lay dying from a blow to his head. When Whitefield was finished preaching on Boston Common to 20 ,000 hearers in 1740, when he finished his sermon, he was approached by a minister who induced himself, saying he had just come to New England from his homeland in Ireland.

Whitefield leaned over, and removing his beaver-skin cap, he pointed to a large scar on his forehead, to which he replied, I received this wound, sir, from preaching Christ in your country. True revivals of religion are Satan's worst nightmare, for they revitalize dead churches, awaken sleeping Christians, and alarm entire communities of a future judgment of the God of Eternity.

Discernment Between True and False Revival

If there is no attack from Satan, then there is no real revival. False products are his doing. Any imitation in a supposed revival that does not promote holiness in the spread of the gospel are but spurious.

Whenever you have laughter, odd behavior, trances, and speaking in tongues, they are the hallmarks of a revival, and that revival, friends, is from below, and its objective is to lead you to hell. The outcome of a true revival of religion is an invigorated church with authority from on high, preaching as doctrinal, anointed and soaked with the blood of a crucified Christ.

Revival Amid Moral Decline and Spiritual Sleep

The gospel, once again, has power to save, and some of the worst sinners in a community are saved. When society is morally bankrupt, and the church asleep on pillows of conformity and compromise like we have today, that's when we need revival the most, but sadly, its very necessity often makes it unpopular and unwanted.

Few seek it when it is most needed. When a perverse nation is sinning its way to hell, in moral bankruptcy, and all the church can give it is a cold icy blast from dead formalism, know then it's time for revival.

The Church's Call to Prayer and Revival

When pastors are more preoccupied with their golf handicaps and sports, more than the things of God and eternity, and they rather spend time in a ballpark instead of being on their knees in uncessary prayer for a sinful nation, know this friend, it's time for revival.

Look around today, and I ask you, is it not time for revival?