Steps of Revival: Turn
In Psalm 85, the psalmist pleads for revival, and then makes a statement that gives us a picture of what true heart-deep revival looks like:
“I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for He will speak peace unto His saints: but let them not turn again to folly.” (v.8)
Revival begins with a willingness to hear what God has to say. This requires time, effort, and a humility before the Lord. So often we reject revival by responding in pride to the Holy Spirit. But when we are willing to give up our pride and yield to what God has to say about our lives, our hearts, and our sin, then true revival begins.
But hearing is just part of it. James says,
“But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” 1:22
Pride takes the Word of God and says, “That’s right. I agree with that.” But then goes away and does its own thing instead of obeying what God has said. It takes the appearance of assent to the truth, but falls short of obedience.
God’s Word always leads the hearer to some kind of action. You and I are not perfect. There will always be something God wants us to change, and that is where the second step of revival comes in. We need to turn.
Isaiah puts it this way:
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (55:7)
A renewed walk with God means a renewed walk away from those things that do not please Him. Whether it’s blatant sin others might easily recognize, or something more subtle, saying “yes” to God requires saying “no” to sin.
James chapter 2 repeats the statement that “faith without works is dead.” And what is revival but the renewing of our faith? By faith we are saved, through grace and it is that same faith by which we walk with God through His grace. Colossians 2:6 tells us,
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him.”
James again gives us this helpful statement:
“Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” (2:18)
Faith leads us to action, and “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17)
Perhaps this is why Christ emphasizes works in His letter to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation:
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for My name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works…” (2:2-5a)
At first, you might read all the good works this church had done and think, “Why would this church need revival?”
But notice what was missing in their actions: their “first love.” In the abundance of their working for God, the work itself had become their focus, eclipsing love for God. Christ tells this active but empty church to “Remember from whence thou art fallen.” J. I. Packer once said,
“Revival always includes a profound awareness of one’s own sinfulness, leading to deep repentance and heartfelt embrace of the glorified, loving, pardoning Christ.”*
For the church at Ephesus in ancient times and for you and me today, the path to repentance starts with the Holy Spirit’s conviction of sin. Sometimes, we need to be reminded of how fresh and sweet our walk with God used to be.
But then, what are we to do? Repent. That word literally means to think differently, or reconsider. We need to change our minds about how we are living, about how we have been responding to the Holy Spirit. And this change of mind will lead to a change in actions, as Christ said: “and do the first works.”
And the beautiful thing about repentance? We have a loving God who is inviting us to return, waiting for us to respond:
“Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh unto you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.” (James 4:8)
Repentance is not to be a flippant or superficial assent to the truth of God. True repentance is a turning of heart and mind, a returning to the Lord in all the humility and gratitude of the “first love” of a soul saved through the blood of Christ.
But in humility and sorrow over how we have fallen, how we have let our love for God cool and allowed sin and self to take Christ’s rightful place in our hearts and lives, yet we have the hope of a loving God who desires to forgive and restore.
“The Lord is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him.” Lamentations 3:25