According to God’s Word, it is Timeless and Essential
June 2025 • A Pastoral Call to the Church
📖 2 Chronicles 7:14
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)
Is revival just an old-fashioned idea? A product of tent meetings and bygone eras? Or is it the very thing we need in our homes, our churches, and our nation?
The word “revival” may not appear in your Bible as a chapter heading, but its essence is woven throughout Scripture. God is always calling His people back to life—back to fire, back to faithfulness, back to Himself.
📜 What Is Revival?
Revival is a divine awakening—not of the world, but of the Church. It is when God’s people, grown cold and complacent, are stirred again to holiness, prayer, evangelism, and joy in Christ. It is not hype or noise, but a return to the living presence of God. It often begins quietly—in personal repentance—and becomes public in visible transformation.
Revival is not outdated—it is desperately needed.
1. 🛐 Revival Begins with Humility and Prayer
God lays out the path to revival clearly in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
- Humble yourself
- Pray
- Seek God’s face
- Turn from wicked ways
Revival doesn’t begin with the government, the media, or the culture—it begins with the church. And more specifically, it begins with pastors, elders, and leaders who fall to their knees.
Life Application: When was the last time you called your church to a solemn assembly? Have you modeled repentance from the pulpit?
📖 Joel 2:12–13
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” — Joel 2:12–13
2. 📖 Revival Comes Through the Word of God
All revivals in Scripture are Word-centered. In Nehemiah 8, Ezra read the law from morning till midday, and the people wept and repented.
📖 Nehemiah 8:8–9
“They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.” — Nehemiah 8:8–9
We need more than clever sermons. We need a return to the fear, authority, and transforming power of Scripture. Pastors, preach the Word—line by line, chapter by chapter, soul by soul.
Quote: “Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” — Jeremiah 23:29
3. 🔥 Revival Requires Repentance
Revival is not just a celebration—it is a confrontation. God brings light, and that light reveals sin. You cannot have revival without repentance.
📖 Acts 3:19
“Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” — Acts 3:19
We must not only confess sin, but forsake it. Whether it is pornography, greed, bitterness, or pride, revival will not come until we turn from our wicked ways.
4. 🧎♂️ Pastors Must Lead the Way
Revival begins in the pulpit before it spreads to the pews. Pastors must lead with repentance, holiness, and hunger for God—not performance.
Action Step: Be transparent with your church. Confess where you’ve grown lukewarm. Let your brokenness ignite theirs.
📖 Hosea 10:12
“Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.” — Hosea 10:12
5. 🤝 Revival Unites the Church
Revival often breaks down denominational and racial walls. It brings people together around Christ alone.
Psalm 133:1: “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity… For there the Lord has commanded the blessing.”
Action Step: Partner with other pastors. Host joint prayer nights. Model the unity of the body of Christ in your community.
6. 🧒 Revival Impacts the Next Generation
Many revivals are youth-driven. The First and Second Great Awakenings were filled with young adults. Even today, Gen Z is rising with hunger for something real.
Joel 2:28: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy…”
Action Step: Equip your youth. Let them lead prayer meetings. Call them to holiness and service. Don’t pacify them—ignite them.
7. 🏙️ Revival Reaches Beyond Church Walls
True revival spills into the streets. The book of Acts is a revival story that reached marketplaces, prisons, government halls, and homes.
📖 Acts 2:47
“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” — Acts 2:47
Action Step: Take church outside. Do street outreach. Host worship nights in public. Baptize in rivers. Be a visible light in your city.
📊 Is Revival Happening in America Now?
Yes. Small fires are being lit across campuses, churches, and communities. In early 2023, the Asbury Outpouring shocked the world. Today in 2025, churches in South Carolina, Georgia, and California are reporting spontaneous salvations and baptisms—especially among youth and families.
But we must fan the flame. God is moving, but will we respond?
🙋♂️ Questions for Personal and Church Reflection
- When was the last time I was broken before the Lord?
- Is our church a place of fire or formality?
- Are we more concerned with programs or presence?
- What idols (even good ones) are hindering revival in my life?
- How can I lead my family or church toward personal revival this week?
🎯 Life Application
- Monday: Fast and pray for God to search your heart.
- Tuesday: Call your elders or deacons to prayer.
- Wednesday: Preach repentance from the pulpit boldly and lovingly.
- Thursday: Partner with another local pastor.
- Friday: Equip your youth to lead a night of worship or prayer.
- Saturday: Do street outreach or public testimony.
- Sunday: Open your church for unstructured worship and spontaneous altar calls.
🛐 Final Prayer
“Lord, rend the heavens and come down. We are desperate for You—not for a moment of emotion, but for a movement of Your Spirit. Cleanse us, revive us, and send us into the world full of Your fire. Start with me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
📌 Closing Verse
Psalm 85:6: “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”
