Revival Preparation: The Revival We Need Psalm 85
Revival Preparation: The Revival We Need
Psalm 85
If you’ll open your Bibles to Psalm 85 we’ll be reading all 13 verses.
This psalm is a prayer about return and revival. It is a community lament in which the psalmist recounts blessings conferred on the people by the Lord (verses 1-3), pleas for salvation (verses 4-7), and expresses faith that God will save them (verses 8-13).
While we can’t be sure when this psalm was written, it was probably after the return of the exiles from Babylonia. That exile was God’s judgment for their sins. After a regime change, the Persian King Cyrus had allowed a remnant to return to Jerusalem in 538 B.C. The return of the exiles could account for the account of blessings in verses 1-3.
However, when the exiles returned to Jerusalem, they found the city and temple in ruins. Their neighbors were hostile, so that their first order of business had to be building walls for protection. It was anything but the grand homecoming for which they had hoped, and they were severely disappointed. That would account for the plea for mercy in verses 4-7.
But while their faith had been dealt a severe blow by diminished circumstances, they nevertheless lived in faith that God would redeem them. That would account for the expressions of faith in verses 8-13.
As we return to in person service today I hope that this Psalm will also be a prayer for us as we seek renewal and revival for ourselves and our church.
1You, Lord, showed favor to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your people
and covered all their sins.
3 You set aside all your wrath
and turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Savior,
and put away your displeasure toward us.
5 Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the earth,
and righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and prepares the way for his steps.
The greatest need of the church today is not more members, more money, or more buildings. It is not even more missions nor evangelism. It is repentance and revival. Church membership, Christian stewardship, and building construction are all up. But, so is crime, divorce, illegitimacy, alcoholism, and drug abuse. When church activities are at an all-time high, but the morals of the country are at an all-time low, there is something wrong.
The need for revival is evident everywhere in the church. It can be seen in the low level of living by many church members today. While Christians profess that there is but one true God, many of them live like there is NO God! Lowell Thomas, the famous news commentator, said that early in his life, during the gold rush days, his father moved their family to the mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado. He wrote, “In this wide open atmosphere, I soon felt right at home with sin.” The church today is like that. It has settled down and is at home with sin. As someone said, “The church today is like Noah’s ark. If it weren’t for the storm on the outside we couldn’t stand the stench on the inside.”
The need for revival can be seen in our complacency. Most churches are half empty and fully satisfied. At least sixty-two percent of the churches in the Baptist denomination have either plateaued or are in decline and few people seem concerned. Most of our members seem content just to sit and soak and sour until the second coming. The need for revival can be seen in the unrest of our churches. In a recent eighteen month period 2,100 ministers in our denomination were terminated. When you add to those who have been thrown out, those who are washed out, burned out, or found out, our churches are in turmoil.
One friend, who serves in our denomination, said to me, “Most of my meetings (revivals) are rescue meetings. I go to straighten out the mess in the church so the pastor can stay or to get well enough acquainted with him to recommend him somewhere else.”
The need for revival can also be seen in our lack of commitment. People today have more leisure time than any other generation that has ever lived. Yet, it is increasingly more difficult to get people to make a commitment to teach, sing in the choir, serve through the church. They say, “I don’t want to be tied down.” When people are unwilling to be tied down for the one who was nailed down for them, there is something wrong with our level of commitment.
And finally, the need for revival can be seen in the dullness of most church activities. Religion is either an acute fever or a dull monotony. For far too many it is a dull monotony. We are like the children of Israel in Malachi’s day who sat in the house of God and said, “O, what a weariness it is.” (Mal. 1:13) That attitude is probably what led Nietzsche to say, “If you want me to believe in your redeemer you’ll have to look more redeemed.” And when that is true, revival is needed.
The need of both the church and society is apparent. We must have revival for survival. It is Pentecost or holocaust. What is revival? The word “revival” comes from two Latin words: re, which means “again”, and vivo, which means “to live.” The literal meaning is “to live again.” Revival is not the conversion of an old rascal, the town reprobate, some celebrity, or a star athlete. That’s evangelism. Evangelism is bringing the lost to new life. Revival is the stirring of God’s people to new life, to new dedication, new effort, and new concern. It is a coming back to God, a renewal of what ought to be first in our lives. It is a return to our first love.
Charles Finney said, “Revival is nothing but a new beginning of obedience to God.” R. A. Torrey said, “Revival is furnishing someone for the Holy Spirit to work through.” And, D. M. Panton said, “Revival is the in-rush of the spirit into a body that threatens to become a corpse.” The kind of revival we need was described by the psalmist when he said, “Wilt thou not revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee” (Psalm 85:6). The occasion for these words was Israel’s return from Babylonian captivity. They had been exiled because of their sin. It was God’s chastening for not obeying him and not serving him. Now, as they returned home after seventy years, the land was desolate and the people discouraged. As the psalmist remembers their former days of glory and grace, he cries out to God for mercy and restoration.
Behind this prayer for revival by the psalmist are three implications: first, that we were once right with God; second, we aren’t now; third, we can be again.
In his prayer, the psalmist expresses the kind of revival we need. What kind is it? It is a heaven sent, a church centered, a God honoring revival. Worked Up or Prayed Down First, we need a heaven sent revival. This verse is a prayer. The writer is asking God to do something only he could do. He asked, Wilt thou revive us again? There has long been a difference of opinion over where revival comes from. Charles G. Finney said revivals are the work of men. They are worked up. So he emphasized promotion along with prayer as a part of revival preparation. But, Matthew Henry said, “When God intends great mercy for his people, the first thing he does is set them praying.” He believed prayer was the main secret of revival. And Charles Haddon Spurgeon affirms, “Christian men should never speak of getting up a revival! There is no good place to get it up from? I do not know any place which you can be and get it up except the place which is better to have no connection with. We must inquire of the Lord to do it for us.
Too often the temptation is to inquire of an imminent evangelist, or ask whether a great preacher could be induced to come. Now, I do not object to inviting soul winning preachers, or to try any other plan of usefulness; but our main business is to inquire of the Lord. For after all, he alone can give the increase.”
So, which is it? Are revivals prayed down or worked up? The relationship between the two can best be seen in the great revival under Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18). Israel had forsaken God and gone after Baal. Elijah assembled Israel on Mount Carmel to call them back to God. He challenged the prophets of Baal to prove whether Baal or Jehovah was the god of Israel. The prophets of Baal called on their god to demonstrate his power, but he failed miserably. Elijah then built an altar, piled it high with wood, dug a trench around it, and soaked it with water. He poured water on it until the water ran down the altar and filled the trench surrounding it. He then prayed this simple prayer, “Lord, let it be known this day that thou art the God of Israel.” Then, fire fell from heaven and all of Israel declared, “The Lord, he is God. The Lord, he is God.”
There would have been no need for Elijah to pray unless he first stacked the wood, for there would have been nothing to burn. And, there would have been no need to stack the wood unless he prayed, for there would have been nothing to ignite it. It is the same with revival. To have revival we must work as though everything depends on us and pray as though everything depends on God. The song writer put it this way:
“Brethren we have met to worship And adore the Lord, our God
Will you pray with all your power While we try to preach the Word.
All is vain unless the Spirit Of the holy One comes down.
Brethren pray and holy manna Will be showered all around.”
Preaching and praying — that’s it! It takes them both. The revival we need is a heaven sent revival.
Second, we need a church centered revival. The psalmist prays, “Wilt thou not revive us . . .” Who is the “us” he is talking about? He tells us in the next sentence, “. . . that thy people may rejoice in thee.” His words remind us of 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land.”
Revival must start within the church. It does not start outside and break in. It starts inside and breaks out. Revival can never lay hold upon the world until it has first laid hold on the church. In the Old Testament God wanted to save the city of Nineveh and called Jonah to preach repentance and salvation to them. But, Jonah had no love for Nineveh and refused to go. Instead he caught a ship for Tarsus, which was in the opposite direction. God sent a great storm, Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. In the belly of the fish Jonah repented and agreed to go to Nineveh to preach. When he did, revival came and the whole city was saved. The greatest obstacle to the conversion of Nineveh was not to be found in Nineveh. It was not the sinfulness of the Ninevites, although that was great. It was not the corruption of the politicians or the brutality of the police. It was not in the prevalence of cults. The biggest obstacle to the salvation of Nineveh was Jonah. When Jonah repented of his disobedience, prejudice and indifference, revival came. Jonah was the key to the salvation of Nineveh and God’s people are the key to the spiritual condition of our nation and world.
Revival must start with you and me. Since a revival can never lay hold upon the world until it first lays hold upon the church, the need is for the fountain of sin to be broken up in the church. Back-slidden Christians must be brought to repentance. They must have their faith renewed. We are to pray for that. The question is, “Do we really want revival badly enough to seek God’s face, to pay the price, to pray and prepare the way for God’s coming in revival?” No one can predict revival. No one can program revival. No one can earn revival. We cannot generate revival by faithfulness, busyness, or spiritual activities. God is the only source of revival.
In the early 1900s, British evangelist, Rodney Gipsy Smith was once asked how to start a revival. He answered, “Go home, lock yourself in your room, kneel down in the middle of your floor, draw a chalk mark all around yourself, and ask God to start the revival inside that chalk mark. When he has answered your prayer, the revival will be on.”
- A. Torrey said, “I can give you a prescription that will bring revival to any church or community or city on earth. First, let a few Christians (they need not be many) get thoroughly right with God themselves. This is the prime essential. If this is not done, the rest that I am to say will come to nothing. Second, let them bind themselves together in a prayer group to pray for a revival until God opens the heavens and comes down. Third, let them put themselves at the disposal of God for him to use them as he sees fit in winning others to Christ. That is all! This is sure to bring revival to any church or community. I have given this prescription around the world. It has been taken by many churches and many communities, and in no instance has it ever failed; and it cannot fail!”
Charles G. Finney said, “To have a revival, take a piece of paper (no matter how long) and record all your sins. Make a clean sweep — record things like pride, envy, temper, grumbling, neglect, robbing God, unthankfulness. Then confess all these to God and believe him.” In Acts 3:19 God explains that repentance is required before revival may come. He tells us, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” Revival and refreshing will come to those who repent and are right with God.
There are three things that always characterize spiritual renewal. First, there is a deep dissatisfaction with the status quo. People sense there is a mighty need and a hunger for renewal and revival. If you are satisfied with your life and the church as it is, forget revival. It will never come. Revival always begins with a deep dissatisfaction. Second, there is a personal soul searching, confession, and repentance of sin. Personal holiness is always a major ingredient in true revival. Third, there is a mighty commitment to prayer. People forego meals for prayer. They lay aside entertainment, shopping, meetings, and other things from time to time as the spirit of God calls them to prayer.
Someone once said, we could have revival in the church if . . .
. . . all the disobedient folks would straighten up,
. . . all the gossipers would shut up,
. . . all the lukewarm folks would fire up,
. . . all the sleeping folks would wake up,
. . . all the depressed folks would look up,
. . . all the dishonest folks would ‘fess up,
. . . all the discouraged folks would cheer up,
. . . all the disgruntled folks would sweeten up,
. . . all the soldiers of Christ would stand up, and
. . . all the church members would pray up!
We, then, must come to grips with sin in our own life if revival is to come. A great revival in Scotland and Wales years ago began in a seminary. A preacher said in chapel, “God can mightily use any man whom he can bend to his will.” Evans Roberts heard him, fell on his knees and prayed, “Oh, God, bend me.” And revival came. The nation was changed all because one man said, “Oh, God, bend me.” Are you willing to pray, “Oh, God, bend me.” Revival must begin with us or it will never begin. I believe that!
The revival we need is church centered. We need a God honoring revival. Are we seeking something or someone? The prayer of the psalmist was, “Revive us again that thy people may rejoice in thee.” Churches sometimes seek revival as if they were seeking some thing rather than some one. They seek revival in order to see the sensational or to bolster sagging statistics. They take a revival emphasis and turn it into “big business” and it becomes an end in itself. Some people seek revival like they seek God’s will, as though it were separate and apart from God Himself. My advice to people who want to know God’s will is always the same, “Don’t seek God’s will. Seek God himself. And, when you find him he will reveal his will to you.”
It is the same with revival. We do not need to seek revival, we need to seek God. When we find him, that will be revival. And, when revival comes there will be new joy in the church. There is pleasure in sin. There is no doubt about that. Sin has a kick but it also has a kick-back. But real joy, lasting joy, is to be found in God.
In Psalm 16:11 the psalmist declared, “In thy presence is fullness of joy. At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Joy is the birthright of every believer and should be the hallmark of every church. In Romans 14:17 Paul wrote, “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink (rules and regulations); but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.” If you are going to church more and enjoying it less, you need revival. If the joy, the excitement, the enthusiasm that you had when you first met Christ has been lost, you need to pray the prayer of David, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation” (Psalm 51:12). Revival can begin now, and it can begin with you. If you aren’t as close to God as you once were, don’t make a mistake about which one has moved. When you come back to him, that will be revival. And that will be a cause for rejoicing.
Let us pray