To see revival we must really want it. It can be no passing phase. Revival can’t be just another thing on our prayer list. It must be an all-consuming passion. We must pay the price of revival. Here are three examples:
Elisha’s extraordinary act
Elisha had everything. He was a rich man. He had land and 24 oxen and ploughing equipment (1 Ki 19:19). Yet when Elijah indicated that he would succeed him by throwing his cloak around him, Elisha did a most extraordinary thing:
“He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the ploughing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.” (1 Ki 19:20)
He burned his bridges and demonstrated to the Lord his intentions to prioritise the work of God and leave his worldly riches for the greater riches of living in the presence of the Lord. He humbled himself. Are we willing to leave worldly comforts and money to pursue revival?We must pay the price of revival.
Pastor Kilpatrick’s remarkable act
Kilpatrick was a successful pastor in Pensacola, USA. His congregation was of 2000 size. However, he wanted more.
So he spent every Saturday night in the church sanctuary crying out to God for more, sometimes to the early hours in the morning. However, after a number of years preaching about revival and having weekly church meetings praying for it, some people began to oppose Kilpatrick and his revival vision. This hurt him a lot.
So one Saturday evening he laid the keys of the church on the altar area at the front of the church and told God that he wanted to pastor a church which wanted revival, and if this meant being sent to a small unknown church out in the sticks then so be it.
Hence, Kilpatrick was willing to give up his position in a successful and large church, and all his friends, to see revival. He humbled himself before the Lord.We must pay the price of revival.
After two and a half years of praying and humbling revival broke out in his church.
George Whitefield
He was the great preacher who initiated the 18th Century Revival in England and Scotland. For more than 30 years until his death he continued to preach in the UK and America to grow the revival and support the poor. For his labours he was reviled and mocked. He regularly received threats and sometimes violence.
Whitefield was called disloyal to the King (a serious thing in the culture of the day), a dangerous enthusiast and a clever charlatan that deceived people. He was accused of taking offerings for the poor but pocketing the money himself.
This is what it takes to see revival.
This extract is taken from my 21 day devotional guide based on revivals and the move of God see “GRACE OUTPOURINGS“.