Now, if I understand Steve’s position correctly and please correct me if I’m wrong, he feels that revival must end because if we were in a constant state of revival there would be no need for faith or perhaps not as much of an opportunity for faith as there is when there is no revival going on. Now this has to happen every generation or so to give the church a sort of spiritual shot in the arm to give us some life again but then after a while the fervor must die down so that our faith is not in the enthusiasm or miraculous things that come with revival but in God Himself. This has been shown to be true not from the scriptures but from revival history and the conclusions which are drawn from what even a simple study of church history would cause us to deduce.
I feel we should lean less on experience and more on the promises we find in scripture for the standard we should expect out the Christian life:
2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Isaiah 9:7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore the zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.
Daniel 2:35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
Notice these all show constant growth not growth and death and growth or growth, stagnation, growth.
On the personal side of things what does the Bible say is the destiny of the believer? Is it to be revival then discipline?
Rom8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren
So the Bible says that we are to be made like Christ… having read about His life once or twice I can’t say I can find a time when He was not bringing revival with Him. If that is therefore not what we are seeing in our lives maybe we are not living up to the standard of scripture but instead being conformed to this world...
This then begs the question; why do we not see revivals last beyond the first generation? I think in order to answer that we have to look more to who we are than who God is. We find it east to trust in God in times of lack and times of trouble but we soon forget God in times of blessing and abundance. Paul said “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13) and because of his reliance on Christ in both “humble means” and “prosperity” Paul too was blessed with revival all the days of his life.
I think the most obvious example of revival and destruction from revival would have to be that of David and Solomon. Solomon, came into great abundance and blessing from what his father David had done in his life and in spite of being blessed with wisdom beyond any other he became enthralled with His blessings. This caused not only the end of the revival but the splitting of the kingdom and countless forms of occult being brought in to Israel. Solomon abandoned God and trusted in himself and his wisdom for the prosperity of his kingdom and the glory God had given it faded just as the revivals in history have after people begin to follow the structure and tradition instead of the God those who began the revival followed.
Now obviously this is way oversimplified but maybe something to get some gears spinning and perhaps start a few conversations about it and what we can do to see another move of God here and now!!!
Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
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