I have heard more about revival in the past year than I have in my entire lifetime. There is a holy buzz around that word, and for me personally, God has put an expectation in me to want to see it happen more and more today that I have never had before. I have committed the last year to studying revival and learning about past revivals. My misconception of revival in the past kept the concept confined to white tents on the side of the road.
To launch the second season of Everyday Discernment on Charisma Podcast Network, Corey Russell shares his passion and vision for revival.
Corey says that “The word revive is awakening something that was dead. Revival is a holy word. Corporate revival has been misused, abused, minimalized, dramatized and trivialized. We need to recover and rediscover the glory of what historical and biblical revival looks like. God can do more in a few months than man can do in decades.”
Corey continues to say that “Individual anointings, meetings and healings are wonderful, but revival is divine seasons when the Father openly manifests the rule and the reign of His Son by the outpouring of His Holy Spirit in apostolic preaching. When revival comes, the presence of God is everywhere, not just the church. In a season of revival, the same simple words turn into a sword that cuts.” Peaching and witnessing will have a bigger impact during revival due to an increase level of conviction from the Holy Spirit.
What I have found important is that our personal experiences cannot create our theological worldview. Just because I haven’t personally witnessed revival doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened or won’t happen again. Many Christians today have experimental theology, meaning that they do not believe things that they have not witnessed. We have to go back and align our experiences with the truth found in the Bible. Healings, deliverances and revival are all biblical and still happen today.
How do we pray for revival and be in a position of eagerness? Corey Russell says we need personal revival that attracts His presence. We need to break up the fallow ground in our lives individually so that when we meet corporately, we can show others His glory in righteousness.
The goal of revival is not just edification or being a faith builder, but to convict the world and save souls. We cannot pray for revival without being willing to be used by God as a vessel for revival. We need to spend our time focusing on holiness and prayer, devoting our life to God. We need to be faithful in the waiting for revival because there is still work to be done as the harvest is plenty and the workers are few (Matt 9:37).
For me, my prayer is that of the prophet, found in Habakkuk 3:2 (NIV), “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Yes, Lord, do it again. We need you now more than ever! {eoa}
Tim Ferrara has grown up in the church and has held various leadership positions both in business and in the church. Tim is currently the executive pastor at LifePoint Church in Arizona. He has a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Arizona State University along with a MBA from University of Phoenix. He has had a career in business management for over 20 years and has worked as faculty for two different colleges.
Tim started the ministry of Discerning Dad as a way to write and encourage Christians to grow in discernment and make better decisions that honor God. He has a book called Everyday Discernment: The Importance of Spirit-Led Decision Making as well as multiple YouVersion Bible Plans. Tim also hosts a podcast called Everyday Discernment, which is a top-ranked Christian podcast on Charisma Podcast Network and Edifi Podcast Networks. Tim lives with his wife, Jamie, and their two children in Arizona.
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