By David Bryant
Revival, interestingly enough, was a shared experience by saints in both Old and New Testaments. There was a difference, however, between the two eras in how the experience played itself out.
In the Old Testament, the reviving of Israel was usually characterized by a look back, as the nation sought to return to previous highwater marks in Israel’s religious pilgrimage. Note how Elijah on Mt. Carmel challenged Israel to return to days of spiritual faithfulness before Baal worship had taken over (2 Kings 18). Or recall how Hezekiah refurbished the time-worn temple and reinstituted the ancient Passover tradition, shaping the revival that emerged under his watch.
In the New Testament, however, revival is characterized much more as a look forward. It is focused on fresh extensions of Christ’s reign among His people and into the world. Consider the prayer meeting of Acts 4: what they prayed, how God answered, and the aftermath in the succeeding stories of missionary advance—all forward-looking.
In a Christ dominated revival, the Holy Spirit increases vision for what’s ahead. He deepens our yearnings for greater approximations of the coming Kingdom.
In New Testament-style revival, Christians are aroused to a reality of Christ’s presence and power already theirs, but currently overlooked. They are summoned not only to recapture their first love for Christ (Rev. 2), but to discover a passion for Him that surpasses whatever they have known before (Eph. 3). Re-awakening us to greater dimensions of His glory, New Testament revival is ultimately about recovering and enlarging hope in Christ.
In other words, God infuses His Church with fresh hope, passion, prayer, and mission by refocusing us on Christ for ALL He really is. In revival a church is re-captivated with the supremacy of Christ by the Spirit of Christ. That’s why my favorite term for this phenomenon is a “Christ Awakening.”
Prayer Points:
- Look back both in Scripture and in this nation and praise God for the moves of revival and spiritual awakening that have transformed history.
- Look forward to fresh expressions of Christ’s reign and pray that it will happen in our day.
- Invite God to increase your vision and yearning for another Great Awakening in our nation.
- Pray for your church to experience a new awakening of the presence and power of Christ.
- Pray that you and your family will recapture your first love of Christ in ways that transform your relationships.
David Bryant directs Project Hope and is the former chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee. This article is excerpted from Do It Again, Lord! 30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival (PrayerShop Publishing 2024) This is an excellent 30-day devotional prayer guide to pray through as a congregation or group!
