Revival Introduction

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee? (Psalms 85:6).”

I.                   Holy Ghost in the OT

            a.       Temple Dedication

                      i.      1 Kings 8:1-11

II.                What Revival is NOT

                     a.       A series of services lasting from             3 to 7 days

                     b.      A miracle

                              i.      One can have miracles                            without revival but you                            cannot have revival                                  without miracles.

                    c.       Something that only happens                 every x number of years

                              i.      Prior to Charles G. Finney,                     theologians believed that                         revival only came every                           fifteen years
                   1.      During this time God                             would save all that was                             intended (Revival                                    Lectures, 13)

                           ii.      Later, the number of years it                   took until God would send                     revival dwindled to every five                   years

III.             Defining Revival

                   a.       Noah Webster defined it as “a                meeting or a series of meetings to            arouse new interest in religion in            a community; recovery, as of                  consciousness after being                        unconscious”[1]
                         i.  However, Mr. Webster was                    wrong.  It is NOT a series of                  meetings BUT God Himself that            arouse interest in Christianity.

                   b.      Duncan Campbell defined it as "a           community saturated with God"

                            i.       “when God steps down”

                   c.       "the sovereign act of God, in                    which He restores His own                    backsliding people to                              repentance, faith, and                              obedience." Stephen Olford

                  d.      "times of refreshing from the                   presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19)           J. Edwin Orr

                  e.       "the awakening or quickening of              God's people to their true nature            and purpose." Robert Coleman

                  f.        "the return of the Church from               her backslidings, and the                         conversion of sinners." Charles               Finney

                  g.       "an extraordinary movement of               the Holy Spirit producing                       extraordinary results." Richard                 Owen Roberts

IV.              Revivals Past

                    a.       Moravians (1727)

                    b.      First Great Awakening (circa                  1731-1755)

                    c.       Second Great Awakening (c.                  1790-1840)

                    d.      Third Great Awakening (c.                    1850-1900)

                              i.      This sprang the Holiness                         and Pentecostal                                       movements

                    e.       1800’s Methodist

                              i.      Balls of fire down aisles                           during service

                    f.        Asusa Street (1905-1915)

                    g.       Brownsville, Fl. (June 18, 1995-             2000)

V.                Famous Revivalists

                    a.      John Wesley

                    b.     Charles Wesley

                    c.     George Whitfield

                   d.      Jonathan Edwards

                   e.      Charles Finney

                   f.       Peter Cartwright

                  g.       D.L. Moody

                  h.      Ira D. Sankey

                  i.       William Booth

                  j.       Hudson Taylor

                 k.       Charles Spurgeon

                 l.        R.A. Torrey

               m.        William Seymore

VI.          Types of Revivals

                a.       Individual revival (Acts 2:1-4)

                b.      Church Revival (Acts 2:1-12)

                c.       REVIVAL

                          i.      City (Acts 2-4:23)

                         ii.      State

                        iii.      Country

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[1] Webster’s New American Dictionary (Books, Inc., 1965), p. 846.