What does revival look like?

First, I want to thank Parkview Baptist Church for sponsoring today's 24/7 prayer! Go team!



I am not sure if I have seen revival before. I have seen a move of God and I have seen miracles, but I am unsure of what it takes to have revival. I have certainly been TO a revival. As some understand it, it is a series of meetings where a church brings in a guest preacher who says the things the pastor cannot get away with.

Years ago, I did belong to a church in a small town that was very disruptive to the community. You could tell because other pastors did not like it and they labeled it a cult. In retrospect, I think the pastors did have some control issues, but otherwise I think the thing that bothered other churches the most was that the church was growing, signs and wonders were happening, and the lead pastor was insufferably happy and went about glorifying Jesus with no reserve whatsoever. In short, he made people feel bad about having a tepid and boring relationship with God.

It makes me think of that story in  Acts 17:5-7:

⁵But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.  ⁶And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
 ⁷Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.

I am not saying the local pastors didn't believe in Jesus. I'm just saying they didn't appear to believe in Him enough to turn much of anything upside down.

In recent days, I have come to realize that I needed to be turned upside down. I needed to believe more than I have over the past several years, and that if I do that, I will take people with me. That is why I pray for revival. I don't want a few rousing good meetings. I want a move of God that is disruptive and troubling and goes everywhere. Fortunately, I am not alone. And I am sure not the first. I'm just willing to blog about it and ask you to pray for this, too.