3 Deceptions Satan Would Have Us Believe About Revival (and 3 Truths to Counter His Lies)
When we look around our society and culture, it’s not hard to see the need for hope. As believers, we know that hope has a name: Jesus, and we long for a move of the Holy Spirit that our neighbors would know this hope too.
That move of the Spirit we long for–a profound spiritual awakening that comes from a massive turning to God which brings about a visible transformation in individuals and communities–is called revival.
How do we bring about revival? Here are three deceptions from Satan about revival that believers often fall for, along with three truths you need to know about great spiritual awakenings:
Lie 1: The World Needs Revival, but We Don’t
Truth: Revival Doesn’t Happen To Us, It Happens In Us
Before our communities can experience a spiritual awakening, we must first awaken to the power and will of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. Revival demands and empowers a desperate pursuit of God.
In the story of Luke 19:1-10, Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus so badly, he climbed into a Sycamore tree just to get a glimpse of Him. Jesus saw him in that tree, called Zacchaeus to Himself, then spent time with Zacchaeus at his house. Zacchaeus’ time with Jesus resulted in a character transformation in him: he sought forgiveness for his sins, gave half his possessions to the poor, and returned four-times the money he had been stealing as a tax collector to the people he stole from.
Every great move of God in the last 300 years started with prayer.
Pursuing God means spending time with Him through His Word and through Prayer, which results in our own transformation as we become more like Him.
Every great move of God in the last 300 years started with prayer:
- The Great Awakening (1730s-1740s) began after Jonathan Edwards wrote to other pastors urging them to “Be much in prayer and fasting, both in secret and with one another.”
- The Second Great Awakening (1790s-1840s) was catalyzed by prayer meetings, with many dedicating themselves to intercession for specific communities or individuals.
- The Welsh Revival (1904-1905) is credited to the “prayer battalions” who interceded passionately for God to move in the United Kingdom during this time.
- The Azusa Street Revival (1906-1915) started as a result of William J. Seymour gathering with others for extended prayer meetings.
- The Jesus Movement (1960s-70s) is believed to have been successful because it compelled individuals to gather in small groups to pray for the salvation of their peers.
What if the reason our community isn’t experiencing revival is because we’re not praying for it?
Lie 2: Revival is “Fun”
Truth: Revival Requires Self-Denial and Comes with a Personal Cost
Great moves of God are exciting, but they require for us to get out of His way. If we’re desperately seeking God and His will, we must seek Him above everything else. This means putting Him above our desire for career success, financial wealth, personal security and comfort, our families, etc.
In Matthew 16:24-26, “Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?”
Do you align the priorities of your life by God, or are you just squeezing Him into wherever you can find space for Him? Perhaps we’re not experiencing revival because we don’t want to risk the potential discomfort of speaking about and living out Jesus’ truth in our lives in front of our neighbors.
Your pursuit of God will cost you something. But what it costs you on this earth is nothing compared to the rewards of spending eternity with Him.
Lie 3: Revival Happens in a Church Building or Geographical Location
Truth: Revival Happens Where the Holy Spirit Moves
We’ve already established that before our communities can experience a move of the Spirit, individuals must be willing to move with the Spirit.
What are you willing to do for your community to see revival? Are you willing to join the Holy Spirit in intercession? Are you willing to join how He’s currently at work in the hearts of others by sharing your faith with them, even if it means sacrificing comfort or security?
Practical Tip: begin with committed, consistent prayer. Pick a person or community who needs the Lord and commit to praying for them at the same time every day. Find more prayer opportunities and resources here.
This post is inspired by message one of our “Awakening” sermon series: “Seeing the Need for Revival” by Dr. John Freeland.