Revival Theology

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mag. Claudia R. Wintoch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Theology of Revival

Steve Gray

 

 

 

 

World Revival School of Ministry

Fall Trimester 2001

Content

 

 

 

1. Definition of Revival – The Inbreaking Kingdom

 

            1.1. Biblical Illustration

 

 

2. Obtaining Revival

 

            2.1. God Simply Comes – 2.Kings 3

            2.2. God’s Messenger Comes – 2.Kings 2

            2.3. Going to God’s Messenger – 2.Kings 5

 

 

3. The Church’s Struggle

 

            3.1. Man’s Way – Ishmael

 

 

4. Purpose of Revival – Restoring God’s Honor

 

            4.1. Building God’s House - Haggai

            4.2. Jesus Dishonored – Luke 7

 

 

5. Conclusion

 


1. Definition of Revival – The Inbreaking Kingdom

 

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 4:17)

Jesus came proclaiming that the kingdom of God had just come to earth; in Hebrew, the word for “near” means it was actually there. The religious system did not appreciate Jesus’s message and rejected Him. Jesus came healing the sick, the outcast, therefore “restoring their membership and participation in God’s family”[1]. God’s kingdom did not come the way the Jews expected it. It came as a small mustard seed that would grow and eventually fill the earth. The Pharisees did not recognize that mustard seed and missed it, even though it was within their reach.

Today, God’s kingdom is once again breaking in all over the world, bringing increased spiritual activity, new life, new health, bringing the future into the presence. Darkness and light collide, the new rules fight the old ways of religion. We can either respond by repentance and embrace it, or reject it and miss God. Are we willing to pay the price? How can we not be!

 

1.1.  Biblical Illustration

“David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there. All those who were in distress or in debt or discontented gathered around him, and he became their leader. About four hundred men were with him.” (1.Samuel 22:1-2)

 

The story of David is a good example for the inbreaking kingdom, the kingdom that was coming but not established yet. Saul’s system had become corrupt and murderous. Many were in distress over the system, the society, and they were in debt because it was draining money from them. David had already been anointed king, but Saul was still on the throne, seemingly getting his will at all times. However, the discontented left their homes in town and joined David in the cave, living less comfortably, but separately from the system. They knew David was the future king and were willing to pay the price. They attached themselves to the mustard seed stage and eventually, when David became king, they were the ones around him, taking their positions as leaders in his kingdom.

The same way we are to adjust our lives to what is coming, leaving the system of the world, and paying the price for His kingdom. Because “when the Kingdom comes and we refuse it, we lose it.”[2].

 

2. Obtaining Revival

 

There are three passages in 2.Kings where we see principles of how to get revival. They all involve water which is a picture for revival.

 

2.1. God Simply Comes – 2.Kings 3

“This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink... And the land was filled with water.” (2.Kings 3:16-17, 20)

 

This is the way most people want to get revival. You do not need a special speaker or to go anywhere, God simply decides to come down and move. However, they were to prepare by making ditches. The deeper the ditches, the more numerous the ditches, the more water they could contain. Yet what seeds would that water cause to grow? Would they see fruit coming out of the ground or thistles? Even in revival, people drink the living water, are touched by God, yet they keep sitting in the pew, dreaming about being used by God, while others rise up to become the center of all attention, becoming ministers. Jesus said we are to be servants if we want to be great. Let’s dig deep ditches that will plow the depth of our innermost being, so that the watering of the good seed will produce abundant fruit.

 

2.2. God’s Messenger Comes – 2.Kings 2

The men of the city said to Elisha, ‘Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.’Bring me a new bowl,’ he said, ‘and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’" (2.Kings 2:19-21)

 

The land was unproductive because the water was bitter. In the same way churches are fruitless, because they do not have the living water of God. So one way to obtain revival is inviting someone to come to the church to bring healing to the water, to throw in the salt that will make the water good. We are the salt of the earth and should be the ones healing the waters of fruitless churches that want to be healed.

 

2.3. Going to God’s Messenger – 2.Kings 5

“‘Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.” (2.Kings 5:12)

 

This is the least favorite way for obtaining revival as pride is exposed. Naaman was offended that Elisha did not come out to talk to him in person, and that he told him to do such an easy thing, after having done the long journey. God was testing his character and finally, he humbled himself and received his healing.

Today we see many who want revival struggling with their pride, not wanting to go to another place because “God can just come with revival if He wants to”.  Yet, when we have waited and prayed for revival for years, God might well want us to go to where He is moving and ignite the flame there.

Most of the times, two or three of these ways will come together before God’s kingdom finally breaks in. He is not reluctant to move, but testing how desperately we want Him and His presence, as He loves to fill the hungry and thirsty who have paid a price.

 

3. The Church’s Struggle

 

“See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” (Jeremiah 1:10)

 

The Pharisees were very comfortable when Jesus came. They had built their own kingdom and had an elaborate religious system they were proud of. However, God had left their system and they did not even know it. Jesus came to speak the truth to them, to see them embrace God’s kingdom. However, they refused to listen, and so Jesus’s message changed. God’s patience had an end – He was going to take the vineyard away from them. He had no choice but to tear down, destroy and overthrow what they had built, before building and planting again, out of the rubble, that which was His. Jesus prophetically acted out God’s judgment as He went to the temple in Mark 11:15, driving out people and overturning tables. And only a few years later the Temple was destroyed by the Romans – something the Jews had never thought possible as they had put their faith in the Temple, their religious system and knowledge of being God’s chosen people. Jesus had cursed the fig-tree and it withered and died.

 

3.1. Man’s Way – Ishmael

“And Abraham said to God, ‘If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!’” (Genesis 17:18)

 

God had promised Abraham a son through whom all nations would be blessed. Yet, Ishmael was born naturally by Hagar, while Isaac was the son born of the Spirit through a miracle, born from basically two dead bodies. Abraham loved Ishmael and wanted him to be the one God would use, as much of the church today has been built in the flesh, asking God to bless and use it. As Abraham asked God, they ask, What’s wrong with our church? Can’t You bless us? Yet, today, God has a “divided, apathetic, halfhearted, worldly, backslidden, backstabbing, lukewarm bunch of people”[3]. God is now bringing forth a new church, “born of the Spirit and [it] will be the Church of the promise”[4], “centered exclusively on Him […] who will seek His Kingdom first, a people whose only desire is to serve Him with their whole hearts […] wanting nothing more than to be in the presence of God and to know His glory […] [to] separate ourselves to Him and to His work alone”[5].

 

4. Purpose of Revival – Restoring God’s Honor

 

When we look at the state of the church worldwide, we are filled with shame as God’s name is dishonored, as people following false gods are more dedicated than most Christians are. God’s righteous anger must be ours to see His honor reestablished in His church which is supposed to be a pure, spotless bride concerned only about her Bridegroom.

 

4.1. Building God’s House – Haggai

God had made a way for His people to return to Jerusalem. Years later, they were all building their own houses with wood that was scarce, while God’s house still lay in ruins, excusing themselves saying that it wasn’t God’s time yet. However, God did not stand by watching but He stopped His blessings to make them listen and seek first His kingdom.

Today churches are busy building their houses, while God removes their fruitfulness, peace and His presence, and many do not even notice as God is gradually walking out the door. He wants us to notice His absence, that we get so desperate for Him that we are searching for Him with all our hearts.

The nation of Israel listened to Haggai’s words and turned, starting to build God’s house, receiving an even greater promise from the Lord, that the glory of that house would be greater than the glory of the former (Haggai 2:9).

Today, His glory will come back when we build His house the following way:

“When we pray and think continually about Jesus and His Kingdom […] When we gather often with other believers for encouragement and worship; when we make Jesus the center of our homes; when we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in our lives […] When we delve deeply into the Bible; when we fall in love with Jesus again; when we give our time, money and effort to the Body of Christ locally”[6].

 

4.2. Jesus Dishonored – Luke 7

“Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.” (Luke 7:44-46)

 

The Pharisees invited Jesus to an official dinner, trying again to trap him. Events like that were big social events for the people who would gather around to watch what was going on. They intended to deny Jesus the common courtesies, therefore deeply dishonoring and embarrassing him, hoping to get the natural response of anger to show everyone he was just like anyone else. When Jesus stood at the door, everyone watching, but no one greeting Him, washing his feet, kissing Him or pouring oil on his head, tension filled the air as everyone was gasping, waiting to see how He would react. They had dishonored Him, embarrassed Him. Yet, among the people watching, there was a woman, possibly a prostitute, who had had an encounter with Jesus before, since Jesus said that her sins had been forgiven. She stood there watching and her heart was pierced at their treatment of Jesus. “No one will treat my Jesus that way! How dare you!!!” She jumped over the wall, ran to Jesus, fell down behind Him, with tears of anger and love, giving Him all the courtesies they had denied Him, therefore restoring His honor, thwarting the Pharisees’ plan and even increasing Jesus’s reputation among the people.

 

5. Conclusion

 

Revival is not about us or the lost getting saved, as we have believed for so long. It is all about God; about building His kingdom, restoring His honor and preparing His bride that will be without spot or wrinkle, a bride worthy of her Bridegroom. A big part of His church today is a disgrace for His name, so that He has no choice but to tear her down, spit her out and seek out those who will love Him only, those who will follow Him only and are ready to pay any price to build His kingdom and restore His honor. Today, His church is in a pitiful state. Yet, His Kingdom is breaking in today all over the earth and His bride will be glorious, reflecting her Bridegroom, doing the works of the kingdom to establish God’s honor and name in the earth.

We say, yes, Lord, amen, Your kingdom come, Your will be done!



[1] Gray, Steve, When The Kingdom Comes, Chosen Books: Grand Rapids, MI, 1999, p. 20

[2] ibidem p. 61

[3] ibidem p. 36

[4] ibidem

[5] ibidem p. 38

[6] ibidem p. 75