Devotional:

The dictionary term for Revival is “an improvement in the condition and strength of something.” You can revive a heart that stops beating. You can revive an old rusty car with a little love and attention. You can revive a fire that is about to go out. 

What does revival mean in church? Well, I believe that originally, centuries ago, revival was meant to be a way to reach the unreached. To come to where the people were (tent revivals) and seek the lost, save the sinners and condemn the wicked.

I remember attending many revivals growing up. My grandfather was a pastor and that’s just what we did. Church. Lots of church. I had no idea what was happening at the revivals, and I distinctly remember how unsettling they were for me. It was way out of the norm for our conservative little country church. There was always a different preacher for the revival, usually from out of town, kind of like Saturated. But most of the time, I remember the revival preacher would just scream at us for about an hour, maybe longer.

Our church pastor was the opposite. He was a very calm, gentle preacher. I specifically remember one revival night, I was probably 12 years old, when the guest preacher ran up and down the center aisle. He came up to the people on the end of the rows and just screamed about repenting and turning to Jesus! Man, I was so glad to be sitting on the other side of that row. My church was traditional, conservative, small. We never even clapped hands or raised an arm even halfway in worship. So, running down the aisle screaming was definitely not “normal.”

Church revival. If we were to tweak the definition above, maybe it would look something like this: “An improvement in the condition and strength of the church” or “an improvement in the condition and strength of the body of Christ.” An “awakening” comes to mind for me. Or even more so, a “reawakening.” 

Here are two more definitions of revival: “an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again,” and “restoration of force, validity, or effect.” Let’s tweak those definitions: “an instance when your relationship with Jesus becomes popular, active and important in your life again,” and “the restoration of the force, validity and effect that Jesus has in your life,” or “the restoration of the force, validity and effect that the body of Christ has on this city and throughout the world.”

Revival in church just makes sense, right?

“6 Will you not revive us again,
    that your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your steadfast love,
    O Lord and grant us your salvation.
8 Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
    for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints;
    but let them not turn back to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him,
    that glory may dwell in our land.
10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet;
    righteousness and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground,
    and righteousness looks down from the sky.
12 Yes, the Lord will give what is good,
    and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him
    and make his footsteps a way.”

— Psalm 85:6-13

You never know how or when God will show up in your life. That night of revival when I was 12, I remember a very specific moment where God showed up. A family member of mine was there. He was a Christian, loved his family and was a good man, funny, one of my favorite people to be around when the family got together.

For some reason that night, God decided to take hold of a very important and destructive thing in his life. The screaming preacher stopped and looked him. He was sitting at the end of the row, broke down and went to the altar. That thing left him, forever. And for about 35 years now, he has never smoked another cigarette. Seriously. If you are a smoker, you know how hard that is, and that had to be God!

Isn’t that what revival is? It is an awakening and renewal of our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our strength toward Jesus. It is the opportunity to fix our eyes on Him every night with a heart of readiness and willingness to listen, learn and lean into what God is saying. There is no doubt that God is working in the life of Eleven22 as a church. God will speak to us individually, and collectively as a movement in this city and all over the world.

What are some things you are asking God to do through you and through The Church of Eleven22 during this season of revival? What are some things you are asking God to do to you and to this church during this season of revival? 

God, thank You for bringing revival to Eleven22 every year. Thank You for Your presence in our church. Would You speak to us in these three weeks leading up to Saturated? God help us to pour ourselves out so that You can fill us up again. Revive our hearts, prepare our souls, clear our minds and give us the strength to focus on You alone. Amen.