Revival! (2)

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith… 1 Peter 5.8, 9

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival II
The Rev. Jonathan R. Anderson, Minister of Kirkfield Parish, Glasgow
“In a declining state of religion, spiritual bondage is little felt or feared. The great adversary of God and man is then comparatively quiet; for he sees everything turned to the advancement of his kingdom. But the moment the symptoms of a revival of religion appear, he is awake, and stirs up all his might to hinder or mar it.”

This much is certain: The devil does not want churches to be revived. He does not want you to pray for revival, or even to believe that revival is possible. He is comfortable with indifference to revival. He wants us to focus on ourselves, our needs, or what makes us happy. He does not want us organizing our thoughts, desires, and lives according to the Kingdom and glory of God (2 Thess. 2.12). He is happy for us to fill our churches with happy parishioners, so long as happy is all they are. If we’re not experiencing revival, and not seeking it, he is pleased for us to go along, happy as larks and impotent as mules in our declining state of religion. But if we start thinking about revival, seeking the Lord for revival, preaching for conviction of sin, and living courageously toward the day of revival, he will rouse himself and will try, first, to discourage us, then, to block us by every means at his disposal. Seeking revival is not for sissies, but for those who are determined to resist the devil, and stand on the wall in prayer, taking no rest and giving God no rest until He revives His churches once again (Is. 62.6, 7).

What does it mean for you and your leaders to “resist” the devil as he tries to block your church moving toward revival?

Preparing for Revival
Perhaps most pastors fall into the category of those who do not expect to see a great revival and worldwide awakening in our lifetime. But just in case God chooses to do what He has done many times throughout the history of the Christian movement, we do well to prepare for it. Join us online once a month to pray for revival. Surely you can spare 30 minutes, once a month, to join with other pastors and church leaders to seek the Lord for revival, according to His Word? We’re looking for men who will commit to seeking the Lord for revival together. If you’re interested, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll give you a list of available times. Or we can discuss beginning a new group to pray for revival at a more suitable time.

To help you in preparing for revival, we have two brief books that won’t take you more than an hour to read. Preparing Your Church for Revival tells you what to expect as the Lord begins to move, and shows you how to get ready even now (click here). Restore Us! provides the rationale and means for praying together for revival. It includes 12 psalms to guide your times of praying together (click here).

All quotations in this series are taken from Ministers of Scotland,Lectures on Revival, Richard Owen Roberts, ed. (Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1980). Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.