The Scope and Focus of Revival (4)

Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!
Sing out the honor of His name;
Make His praise glorious.
Say to God,
“How awesome are Your works!
Through the greatness of Your power
Your enemies shall submit themselves to You.
All the earth shall worship You
And sing praises to You;
They shall sing praises to Your name.” Psalm 66.1-4

God’s work and ours
Revival is a work of God. During seasons of revival, people are made acutely aware of their sins and of being separated from God. Under the searching light of Scripture and the Spirit of God, conviction stings the souls of those in whom God is working, so that they confess their sins and repent. This leads to a new-found freedom to come before the Lord with a grateful heart, rejoicing in His forgiveness and basking in His love. Cleansed souls fill up with the Spirit of God, and people are moved to serve Him joyfully in every area of their lives. Their discipleship becomes more evident, and their witness more consistent and effective. They tell the works of God to the people around them; and as this happens throughout the Body of Christ, multitudes are converted and come to saving faith in Jesus Christ. Revival leads to renewal, and renewal leads to awakening.

Only God can make this happen. But it pleases God to accomplish the work of revival in and through His people. We have a part in revival, as Psalm 66 makes clear. Our part is to bless God together before the watching world, and to declare the works of God to all nations and peoples, so that praise and thanks increase to the Lord, many declare their faith in Him, and God’s mercy and grace flow like rivers of living water to refresh the world again.

It pleases God to bring revival to His people as they submit to His criteria for revival, beginning with seeking Him in prayer. Seeing the need for revival all around us, we must not despair, and we must not do nothing. Instead, we must seek the Lord to deliver us from times of testing and refining (Ps. 66.10-12). As He hears and receives our prayers, like sweet offerings and sacrifices (vv. 13-15), He prepares us to go forth and declare His works, beginning by encouraging one another in the saving mercies of our prayer-hearing God (vv. 16-19).

Then, as we stimulate one another to love and good works (Heb. 10.24), we become a powerful force for calling the world to consider the works of God, and to come under His power for salvation.

Revival is God’s work. But He chooses to do His work through His people, by the power of His Spirit, and according to His Word. As we seek the Lord for revival, we must make sure we understand what that requires, and how it will involve us, as God begins to do this great work.

The works of God to the world
What are the works of God? In times of revival, God’s people, newly refreshed in His grace, and overflowing with the joy of His salvation, declare the works of God to all the world: “Come and see the works of God; He is awesome in His doing toward the sons of men” (v. 5). The primary work of God which we are called to declare to the world is the work of salvation, which He has accomplished in our Lord Jesus Christ.

In His work of salvation, Jesus fulfills all the righteousness we require to be acceptable to God, to know Him and enjoy His fellowship, and to love and serve Him with joy and gladness. At the same time, Jesus bore the wrath of God against our sins, so that we might be made righteous before God in Him (2 Cor. 5.17-21). His resurrection is the proof that God is satisfied with Jesus’ work, and His intercession at the right hand of the Father ensures that our work can succeed until He returns. Jesus is the way to God and the full and abundant life God has in store for us (Jn. 14.6; 10.10). We who have come to know this great saving work of Christ are called to be His witnesses, and to make disciples of all nations by declaring the awesome and saving works of the Lord.

And when we are revived, we will do so eagerly and with great effects.

We must also declare the other works of God. He is the Creator of all things, and this means that the world around us is not nature but creation, and we have a duty to bring to all of creation the liberating power of the Gospel of the Kingdom (Rom. 8.20-22). God also exercises His providential care of the creation, upholding all things and causing all things to consist in Jesus Christ (Heb. 1.3; Col. 2.16). Science can discover many wonderful truths about God’s providential working, and we should welcome each new discovery and its proper applications. But we must make it clear that, back of all the work of science and all the workings of the universe is the Lord Jesus Christ, Who speaks to the world continuously, thus keeping it in existence and functioning.

Then there is the work of regeneration and sanctification, which God works in each of our lives, giving us lively and ever-new testimonies of His personal care and love to share with one another and the people around us.

We are called to declare God’s works to the world, and that world begins in our own sphere of influence, our Personal Mission Field (2 Cor. 10.13-18). As God begins to revive us, let us make a point of bringing the Good News of His works to all the people to whom He sends us day by day, living as His witnesses and testifying to His grace at every opportunity.

Praying Psalm 66 for revival
Praying Psalm 66 can greatly enlarge the scope of our vision for revival. It reminds us of how God has worked to save and sanctify us; it focuses our attention on all His mighty and saving works; it calls us together for prayer and mutual edification; it sends us to the world to proclaim the salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ; and it promises that, as we do, even those who do not believe will be constrained to act in accordance with the powerful and increasing Presence of the Lord through His growing, revived Body (Ps. 66.3).

Let this psalm lead you first to confess your sins (v. 18), so that your prayers will not be hindered, and you may be assured of His hearing your prayers for revival (v. 20). Then prepare yourself each day to take up the work of revival in your own life and your Personal Mission Field. Praise, thank, and bless the Lord throughout the day. Encourage your fellow believers to seek the Lord for revival. Share your testimony of God’s gracious working in your life at every opportunity. And declare the saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ by every means, so that some might be saved.

Psalm 66 covers the bases on God’s work of revival and ours as well. Let it guide you day by day in seeking the Lord and His Spirit for revival, renewal, and awakening in our time.

For reflection
1. How would you explain the saving work of Christ to an unbelieving friend?

2. Why does God choose to use us in His work of revival?

3. Whom can you encourage today to seek the Lord for revival and bless and praise Him for His many works?

Next steps – Transformation: Spend the next few days praying Psalm 66 at various times during the day.

T. M. Moore

We are pleased to offer Worship Guides for use in your family or small group. Each guide includes a complete service of worship, and they are free to download and share by clicking here.

For a fuller discussion of why we need revival, and how to seek it, order a copy of our book, Restore Us! by clicking here. If you would like a 28-day, morning and evening challenge to seek the Lord for revival, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll send you a free PDF of our reader, Give Him No Rest.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.