Psalm 85:6 - Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?

INTRODUCTION

The cycle of the seasons brings new life and renewal to the plants and vegetation. What a joy to see green leaves growing up on trees that has withered and made barren by winter. For we Christians, God has ordained times of spiritual renewal which brings a fresh new life and power, spiritual joy and blessings, new revelation and fruitfulness for the Lord.
Revival is a manifestation of the holy, sovereign God. It is a mighty visitation and outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon God's people. Revival usually brings a new spiritual awakening, a renewed and rekindled love and zeal for God.

History proves, beyond question, that prayer can change the world. A prayer warrior on his knees, involves himself in a mission capable of altering the very destiny of men and nations. The great revival that swept through Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries was sparked by much prayer. The great move of God in Scotland was as a result of John Knox prayer "give me Scotland or I die!" The Welch Revival that swept through England was as a result of the historic prayer meetings, organised by John Wesley and George Whitefield. All true revivals have been born in prayer.
In revival the Holy Spirit move mightily upon lives bringing salvation, healing and blessing of greater porportions. He goes into the homes and schools, into the places of sin, and He brings the sense of the reality of God. He brings conviction upon sinners.

PERSONAL REVIVAL
Hosea 6:1-2 - Come, and let us return to the Lord; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight.
Christian ought to seek for personal revival when there is spiritual dryness, lack of spiritual appetite for prayer, the Word of God, lukewarmness, lack of power, and zeal for the things of God. When besetting sin kept resurfacing. It is a sure indication that that soul need to be revived.

REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH
Habakkuk 3:2 - O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.
A fellowship or congregration need to pray for revival when the presence of God is less or completely absent from their services. When members are careless they way the live, compromising the standard of holiness, when there is disunity, gossips, jealousy, and strife.

REVIVAL FOR A NATION
2 Chronicles 7:14 - If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
A nation needs revival when there is a turning away from God. When there abound lawlessness, violence, idolatory, imorality, injstices, corruption, filthness, drunkness and debauchery.

GOD PROMISED REVIVAL

Isaiah 4:3 - For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

The Holy Spirit is not only poured into God's children; He pour Himself out through their lives like streams of water, bringing blessing to others - John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

We need the floodgate of heaven to burst open so the divine tidal wave of God's glory may come upon us as individual, as a fellowship and upon our cities, and nation. That floodgate can only be burst open if God's people will pray. Revival is given in answer to prayer. It must be asked earnestly and continually until it comes, and when it comes, it is preserved and continued with much prayer. Every revival comes as Pentecost came, as a result of united, continued prayer.

During the Welsh Revival, it was commonly reported that men would go into bars to drink, not wanting to go to their homes because they knew their wives were praying and the presence of God was there. But they couldn't escape Him in the bars. As they would take the drink in their hands, an unseen hand would stop them, and they would run from that place to their homes and get saved.

In 1922 when Smith Wigglesworth was ministering in Wellington, New Zealand, he called for a special prayer meeting with a group of eleven leaders. After each of them had prayed, Wigglesworth rose to seek the Lord, and the presence of God began to fill the room. Soon the glory of God became so powerful. The light became too bright, the heat too intense. The leaders couldn't take it any longer. Everyone of them left the room. Only Wigglesworth could continue in the midst of the Shekinah. That is the presence of God that comes with revival.

THE FEEFECT OF REVIVAL

Conviction: John 16:8-9 - And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more.

Sanctification: Hebrews 9:13-14 - For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through theeternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Glorify Jesus: John 16:14 - He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.

New Anointing: Acts 3:19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

Spiritual Empowerement: Acts 1:8 - But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Deliverance and Healing Miracles: Acts 10:38 - How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

The great work of intercession is needed for revival to come. Let us begin as individual to plead with God. Let us help encourage others to join us in contending for revival in this fellowship, in this city, in this state, in this nation and the nations of the world.
We must prevail with God before the great revival, the floods of blessing can come. Let all of us who desire to see great outpouring of God's Spirit, let none hold back in this great work of honest, earnest, consistent pleading "Revive Thy work, O Lord! Wilt Thou not revive us again?