Why Not Now?

As we talk about revival, there really is no denying that our world needs it. From wars, political landscapes, social norms—the list goes on. It’s not just a want, like, “It’d be nice if more people came to church,” or, “It’d be nice if more people were like me.” It’s not a want—it is a need. Our world needs revival.

We’ve seen what’s happened with just one generation that has grown up essentially as a secular society, away from God. And man, we’ve already kicked the bucket on that one. But it’s great to see—Gen Z is coming back to Christ.

So the world is already gone. Yeah—we need revival. But what does “revival” actually mean? It can become one of those buzzwords. We say it, we sing it: “Revival!” But what are we actually asking for?

If we look at the free version of ChatGPT, it says: In a religious context, revival primarily refers to a period of heightened spiritual activity within a church or Christian community.

That’s something we can get behind. It’s the passion of God. His fire. God is pouring His presence out on us as we gather. Amazing. We love it. We’re seeing Him in greater measure. But that’s the effect of revival—not the cause. It’s something we experience from revival—but it’s not the be-all and end-all.

Now, let’s look at the $20/month version of ChatGPT. It says:

Revival is characterised by a renewed sense of God’s presence, particularly His holiness, leading to a deeper awareness of sin, followed by confession, repentance, and renewed joy in faith. This experience often spreads to Christians and non-believers, resulting in conversions. Revivals are typically seen as sovereign acts of God that cannot be predicted or manufactured, though they are often preceded by intense corporate prayer. These events can have lasting impacts, motivating churches toward evangelism, social concern, and missionary work. While revivals are often associated with emotional and physical manifestations, their core focus is on spiritual renewal and recommitment to faith.

It’s so important for us to understand what it means when we say we want revival.

“God, would You start a revival in me?”

Because revival doesn’t break out at the prayer meetings—it comes from the prayer meetings. Revival isn’t just experienced on a Sunday. Sunday is like the cherry on top because of the revival God has been doing through the week—in our lives, in our families, in our homes, in our cars, in our prayers. That’s what revival is.