Today’s 333 Devotional: “God’s Pattern for Spiritual Revival and Awakening”

When God awakens His people, lives are radically changed. And it is during these times of revival, which are followed by a spiritual awakening that major reform happen. People begin to put off their old life of sin and put on a brand new life in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).

For this to happen, Jesus’s instructions are simple and to the point. “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17)

After His death and resurrection Jesus came to revive the spirits of His disciples, and in so doing gave them these instructions.

“He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father … (saying) you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now … (and) 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.” (Acts 1:4-8)

When the Holy Spirit came on that Day of Pentecost He empowered the church, and many were amazed by what they saw and heard (Acts 2:1-12).

So here’s the formula (I hate saying it like this, but I think you’ll see what I mean).

When God’s people surrender themselves fully to God’s word and to the Holy Spirit, then God will draw this watching and waiting world unto Himself through the church, that is, through His people.

It says the people were cut to the heart when Peter began preaching, and a great spiritual awakening took place.

God’s pattern, therefore, begins with the revival of God’s people, followed by a spiritual awakening among the lost. In other words, revival begins with us.

Let me give you a short prayer. The prayer comes from the book by Evelyn Christensen entitled, “Lord Change Me,” and a prayer uttered by Evan Roberts that basically started the great revival of 1904.

“Lord Change and Bend Me.”