Revival is More than a Camping Trip

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Our church is doing something really unique that I've never seen done before: we're praying for a Revival in our country and we're actually expecting God to show up. 

In keeping with the historic precedents of revivals, we're having a whole weekend dedicated to worship, prayer, and community outside under a big tent and we're even calling it "Revival." 

"Are you going to Revival?" we ask each other. 

"What time are you getting there?"

"Are you camping overnight at Revival?"

And as I pack up our camping gear and run through the list of all the to-dos I still need to do before Revival, it struck me:

A real, genuine spiritual awakening should never be slotted in my brain in the same category as a camping trip. I should prepare differently for a Revival than I prepare for a night under the stars cooking hotdogs. 

Yes, I still need to bring a cooler and an air mattress and find someone to let out the dog while we're away for the night, but Holy Spirit really convicted me:

Is that all the "preparing" you're going to do?

And sure. You can simply "show up" to something and be completely overwhelmed with the full and complete Presence of the Holy Spirit with absolutely no prep work needed. It happens all the time. Most of the time, it happens when we're not prepared or "expecting it."

But when we want to see a Revival in our land -- a real movement of the Holy Spirit that sweeps over our country and changes hearts and minds in the Name of Jesus... are we putting as much spiritual "effort" in as we are when we're preparing to go camping? For me, at least, the answer was a resounding "no."

The reality is that there are spiritual forces at work around us every day, no matter how much or how little planning we think we're doing. The enemy is out to steal, kill, and destroy, and at the exact same time, Holy Spirit is alive and breathing in all of the hearts who have welcomed Him in.

I'd go so far as to say that there's active, legitimate warfare happening all around us, all the time. We may not be able to see it or put words to it, but Paul urges us to "be strong" by putting on "the full armor of God," so that

"you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

-Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

"The powers of this dark world" is a scary thing to wrap your head around. But I don't take this lightly, and I don't think you should, either. Whenever it looks like God is "winning," the enemy is not happy about it. He's against us and wants to bring hardship, strife, and struggle. These things are real threats to the Kingdom.

In the words of hip-hop-culture, circa early 2000's: the struggle is real.

I've just been thinking more about how I need to waterproof our tent in case it rains, and bring a cooler in case it gets too warm for our refrigerated snacks and beverages... but these are all preparations for something that "might" happen, like the weather changing in ways I don't want it to.

However, we know that there's a spiritual enemy out there who is against followers of Jesus and so we know that struggles will happen when Holy Spirit starts to gain momentum in the hearts of men. What are we doing to prepare for that?

How can we use prayer, encouragement, and our time & resources to prepare for what God is doing during this Revival? 

Father,

I repent of the ways in which I've been blind to the weight of what a true Revival really means. I know there will be hardships, struggle, and strife. Help me bring hope, joy, peace, endurance, and perseverance to these places, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Help me, guide me, and strengthen me as I stand firm to resist the schemes of the evil one. Let my words and actions bring life and Light to dark places in Your Name. 

Amen

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