When God Begins to Move

Can anyone tell me what it's like when God begins to move? I'm talking about the ver first movement. I've experienced a couple of periods of personal revival and can almost pinpoint the beginnings. Times of corporate revival have been sparse to non-existent in my experience.

What I've experienced is a gentle rumble of awakening that most of us didn't even realize until it was subsiding. It was impossible to put our finger on the starting point.

That's what I want to know. I've studied HOW revival starts. 2 Chronicles 7 says we are to humble, pray, seek, and turn then God will hear, forgive, and heal. Keys found in Acts 1-2 are obedience, prayer, focus, unity, and action. Acts 3:19 says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord." Those are a few of the keys to revival; there are many more that tell us HOW revival starts.

Revival is an act of the Holy Spirit. We can't really do much to bring on revival outside of praying and repenting and being obedient. The Spirit rains down upon us stirring our hearts. I long for that.

Sparks of revival glow from time to time and I wonder if I'm doing something to hinder it. Am I not yielding to the Spirit? Am I following some preconceived idea of revival rather than listening to and following the Spirit?

I sense an expectancy among our church. I hear our prayers and desires. I know God does, too. Is revival happening? Is it starting now?

Paul wrote to believers in Philippi, "I will press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me... Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" (from Philippians 3:12-13).

Revival is necessary because believers have taken our eyes off the prize. We've run off chasing goals other than that set before us by God.

Will God send revival? I think he will because he wants us to follow him. Will God revive us today? I don't know but I believe it won't happen until the Spirit moves within me and I respond by yielding to his call.

Sometimes I listen to the chimes on the front porch. No sound at first, then a light pinging, then a heavier clang. The wind picking up indicates rain may be coming. Sometimes it doesn't. I hope the wind I'm feeling in my spirit is the refreshing of revival that comes from the Lord.

In Revelation 22, John responded to Jesus' promise to return with the words, "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." I believe Jesus wants to revive his people today as much as he wants to return to us some day.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, and revive us.