How Revival Begins

Sometimes it takes a certain person who is walking in the ways of the Lord, for a revival to take place on earth. A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit and is ready to do as the Lord God asks of them. This person could be me, could be you, or someone else. God knows where we stand with Him, and therefore, will use the person who is most willing to serve Him. Then, an entire town, city, state, or even country, can be turned upside down. People may have walked in the ways of their own desires, which led them to lust after one another and to follow false gods, but then a man or women of God comes forth speaking boldly of the gospel message of the cross, and also God’s wrath upon the wicked, and everything changes. Why is this? Is it because of the person’s elegant words? No. It was because they knew it was God speaking through that person. Therefore, if they did not repent and accept Jesus as Lord, then hell would await them come death. One such person who spoke boldly for God, and also went forth and did His will was King Asa. It is recorded that he ¹“took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.” (2 Chronicles 15:8) He heard what the prophet Obed said, ¹“if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.” (2 Chronicles 15:2) But he didn’t keep these words to himself but jumped to make a change in the land for God. This is what is called boldness, my friends. He was filled with courage and acted out on it. All because he was in right standing with God.

It was then that the revival began. Asa then ¹“gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.” (2 Chronicles 15:9) Were the people angry with him? No. Because they knew God was doing the work in Him, ¹“they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul.” (2 Chronicles 15:12) ¹“And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets. And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.” (2 Chronicles 15:14,15) It is also said that ¹“the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.” (2 Chronicles 15:17) Wow! How amazing is this? So we have all the people in the kingdom of Judah dedicating their lives to God. Many of them were probably not caring as much to do God’s will, but after Asa did what he did, the fear of God came upon the people, which led them to repentance. They knew that they were not walking in the ways of the Lord and were sorry. Therefore, they made an oath to God, to seek Him with their whole heart. Praise God. Now, ²“dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) A revival may soon come to our nation if people would just turn to the Lord. Who will then rise up to be God’s hands and feet? The Lord wants to use you to spread the gospel, and to showcase His good works among the people.

Let us pray:
Lord, I just pray that people will desire to do Your will. So many people that say they believe in You are really far from You. They have no desire to listen and obey You, but only look this way while at church or with their Christian friends. This is so sad that people make no time for prayer and to read the Bible daily. Other things have become more important to them, which they have really become their gods. If people do not wake up from their wickedness, then they will not be with You in heaven, but find themselves in hell come death. Lord, this really makes me sad to think of all the people that don’t really know You, and therefore, are on the path of destruction. So please use me and others in the faith to awaken these people that are sleeping. Help us share the good news of the cross and resurrection, that they may begin to cling to You for salvation. It is one thing to just say that we love You, but another to showcase it in everything we do in life. You are able to do a mighty work in the lives of all people, but only if we put our trust in You. Help me demonstrate this trust as I go out in all the world to proclaim the good news of the gospel. Open my mouth and fill it with the Holy Spirit. Give me utterance to speak to the people, that they may be moved to repentance and to know You, Jesus, as their Lord and Savior. You are the Lord God who saves. Every person that will put their trust in You will be able to do greater things in this life and the life to come. So shine this day in the hearts of the people that are reading this prayer and to those that are humble, all through the globe. We want to serve You with more than our words, but with all our heart in Your good works in us, this day and forever. I love You, Jesus. I trust in You. Amen.

Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.

2 Chronicles 15

¹2 Chronicles 15 (KJV)
1 And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
3 Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
4 But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
5 And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
6 And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
7 Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
8 And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and renewed the altar of the Lord, that was before the porch of the Lord.
9 And he gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and the strangers with them out of Ephraim and Manasseh, and out of Simeon: for they fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.
10 So they gathered themselves together at Jerusalem in the third month, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa.
11 And they offered unto the Lord the same time, of the spoil which they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep.
12 And they entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;
13 That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.
14 And they sware unto the Lord with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.
15 And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round about.
16 And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the king, he removed her from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove: and Asa cut down her idol, and stamped it, and burnt it at the brook Kidron.
17 But the high places were not taken away out of Israel: nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days.
18 And he brought into the house of God the things that his father had dedicated, and that he himself had dedicated, silver, and gold, and vessels.
19 And there was no more war unto the five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa.

2 Chronicles 7

²2 Corinthians 7 (KJV)
1 Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Receive us; we have wronged no man, we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no man.
3 I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.
4 Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation.
5 For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.
6 Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;
7 And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.
8 For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.
9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.
10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.
12 Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
13 Therefore we were comforted in your comfort: yea, and exceedingly the more joyed we for the joy of Titus, because his spirit was refreshed by you all.
14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15 And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.
16 I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.