Revival Articles
When the Revival Fades
Glen Gerhauser
“Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.” –– 1 Timothy 4:7-8, The Message
Living two years in what the New York Times observed as apparently the largest and longest Pentecostal revival of last century was foundational to my life. I saw thousands turn to God and receive Jesus. I witnessed God’s power breaking out in restaurants, grocery stores, Bible school classes and the nursery. Many left everything––careers, family, houses and opportunities––to live in the outpouring. But what happened to those who saw God’s power and glory in the sanctuary, people who often needed to be carried home because they were overcome by God’s glory?
Recently, I was asked by one of our Bible School students if many backslid after the revival. Since the Pensacola revival impacted millions I have no way of knowing. What I do know is what I saw in my own circle of friends. That group can be divided into two: those who went on to do mighty things for God and those who got bogged in the slough of despond. What was the difference between these two groups before their cards were put on the table?
In revival the atmosphere is charged with God’s power and the weakest of saints experiences God’s glory. God is felt tangibly and most are conscious of his nearness. You don’t want to leave that environment, and in the early days of the Pensacola revival people didn’t––they stayed in the sanctuary until the sun rose the next day. They quickly refreshed themselves and then went off to work a couple hours later. And this pattern was repeated for many weeks to come. There was an external anointing that came upon many who went to these meetings, empowering them to do things they never could do before. Like Samson they ripped apart lions, lions that previously tormented them. Out of the eater came something to eat; out of the fierce something sweet (Jud. 14:14).
But if this external anointing is taken wrongly it can be very deceptive. It could make you think you had a close intimate walk with God even though your secret life with him might be anemic. In a revival it’s possible to enjoy a satisfying relationship with God in the corporate body but be sparse in the time you spend with him when alone. And this was the distinctive difference between the two groups: one internalized the anointing and the other only knew it in the revival itself. And this same thing can happen today even if your church is not experiencing a world-impacting revival. It is possible for you to live off the corporate anointing at gatherings rather than the internal anointing that is found in the secret place.
Those who go the distance in God are those who find their strength in the secret place rather than from public meetings. Corporate times of worship are essential to our Christian lives, but they should be the overflow of our private times with God. Corporate times have their purpose but they can’t replace daily devotion to the Lord. Any grace that we receive from God in worship gatherings should inspire us to seek God’s face when no face is present. The extrovert will never make a lasting impact unless he learns to derive his strength from being with God and God alone. And the spiritual introvert will never do mighty things in God unless he steps out of the boat and gives to others what he has received.
If you want to go the distance in the Kingdom then develop the core spiritual disciplines in your life––secret prayer, devotion to God’s Word and fasting. Don’t just do these things when you feel like it; be devoted to God when you don’t feel up to it. Live by faith not by feelings. Those in the revival who received the anointing in order to train to be godly went from glory to glory. But those who became addicted to the atmosphere lost their walk with God when the season changed (cf. Matt. 17:1-14). No matter what the season is––winter, spring, summer or autumn––God is seeking those who are daily devoted to him. These are the people who carry revival and change the environment that they worship in.
When you are in a revival you have a decision to make: you can live off the external atmosphere or you can internalize the revival. Those who thrive after the revival fades are those who internalize God’s life. Even if the church is backslidden they are not moved because they walk in personal revival every day. You don’t have to allow the spirit of the church to dampen your walk with God. Even though corporate revivals may come and go, you can live in personal revival each day. Today, the revival in Pensacola still lives on––but not in those who just enjoyed it, but in those who internalized it. It’s when the revival fades that you are tested. Have you hid God’s Word in your heart? Have you developed the discipline of daily personal prayer? Are you acting righteously when the fervent crowds of worshippers are not around? The answers to these questions are what separate men and women of God from mere spectators. Let’s internalize revival and God’s anointing. Then we will be the ones who set the atmosphere of the church, rather than merely be tossed to and fro by it.
Author Profile
Glen Gerhauser
Pastor Glen and Anna met at the Pensacola Revival in Florida, USA. Later they got married and planted Holy Fire Fellowship in August 1999 and have been pastoring the church since that time. In 2003 Pastor Glen founded Holy Fire Ministry Training School for the purpose of training on-fire spiritual warriors for the Kingdom. Before coming to Australia Glen studied at the Brownsville Revival School of Ministry (BRSM) during the peak of the revival when over 100,000 thousand souls were saved in a few years. Glen also graduated with a B.B.A with High Honors in Management from Hofstra University, NY and with an A.A. in Practical Ministry from BRSM. Glen is the author of over twenty works including Desperate for Jesus: A Call to Revival and the Holy Fire Curriculum Series.
Website: www.brisbanefire.com
The Spirit of Revival
Dean Taylor
Last year Billye Brim of Prayer Mountain in the Ozarks had a prophetic word in their prayer meeting that went along these lines… “there is only one thing that will save America, and it is not the election, it is an awakening to God.”
This could be said of any nation and especially Australia. There is only one thing that will save Australia and it is anawakening to God. You and I might not be called to be an apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor or evangelist. There is one thing that we can all be, and it is something that God wants us all to be and that is a revivalist.
A revivalist is someone who starts fires in people’s lives. James 3 says that we have a little fire starter in our mouths called our tongue. With it we can cause much damage but at the same time we must also be able to do positive things like start fires for the Kingdom. In our mouth we have ‘matches’ that we can strike and throw on the kindling of people’s lives. Jesus said the harvest is ripe for the picking we just need to get out there and move in the spirit of the revivalists of old and set some forests alight.
Every conversation we have with people about God, every time we ask someone have they thought about where they will spend eternity, every time we come across a sick person and pray for God to touch them, every time we give our testimony of what God has done in our lives, we are giving the Holy Spirit something to work with. He needs us to use our ’spark’ to bring people into the Kingdom and family of God. The Holy Spirit wants to demonstrate the Kingdom, reveal Jesus to the world and for His revivalists to reflect the glory of God.
When we pray dangerous prayers that transform our life like, “God make me your revivalist”….and mean it from our hearts then God leads us on a journey of never ending adventure and death to self. God’s revivalists have never ending opportunities to die. Maybe not physical death, torture or being beaten, but a death of our reputation in the world’s eyes. The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing and so how they perceive us will sometimes be with disdain and contempt.
We might also experience a death of our self image. What do we feel like if we give God opportunity to heal someone and it seems like nothing happens? This is where the life scripture of the revivalist does its work in our hearts. Rev 12:11 says that “we love not our lives, even unto death.”
The only way we will consistently: (1) light forest fires in those who need God to move in their lives, (2) reveal Jesus and manifest the Kingdom, (3) allow God to bring an awakening of the nation unto Him, will be for us as believers not to contain His power, but as revivalists, step out, die to what people think about us, and GO FOR IT.
Many think this is impossible for them as they are not bold enough for this kind of lifestyle, but Jesus said it is very possible and He even expects it. Acts 1: 8 says that we will be clothed in power when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. He said we will be His witnesses (revivalists) in the earth when we stop imprisoning His Spirit who is busting to get out from the inside of us.
Pray some dangerous prayers. Don’t be satisfied with your present Christian life and the fact that you are not being all you could be in God. The world is waiting to see what you have received. Don’t disappoint them!
Preach the Kingdom, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons and raise the dead. Freely you have received. Freely give it away!
Author Profile
Dean Taylor
Dean grew up in Newcastle, NSW surfing the beautiful beaches and playing on many sporting teams throughout his young life and into adulthood. He was born in 1967 and raised in a Christian home, attending a Baptist Church where he accepted Jesus as his Saviour in 1978. Upon finishing a science degree at university Dean worked in the cardiology unit at the John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle before returning to do a diploma in teaching. It was around this time that he experienced the call of God on his life to ministry and while teaching at a Christian high school he had a transforming experience of the Holy Spirit which consequently altered the direction of his life.
Dean married his wife Wendy in 1993 and they moved to Brisbane in Jan. 1995 where he studied at the Baptist Theological College of Queensland. Graduating from there with a Diploma in Ministry, they were then led to Kenneth Hagin Ministries on the Gold Coast in 1997, where he completed studies before entering into itinerant ministry in 1999. During this season Dean was given a fulll time instructors position at Rhema Bible Training Centre which he filled until moving into a teaching/pastoral position at Destiny Church in 2003 which he continues in today.
Dean's home church is affilliated with Harvest International Ministries Australia one of the Apostolic Networks in a group known as the Revival Alliance. While continuing in his role at his home church, Dean has been directed by the leading of the Lord to also serve the wider Body of Christ. Operating in the ministry of prophetic teaching, his mandate and passion is to help pastors mature the Body of Christ so her individual members can come into their God-given destiny. His desire is to see God's children skillfully applying Jesus' Kingdom principles by bringing them practical, revelatory insight in a fresh, dynamic and understandable style. His heart is to see the Body of Christ being built up in strong faith and operating in greater demonstrations of the Kingdom.
Dean and Wendy live on the Gold Coast with their daughter Darcie.
Website: www.deantaylor.com.au | Article Archive: here | MP3 Messages: Shop
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