23rd February, 2022.

UNDERSTANDING BIBLICAL REVIVAL Pt.3

Psalms85:6 Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?

BIRTHING REVIVAL

The famous Oke Oye revival in Ilesha in 1930 is one of the most notable revival in sub Saharan Africa. In 1918, some men who saw the lukewarmness of the brethren and the pitiable state of the church in Nigeria especially South West began to pray. They formed a prayer group in Ijebu Ode. Most of them were members of the Anglican communion. They prayed& fasted to see true revival. Unfortunately, they were opposed by the authority of the church because of their belief in the gifts of the Spirit and they were seen as over zealous people who weren't in sync with the church that had become cold and rutualistic. Sometimes, the first opposition against revival comes from within. In 1928, God began to stir a young man in the person of Joseph Ayo Babalola. His prayer life caught fire and he was moved by God to preach the message of repentance in his hometown warning them against idolatry. God prepared him in the place of prayer for about 2 years until 1930 when the revival broke out. 1930 revival was the answer to the cry of the prayers that started in 1918.

Revival is incomplete without prayer. The prayer of saints birth revival and the prayer of revived men sustain revival. In history of revivals all over the world and wherever it may have happened, I've not heard of a prayer less revival. Some persons think God will burst out on His people at will without some persons having laboured in prayers. It doesn't work that way. Even if God want to work in the midst of His people to revive them, one of the things He look for are praying men. God will do no such thing as revival unless He finds praying men. Revival is birth through prayer and it is sustained through prayer. The most famous revival in church history is the Azusa street revival. This revival was a revival of righteousness, it swept souls off hell and brought them into the kingdom en masse yet it was not without the prayer of the saints. Some persons spent nights praying with their heads in crates asking God for revival. Thereafter, America saw God.

If you desire true revival in your life and church, you must be ready to pay the price of prayer. The good thing about revival is that it also produces praying men. However, you will not pray well for revival until you see the need for it. It takes God to make you see the need for revival. Those who prayed for revival have some things in common. They are men and women who saw how the church had deviated from the teachings of Christ and the Apostles and are eager to see the church return to the place of purity and power. Can you see the lukewarmness, coldness and backsliding state of the church? If you look at yourself and consider how you started your walk with the Lord, can you adjudge yourself as "still on fire"? Do you still have passion for souls like before? How far with your prayer life? Do you hate sin like Jesus did or now you're pampering sin and making excuses for it? What about your love for the brethren?/The moment you realize how far you've deviated from the holy path you once trod, you need to ask God for revival. I'm convinced that the church of today need a strong revival. Shall we pray.