Revival: God’s Job or Ours?

In determining God’s role vs. man’s role in revival, there are two extremes. On one side is the notion that since God is absolutely sovereign, nothing we do makes any real difference. He will revive His church if and when He pleases to do so, irrespective of all we might pray or do.So all our efforts to bring revival to our church, our city, or our nation are virtually a waste of time. Some would call this approach fatalism.On the other extreme is the conviction that we humans can make revival happen whenever and wherever we choose. If we simply repent enough and stir up sufficient emotional and spiritual fervor, we can produce revival on demand. Some would call this approach revivalism.We do know that while God is truly sovereign, He also always hears the desperate, humble, repentant, and united prayers of His people. The fact is that His sovereignty is so all-encompassing, it includes responding to our prayers as part of the divine-human mix. As such, our prayers move His loving heart.So to see revival come, our job as His people is to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. We can be confident that He will be faithful to His promises.But the timeframe and the manner in which He brings revival and healing to our land is totally His call. Proverbs 21:31 (ESV) says, “The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.”Let’s prepare the revival “horse” for battle by doing all in our power—through our prayers and wholehearted obedience—to seek a mighty move of God in our world. And let’s trust that, because of His infinite faithfulness, He will indeed respond above and beyond our ability to ask or imagine!