Revival
Proper order

Revelation – Brought to light
Reproach – a true seeing regarding one’s inner standing
Resolution – a taking heed
Repentance – genuine outcome
Restitution – a vindication of the perpetrated
Reconciliation – the Cross at work
Restoration – newness of life
Resemblance – a formation of Christ within

I think there is still a fair amount of digesting going on for some of us and the Carter Conlon dream may have given some cause to pause and wonder.

There is a saying that old generals always refight the last war. It refers to the fact that they had seen the old ways and now know how to do it better 'this time'. There must always be a danger that those who pray will pray for the 'last revival' ie a repeat, but without the mistakes, of the last time God moved. This has interesting implications when you get a gathering of people together who have different 'recollections' of the 'last war'. Some from the more sober holiness traditions will have one memory and those from the more exuberant traditions will have another memory. It was interesting to me that most of the speakers provided their own definition of revival in the course of their messages.

The danger of course is that the gap between 'expectation' and 'delivery' is usually called 'disappointment'. So we may well have folk who have a measure of disappointment because their 'last war' was not properly re-fought.

Many years ago I visited Lincoln College in Oxford UK where they have a reproduction of John Wesley's study. Visitors can lean over the stable-door and get the feel of what it would have been like to be there in Wesley's day. I did just that and then added my name to the visitors book. There was a column for 'comments' and I instinctively wrote 'do it again Lord'. I was instantly checked in my heart with a word which said "I am the Origin. All that I do is origin-al; I never repeat myself". I walked from the college somewhat subdued and deep in thought.

It is impossible for human beings to be genuinely objective and the biggest follies are committed by those who think they are. We are all the products of our history and experience and that affects our expectations.

Was I disappointed? No, but then I didn't have the clear expectations that some others may have had. Was this lack of faith? Well, I can only believe what God shows me so without revelation what we often call 'faith' is more likely to be 'hope'. I was particularly blessed and challenged by some messages; some more that others. I was blessed to have been there and for me the 'face to face' with several SI-ers was a particular blessing.

Maybe it was a call back to SI's original roots? If you go back far enough you will discover that this website began life under the heading... "the revival we need". We have some fascinating discussions on the forums but the purpose, as I understand it of this website, is to encourage each other in prayer and a practical walk of holiness and righteousness; to prepare the way of the Lord and to pray for his conscious presence in the temple which is his church.

_________________
Ron Bailey

God honours an honest crying out to Him to ”revive us again”, to bring us back to life.
A hesitation to do so would cause much displeasure in Heaven.

_________________
Ron Bailey

I agree, I was recently speaking from Mark 8:26 when the Lord dropped something into my heart from Isa 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.

Revival is an expression of who God is, in its truest sense it is the Life of Christ in the heart of man/woman. Not everyone needs revival. Some are already walking in the light as He is in the light. What more is there than this? I heard one of the speakers say something like, "sometimes we expect more from ourselves than God requires of us, and sometimes we do less than what God wants from us", that to me seemed pretty liberating and yet held a sense of conviction too, "Lord which one am I"?

_________________
D.Miller

_________________
D.Miller

We sometimes encounter a strange form of reductionism in regards to what God wants to do for us and in us.

Promises are carelessly and without respect reduced to a minimum rather than to be employed in an intense cry unto the Lord for a fullness of the Cross in operation – a blaming God for the poor results in impacting lives.

This is often traced to serious discrepancy in what we say we believe in and what we really do believe in – and thereby not being able to honour the Word of God and his promises.

We look for a practical lifestyle which honours God, honours His word and honours man.
Revival is genuinely practical.

_________________
Mike Balog

I have been particularly challenged of late by an old sermon of G.W. north from around 1977. He talked about how Jesus came to send FIRE on the earth; he then asked, "Could He safely send you?"

I believe the conference was the beginnings of a rekindling of the FIRE that, to some degree or another, may have died down in our lives. It is interesting to note that Jesus said we are the 'light of the world'. In the 1st century the only real sources of light originated in fire. The Sun is a ball of fire. the moon is a reflection of that ball of fire. The stars are balls of fire. Torches are fire. Candles are fire.

God wants to light individuals on FIRE with His presence, that they might burn for Him. That is what priests do- they burn things. they burn sacrifices and incense. We are kings and priests unto God- are we burning?

A bruised reed shall he not break, [u]And smoking flax shall he not quench[/u], Till he send forth judgment unto victory. (Matt. 12:20)

The prophet referred to our LORD here as this is taken from Isaiah 42. What good is a candle if there be no fire? What good is a candlestick in the first place? Is it an item of decor? To remove the candlestick is to remove the FIRE. Ephesus had FIRE, but did they have fruit? We need fruit and FIRE.

I am come to send FIRE!, Jesus said. What good are we if we have no FIRE? An old time preacher was asked how a person could get on fire for God. He simply reached into a burning fireplace with a steel poker. Upon leaving it for a while he pulled it back bright and orange illuminating the darkened are of the room. He then exclaimed, I put the rod in the fire- and now the fire is in the rod.

The conference, for me, was a time of God putting me back into the Fire. What good am I to anyone if I have no Fire?

_________________
Robert Wurtz II

Is it that many of us are not able to see, not able to respond properly because we are so eager to defend what we actually received? And, by the way, this writer is certainly not here to take what you got away from you. But, the way some of you are acting is about to kill that which was yours.

Wouldn’t it be better to interact and to seek common categories and parameters within which we would find grace to become practical in our efforts for revival. Hiddenness reveals darkness.

Either we are quenching the fire by unwillingness to honesty or we are bringers of light and a warming fire to the ones out in the cold, even a reminder of the furnace heated for further cleansing. – Just to refer to Robert W’s excellent comment. . .