In this sermon, the speaker begins by sharing a story about a little boy who criticized his preaching. The pastor reassures him that the revival we truly need is one that focuses on the character traits of Christ, which are love, purity, and humility. He emphasizes the importance of restoring relationships within the body of Christ through confession and cleansing. The speaker also shares a personal experience of witnessing the Holy Spirit transform a church through a weekend of renewal, leading to the resolution of interpersonal struggles and the fruit of restored relationships.

Thank you very much, Petra. That was tremendous, and we ought to have an invitation for the sin of jealousy. But we might lose the preacher. That's powerful singing. In the spirit, that's what makes it powerful, isn't it? Turn, if you will, to the prophecy of Habakkuk tonight. Habakkuk chapter 3. That'll give me a little time. I was preaching some months ago. A little boy came up after the first service. He said, um, that was too long. Well, I didn't think much about it. And after the second service, the same little boy came up and, uh, he said that was irrelevant. I didn't even think the kid knew the word, you know. A little bit later in the week, he came up to me and the third time made a comment. That was boring. Well, I had the pastor at my side, and he just kind of looked at me with that kind look. He said, Tom, don't worry about that, that boy. He's just one of these kids that goes around repeating what he hears everyone else say. That didn't really happen to me. That happened to Ralph. But it is a real privilege to be a part of this conference. And the first burden that the Lord placed on my heart when I was preparing for coming here was the subject, the revival we don't need. And that's what I want to speak to you about tonight. And I trust that God will reveal to us the revival we do need in the context of this truth. Would you stand please one more time for the reading of God's word. I'd like to stand to honor this tremendous book, the book of life. Habakkuk chapter three, the first two verses. A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet upon Shigeanoth. Oh, Lord, I have heard thy speech and was afraid. Oh, Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years. In the midst of the years, make known in wrath. Remember mercy. Dear Father, tonight, this is the heart cry of your prophet in the Old Testament, and it's the heart cry of all of us here. Revive thy work in the midst of the years. Our hearts go out to these we have heard about in this week, the young man upon whom you are laying your hand in these days. This is not only a fulfillment of prophecy, but it is also a grand sign of the times. And Lord, we would be failing you and failing them not to pray for them tonight. I know of some under my own tutelage who are going through deep trials. And oh God, only you know how the devil would thwart, especially the young, the uprising, those who you have just recently set your hand upon. Father, when you put a man on the stage in front of many people, he so often becomes immediately the target of the enemy. And we need to be praying for these. Father, I do pray for some who have attended this conference and already had to leave, some who are here even tonight. And your hand is increasingly being made aware to them. Lord, I pray for their protection, that you would build a hedge about them, that Satan would not be able to overthrow. Lord, tonight, as we look at the subject that is before us, I pray that your spirit would do that work which only you can do. I don't have anything to say to anybody tonight that would change one mind, that would stir one heart. But by your spirit, you can move. I turn this time over to you now, with all the confidence that your word will not return void. Glory to your name. In Jesus' name, amen. You may be seated. I recently heard the story of an old man who claimed that he had a hearing aid just like the one President Reagan uses. He was telling everyone how wonderful it was to have one just like the President's. He proudly announced this thing cost $3,000. And finally, a friend broke into the excitement and asked, well, what kind is it? The old man smiled and said, it's about $9.30. A dear little lady came to my father after a service some years ago. She had her hearing aid in and said, Brother Allen, that was a fine sermon. My father said, oh, it wasn't much. She said, yeah, that's what they tell me. I think it's safe to say that both of these hearing aids I've described for you are the kind of hearing aid we don't need. They do not fulfill the purpose for which they were designed. And tonight I want to speak to you about the revival we don't need. I want to clarify something quickly, and that is I believe we need genuine revival in the church. And I'll explain later what I mean by that. But a critical concern of mine for you this evening is this. What is the kind of revival we should be asking God for in these days? What kind is it? There are no doubt thousands of Christians, many represented in this audience, praying with good intent, oh God, revive thy work. But what is this thing for which we pray? What results should we expect if God indeed visits individuals, visits our nation with a mighty revival? I firmly believe vague general praying leads to vague general answers to prayer. It's imperative that we clearly understand exactly what it is that we want God to do for each of us and for our country tonight. I trust as I blend a message that is geared both to those of you who are very familiar with the revival message and maybe some who are very new to it this evening, that God will zero in to each individual need. First, consider this with me. We don't need a revival that merely makes us comfortable. That's the revival we don't need. The one that merely makes us comfortable. Now, we live in a country that's crowded with creature comforts. We have overstuffed recliners and overstocked refrigerators. We have climate-controlled homes and cars. And the guys out there in Nebraska will witness to this, that nowadays even the big John Deere combines come equipped with air conditioning and AM FM cassette. And so we see the young farmers sort of boogying through the cornfields, you know. It's interesting. We've got our dishwashers and built-in vacuums and microwaves. I understand they're coming out very soon with a microwave with slow cook. I don't understand what's happening in this country. It's getting out of hand. But you know, the list goes on and on. We are pampered on every side with a caress of comfort. And it's easy to see how this comfort consciousness has had a telling impact on the modern Christian scene. We want to attend an easygoing church that doesn't dare to invade our comfort zones. We wish to hear good preaching, yes, interesting preaching. But we'd rather not be made uncomfortable by what we hear. The prophet Isaiah put it this way. These are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord's instruction. They say to the seers, see no more visions. To the prophets, give us no more visions of what is right. Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy illusions. Leave this way. Get off this path. And catch this last phrase. Stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel. That is the outcry of the fundamental evangelical church today. Don't confront us with the Holy One of Israel. Paul the Apostle issued the warning to Timothy, talking about the temptation to preach only smooth things. He says, in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead in view of His appearing in His kingdom, I give you this charge. Preach the word. Be prepared in season and out of season. Correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. Pleasant things, smooth things. They will turn their ears away from the truth, Paul says, and aside to myths. But keep your head in all situations, he says. Endure hardship. Do the work of an evangelist. And so it is, I believe, with revival tonight. Many Christians pray for it, earnestly desire it, but we want revival our way. Oh, dear Lord, send a revival that will convict my brother and comfort me. You know how he needs that, and how I need this. We go so far as to develop a prayer hit list. You know, we name those who need to be disturbed by God's Spirit. Oh, God, get brother so-and-so. You know that sister over there. But our own names are conspicuously absent from the list. Oh, it's quite all right for the Holy Spirit to change someone else in a dramatic manner, but leave me alone. Oh, dear friends, when will we see that God will not revive His work while we are satisfied with the comfortable status quo? Some of you ought to respond to the invitation this evening if for no other reason than to say to God, I'm tired of the status quo. God, I repent for being comfortable in the kind of Christianity that has been existing in my life for these past several years. And those of us who have experienced personal revival must constantly be on guard. I speak to myself now. The danger is to assume that we have climbed every mountain, we've forded every stream. We begin to think that revival for us is, please get this, a past event rather than a present evidence. That is so dangerous. If your renewal this evening is not presently evidence, I think it's fair to question whether it was a past event. Now, praise God, there's a sense in which genuine revival results in spiritual comfort for the backslidden, defeated Christian. That's true. But comfort is always the result first of conviction, confession, cleansing. These aspects of true revival are not pleasant, they are not comfortable. Too many believers are yearning to hear smooth talk. I hear many saying this, we are not such bad Christians after all. Oh sure, we can always get closer to Christ, but after all that's a growing experience. But listen to me, that's not what we find in the Bible. Break up your fallow ground. It is time to seek the Lord. Search me, oh God, see if there be any wicked way in me. You have forsaken your first love, Jesus says. Repent and do the works you did at first. That doesn't sound to me like some gradual sort of thing. No, that's the call to revival, the call to action, the call to see my need here and now. Oh God, revive thy work in my heart. Throughout Scripture there is this emphasis on the value of divine discomfort, a sacred stir within us that cries out for a deeper, a more meaningful walk with God. I want to suggest that for many, maybe even in this audience, it's been a long time since you opened up every closet, every crevice to the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit of God. I may be talking to some revival comrades who, along with me, experienced some of these blessings and wonderful things 10 and 11 years ago. I'm convinced in some of our churches it's almost like there's a contest on to see who can stay away from the prayer room the longest, so you can stay away from the altar the longest. And this happens to people who come to God in revival meetings. Thereafter, it's the biggest struggle of their life to ever respond again because, well, I've been revived. Well, let's not ask God for a revival that just comfortably leaves us where we are. That's the revival we don't need. Here's number two. We don't need a revival that merely makes us compatible. A revival that merely makes us compatible. Now, one of the lovely results of revival is the healing of personal relationships. After traveling for several years and speaking in revival crusades and conferences, I can say to you tonight it's been my privilege to see hundreds of believers get right with God and with each other. How well I remember my first weekend revival in a Baptist Church in Pontiac, Michigan. I'm sure the Soteres would remember and probably even can lodge the name of that church in their mind. It was October 1975. The brochure about the revival... I can't even remember the title of that first brochure. The Family and Revival Series was hot off the press and a young guy by the name of Tom Allen was the hot evangelist who you had to get in your church. What a mistake that was. But you know something? God took the simplicity of those days and I saw the Holy Spirit transform in a weekend the interpersonal relationships of that dear church. It was a blessed thing. I remember the first night I was scared to death. I gave him an invitation, all of a sudden a piano cut out on me. Well, that's bad when you're in this first time, you know what I mean? I thought, what are we gonna do now? No piano. I looked over there, she was just in a pool of tears on the keyboard. Well, she finally made her way to the place of prayer, but that's the way the whole weekend went. I didn't know there could be that many problems in one church. Interpersonal struggle. Oh, it was tremendous. Services went on for hours with weeping and confession and cleansing. And I've seen this happen in dozens of churches. What a privilege. Thank God for the wonderful fruit of renewal. Restored relationships in the body of Christ. Some of you represent that right here tonight. But we've got to be careful about something. And that is that we don't imply that Christian compatibility is the ultimate goal of revival. Many churches experience the afterglow of renewal and then simply glow happily ever after. Well, brother, what's happened in your church since revival took place? Oh, we aren't doing anything differently. We just love each other and know how to get along now. Now, granted, that'd be a tremendous church to attend and a great testimony. People who actually love each other. Board members who think of the other as better than himself. A music department that isn't hampered by stupid questions like, who is the greatest? Oh, that'd be a great church to attend. But if compatibility is all we have to show for revival, mark this. That revival has not penetrated deeply enough into the hearts and lives of the people. Let me add this. Compatibility is not necessarily equal to having a Christ-like character. Some people get along with others by sheer force of will. They simply choose to tolerate the idiosyncrasies they find disgusting in somebody else. I love you, brother, but I don't have to like you. And in other situations, I believe compatibility is indicative of compromise. Jesus was not compatible with everyone he met because he would not condone sin. That's why Paul said in Romans 12, 18, if it is possible as far as it lies within you, live at peace with everyone. And sometimes it will not be possible to be in harmony with other people, other believers, because of the sin issue. As far as we are concerned, our conscience can be clear, but they may not be clear with us. Comfortable? Compatible? Oh, they're pleasant side effects of revival, but I don't think they represent the revival we need. Just before we look at the revival we do need, examine one more with me. Thirdly, we don't need a revival that merely makes us comparable. Comparable. I think we all smile when we read Luke 9, 46 to 48. You remember the passage, an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took the little child. He says, whoever welcomes this little child welcomes me. For the one who is least among you, Jesus said, is what? He's the greatest. I'd love to have been there. Something in all of our hearts relates to this little squabble among the disciples. Uncle Buddy Robinson says that pride's the only disease known to man that makes everyone sick, but the person who has it. How true it is. And pictured in Luke 9 is a clinic full of sick men. They didn't realize it. Human beings are forever seeking to make comparisons that will come out in their favor. Paul describes this tension in First Corinthians. He says the early Christians were on a pride trip as to the basis of their spiritual fatherhood. You remember the discussion, don't you? One fellow piped up and says, I am a member of good standing of the first Church of Apollos. And another said, well, my membership is in the Christian and missionary Cephas Church. And the third guy said, who cares about either of those fellowships? I am from St. Paul's Cathedral. You see, they they had this all down pat. Today, we use doctrinal denominational differences as that basis for comparison. Now, the revival movement is sought to break down the traditional barriers between evangelical churches. And I say to you tonight, praise God, there has been a degree of success for too long. Bible believing Christians have not only been separated from the world, they've been isolated from each other. What a tragedy. But now there's another dilemma within the revival movement. Please get this. It's the danger of comparing revived with non revived Christians, revived with non revived churches. To hear some pastors, you wonder what's their motivation for revival. Do they wish for a mighty renewal so that their church will emerge the biggest, the best in the community? And what about the laity? Are they seeking personal revival in order that they might have a better position, a better reputation on the local church level? Oh, how we need to search our hearts. Are we asking, dear friends, tonight for a refreshing from God that will merely make us better Christians? Comparatively speaking, God help us if that's our motive. That's not the revival we need. I've described this revival. We don't need one that merely makes us comfortable, compatible, comparable. But I want to take the rest of this time this evening to describe the revival we do need. And as stated in the introduction, I believe if we can get a handle on what we really need, praise God, that will lead to intelligent praying. And then I believe to action on the part of God in answering prayer. First, consider with me this evening, we need a revival that will result in a Christ like character. We need that as we've never needed it before in this nation. A revival that will result in a Christ like character. Paul says to the Corinthians, follow my example as I follow Christ. According to Philippians three verses seven to 16, this apostle was intoxicated with a passion to have the very character of Christ revealed through his life. One of my favorite sermon sermons that Lou preaches is there in Philippians 310, that I may know him. The passion of this man who wanted to know Jesus Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings. Not too many praying that anymore. This ought to be our number one concern to be like Jesus Christ through his indwelling presence. And if revival is not developing observable traits of our Lord's character within us, dear friends, we are not experiencing real revival. We're not praying for a renewal that will result in this Christ like disposition. God will answer the prayer. You see, the whole purpose of our existence is to become like Jesus. The church itself was designed for what purpose? To mold us into the image of his son, we are told Ephesians four. He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. So we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God unto a perfect that is mature man or woman. Unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, you see, that's the purpose of the church on this earth. The trials that come our way from the hand of God are for the express purpose of what Irwin Lutzer would say, goading us unto godliness. Don't ever read Romans eight twenty eight without twenty nine. Sure, all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the called according to his purpose. But what's the good thing in it? For those he foreknew he did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son. If you're going through some terrible, tempestuous trial in your life tonight, please mark this. The good thing in the middle of it all is that God is pushing you into the image of his son. He's conforming you to Jesus. And our Lord even wants to take Satan's many temptations to sin and use them to produce within us Christlike character. Hebrews tells us because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he's able to help those who are being tempted. You see, the point I'm making, all of the Bible points in one direction, the purpose of the church, the purpose of trials, the purpose of temptation, what? That I might be like Jesus. If we need a revival of any kind today, it's essentially this one. I love to talk about the glorious disposition of Christ that could probably be summed up in three words, love, purity, and humility. These are what I would call the character traits of Christ. As our Savior stands eye to eye with that rich young ruler, aware of his materialistic heart and his blindness spiritually, Mark tells us tenderly that Jesus looked at him and loved him. That touches my heart. This one who knew the heart of every man and all messed up. And the original Greek literally says he looked him right in the eye and he loved him. The hymn writer Samuel T. Francis writes, Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free, rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me. Underneath me, all around me is the current of thy love, leading onward, leading homeward to my glorious rest above. Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus spread his praise from shore to shore. How he loveth, ever loveth, changeth never, nevermore. How he watcheth o'er his loved ones, died to call them all his own. How for them he intercedeth, watcheth o'er them from the throne. Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus, love of every love the best. Tis an ocean vast of blessing. Tis a haven sweet of rest. Oh, the deep, deep love of Jesus. Tis a heaven of heavens to me. And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to thee. Consider his matchless purity, tempted at every point wherein we have been tempted, yet without sin. Fairer the meadows, fairer still the woodlands, robed in the blooming garb of spring. But Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, who makes the woeful heart to sing. Let us never forget Jesus set our example in the area of humility for each of us. You know, the paradox of the ages will always be the divine tension between the absolute glory and the utter humility of the Lord Jesus Christ. Absolute glory! Utter humility! The King of kings, the Lord of lords, humbles himself, takes on the form of a servant, enters the human race. Oh, the majesty, the mystery of this endearing truth, how it just gets a hold of your heart. In messages that so stirred my heart some years ago at this very same weekend, dear brother Roy Heshin talked about the Lamb as it had been slain, stood in the regal center of the throne. You'd be looking for the majestic lion with the power and all that is attached to it, but no, in the middle of the throne was what? A Lamb as it had been slain! Utter humility, absolute glory. Is the beauty of Jesus being seen in you tonight? Is the love and the purity and the humility of Christ transforming your character into his likeness? Why do we need a revival if it won't make a difference in our love for our spouse, our family, other Christians and people in general? If our agreement with God about the crucifixion of the old nature does not generate power over impurity, then why are we wasting our breath talking about spiritual renewal? And if the visitation of God does not yield that holy humility that makes us easy to get along with, then how dare we call it a visitation of God? Oh, this is what true revival is all about. Behavioral change based on the simple truth, Christ in me, the hope of glory. It's not Christ helping me. It's not Christ giving me a shove when I need it. It's Christ in me, the hope of glory. I'm disturbed in my spirit when I hear of supposed great men and women of God who exhibit pride and self-centeredness. Well, he's a deep man of God, but he's kind of difficult to get along with. Listen, that's a contradiction of terms. Spirituality that has no impact on character is shallow at best. Some Christians love to talk about how they're gradually becoming more like Jesus. And I don't deny that there is that sense in which Christian and spiritual growth is is gradual, it is continual, yes. But the purpose of revival, the teaching of a spirit-filled life is this. Through complete surrender, we can be dramatically and permanently changed from a defeated, discouraged Christian to a victorious, joyful Christian. That can happen in your life tonight. Christ will express his love, his purity, his humility through you. He said, I don't believe that I'm a skeptic here tonight. I don't believe in any of this stuff I've been hearing testimonies about. How can you be so sure, Tom? I'll tell you why. It's based on Christ. It's not based on your ability. Jesus can do it all. You've got to let him. We need a revival that will result in Christ-like character. Secondly, we need a revival that will result in Christ-like compassion. Christ-like compassion. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, If you're willing, you can make me clean, he said. Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. Oh, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has a deeply compassionate heart. Both large crowds and seemingly insignificant individuals were the object of his tender care. But the human race is renowned for reckless insensitivity. Perhaps you'll recall the judgment of Sodom according to the prophet Ezekiel was the result of the fact that they were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned. And our Lord warns us that in the latter days the love of many will grow cold because of the increase of wickedness. Who's that talking about? You had better believe it's talking about the Church of Jesus Christ. Because the kind of love talked about in that passage does not exist on the world level. The love of many Christians, the love of evangelical Christians, will grow cold, Jesus said, because of the increase of wickedness. There's something about the atmosphere of decadence and decay that destroys our ability to feel genuine compassion for hell-headed humanity. You feel it in the air just like I do. Oh, if we're not careful, the attitude becomes one that says, oh, let them all go to hell if they want to. And many Christians have written this world off with just that kind of thinking. Beloved, this is the revival we need. The one that will intensify the sensitivities of the heart for lost and lonely souls. Our tear glands must be opened up once again by the thought of those who may soon weep and wail and gnash teeth for eternity. They live in your neighborhood. They live in your neighborhood. They live in mine. The Lord Jesus wants to demonstrate His compassion through us to them. Oh, how do you react when you're mistreated by an unbeliever? That guy will get his someday and I can't wait. Or do we sympathize with the fact that the lost are only acting according to their nature? Oh, how we need revived Christians turning the cheek, going the extra mile, if by any means we might save some. True compassion is caring for the needs of someone regardless of their response to us. Jesus wept tears of sorrow over the very people who later gave him tears of pain and agony. You need a revival of Christ-like compassion in your life tonight. Genuine renewal grips the heart. I believe compassion for people will saturate our being. We once again need to see such a visitation of God that from time to time believers cannot eat or sleep because of deep anxiety for the lost. We need that today. Third, we do need a revival that will result in a Christ-like commission, character, compassion, but don't forget commission. Follow me, says the master. I'll make you fishers of men. The purpose statement of our Lord's life on earth was summed up in Luke 1910. The son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. In his seeking, he demonstrates compassion. In his saving, he demonstrates commission. It's interesting to note, authentic personal revival always, underline that word, always leads to a new sense of commission to evangelize and make disciples. In Isaiah's life, the commission followed the cleansing with coals from off the altar. What direction does David turn after confessing his sin in Psalm 51? Then I will teach transgressors your ways and sinners will turn back to you. After King Solomon returns to his spiritual senses, he exclaims, remember the creator in the days of your youth. Fear God. Keep his commandments. It's the whole duty of man. The disciples hit the with evangelistic enthusiasm after the revival in the upper room. The comment was they turned the world upside down, but you and I know they had turned the world right side up. Oh friends, I think this is my greatest concern for the revival movement tonight. We must not, we must not settle for anything less than a massive in gathering of souls as a direct result of the renewal of the body of Christ. If God grants this nation one last mighty movement of his spirit, and I'm praying and believing it will, it will be for the express purpose of mobilizing the church to reap the greatest harvest of souls that has ever been reaped. The Holy Spirit never revives a group of people for the sake of those people alone. The spirit is always looking beyond the awakening to the in gathering. Hear it again. He's always looking beyond the awakening to the in gathering of souls. The revived church is the soul winning church, not because that church is necessarily equipped with all the best methods in evangelism. Rather because the excitement of divine life flowing through its members will inevitably be reproduced in new baby Christians. That's the message of revival. That's the revival we need. And some of us are stopping short of it tonight. We're content to have compatible people in our church. We're content to have our folks smiling once again and singing with enthusiasm, but they're still sitting around on the premises while they're standing on the promises. And no one's going out for the lost. That's what you call incomplete revival, halfway revival, and Ichabod's written all over it. Some of you are here tonight discouraged. That flame that once burned so wildly as it were, that was so engulfing, is now a mere flicker. I say to you tonight, your revival turned inward on you. Thank God for that upward element, prayer, for that inward element, that sideward element of getting right with other believers. But oh, if we miss the outward, if we don't get out there, the blessing will stop. I believe in evangelism training to help people clearly express their faith. Praise God for some of the many wonderful ways that are out today. But you see, the church and revival has the added advantage of transformed lives for people to see. Hearts that are hot after God. St. Tom, what's the evidence that God's reviving my church? Well, beyond the changes in the lives of believers, there's got to be the further evidence of what? A renewed commission. People who don't only care for souls, but win them for Jesus' sake. I think this is why many Christians are hesitant to do any really serious praying about revival. They know, number one, if real revival comes, sin will have to be forsaken. That's not popular. And they know, number two, that if real revival comes, it's going to result in energetic evangelism. And that is a frightening, threatening prospect to the comfortable Christian in 1985 America. Oh, God, revive us. Make our church to have a sweeter atmosphere. But don't get us thinking too radical about, you know, actually getting out there. I mean, they should be coming to us. Are we going to be content to just talk about a revival? Are we going to get serious about fishing for men? The revivals that are dying across this country are not dying for the lack of preparation on the part of the Satara Twins or the Canadian Revival Fellowship or any other team. The revivals that are dying are the revivals that turned inward, that became introspective and self-satisfied and comfortable when there was a world going to hell. A Christ-like character, a Christ-like compassion, a Christ-like commission. Oh, the revival we need. The love, the purity, the humility of Christ flowing through us will produce that compassion for souls as nothing else can. And real compassion leads us to fulfill the commission in winning the lost. In this way, we see that all true revival is going to lead to authentic, authentic evangelism. How about you tonight, Pastor? Is this the kind of spiritual renewal you want to see in your life, in your church tonight? Notice the order of that. It's yours for the asking. We'll begin to seek God for the right kind of revival. It's going to come. Praise his name. Jesus said, if you ask anything according to what? To my name. In other places, it's stated in a little different fashion, according to my will. And I believe the three points that I've talked about this evening are in line. They are in his will. They are in his name, if you please. That character of Jesus, that compassion of Jesus, that commission of Jesus. You start praying that way, it's going to happen. First in your life and then following. Are there some board members and elders and Sunday school teachers here tonight that need to really come to grips with this and say, you know, I haven't gotten real serious about this kind of revival praying business because, frankly, I knew in my subconscious where it was going to end. It was going to end in my having to get out there. My faith being tested, my Christianity being exposed to this world. Tonight, you say. I have to be the one. God wants to use me. But it's got to start with me. I've been touched so deeply by that verse in the Psalms. Oh, God, if you were to count iniquity, who could stand? And then David says, but but. But there is forgiveness with the. That's the good news tonight for every one of us. There is forgiveness with Jesus Christ tonight. You can be cleansed. You can know this revival. Not in theory, in reality and practice. As we agree with God about the death of that old nature and life through the power of Christ, our character will be transformed. We'll not only care about the lost, we'll be able to communicate Christ. Why? Because of spiritual overflow. I believe there are many here tonight who just need to say, oh, God, this is the revival I need. Let's pray together. Now, Father, as we give this simple invitation based on your word and what has been said this evening. Give us tender hearts. I guess I pray especially. For some who've sat through many conferences like this. And the old revivals have become just that. The old revival. It's not new. It's not fresh tonight. We become comfortable, some of us, even in our revival. And you're saying, oh, let the sacred stir begin again. Revive me again. As the theme of this conference would pronounce. May it be so tonight. For Jesus' sake. The message, the revival we don't need, was given by Reverend Tom Allen at the Flames of Freedom Family Rally in Elyria, Ohio, August 1985. For additional copies of this message or for other messages available, please contact the Soteria Twins Crusade Team, 1801 Stony Ridge Court, Mansfield, Ohio, 44904. Or in Canada, contact the Canadian Revival Fellowship, Box 584, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 3A3.