What Exactly Is A Spiritual Awakening?
A Spiritual Awakening refers to a revival from a state of dormancy or stagnation in the life of a believer. It encompasses the resurfacing of a love for God, an appreciation of God's holiness, a passion for His Word and His church, a convicting awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness. A Spiritual Awakening invigorates and sometimes deepens a believer's faith, opening his or her eyes to the truth in a fresh new way. It
generally involves the connotation of a fresh start with a clean slate, marking a new beginning of a life lived in obedience to God. Revival breaks the charm and power of the world's influence, which blinds the eyes of men and generates both the will and power to live in the world but not of the world.
In America, the first revival, also called the First Great Revival Awakening, produced an upsurge of devotion among Protestants in the 1930's and 1940's, carving a permanent mark on American Religion. It resulted from authoritative preaching that deeply moved the church members with a convicting awareness of personal guilt and the awesome nature of salvation through Christ. Breaking away from just dry ritual and rote ceremony, the Great Awakening made Christianity intensely personal to the average person, as it should be, by creating a deep emotional need for a close relationship with God.
An Awakening, in many respects, replicates the believer's experience when he or she is saved. It is initiated by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, creating an awareness of something that is missing or wrong in the believer's life that can only be righted by God. In turn, the Christian must respond from their heart, acknowledging his or her need. Then, in a powerful way, the Holy Spirit draws back the veil the world has cast over the truth, allowing the believers to fully see themselves in comparison to God's majesty and holiness. Obviously such comparisons bring great humility, but also great awe of God and His truly amazing grace (Isaiah 6:5). Unlike the original conversion experience that brings about a new relationship to God, however, an awakening represents a restoration of fellowship with God, the relationship having been retained even though the believer had pulled away for a time.
God, through the Holy Spirit, calls us to awaken in a number of situations. Christ's letters to the seven
churches reveal some circumstances that may necessitate a revival or awakening. In the letter to Ephesus, Christ praised the church for their perseverance and discernment, but He stated that they had
forsaken their first love. (Rev.2:4-5). Many times as the excitement of acceptance in Christ grows cold, we lose the zeal that we had at first. We become bogged down in just the ritual of church, just going through the motions instead of the life of the Holy Spirit flowing through our veins. We never seem to come to the point of the excitement of serving the risen Lord. We lose the zeal that we had at first. An Awakening helps restore that first love passion for Christ. Revelation 2:10-11 refers to the church at Smyrna, which was suffering intense persecution.
The cares and worries of life can bog us down, leaving us emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. An Awakening can lift us up to a new hope and faith.
Revelation 2:20-23 discusses the problem of tolerating false teaching within our churches. We need to examine the messages that we hear and compare them to the messages of the Bible. The Awakening helps us find the truth. Revelation 3:1-6 describes a 'dead church', a church that just goes through the motions outwardly, but there is nothing underneath. The hearts of its members have become cold and hardhearted. Here is a picture of just a nominal Christianity, outwardly prosperous, busy with the daily business activities, but devoid of any real life and power from the Holy Spirit. The Awakening helps revive the spiritual life of God's people. In Revelation 3:ll, we are further warned about complacency.
Definition of Complacency...The quality of being self-satisfied...which includes ego, egotism, pride, self-conceit, self-esteem, self-importance, self-satisfaction, smugness, vainglory, vanity, also self-centeredness, selfishness, self-respect.
A spirit of complacency does not bear fruit. All of these scenarios call for revival.
The evidence of a Spiritual Awakening is a great outpouring of God's Spirit upon believers. It changes lives. There is a great movement toward righteousness, evangelism, and social justice.
Believes are once again spending time with God developing in an even great way their personal relationship with Him ascending in the glory of the Lord. Believers are once again spending time in God's Word. Believers will have no fear in using all of their spiritual gifts. There come a true confess of sin and true repentance.
Various Definitions...
“God's quickening visitation of His people, touching their hearts and deepening His work of grace in their lives.” J. I. Packer
“the sovereign act of God, in which He restores His own backsliding people to repentance, faith, and obedience.” Stephen Offord
“the awakening an quickening of God's people to their true nature and purpose.” Robert Coleman
“the return of the church from her backsliding and conversion of sinners.” Chas. Finney
“an extraordinary movement of the Holy Spirit producing extraordinary results.” Richard Roberts
“a community saturated with God.” Duncan Campbell
“the work of the Holy Spirit in restoring the people of God to a more vital spiritual life, witness, work through prayer and that personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and through the studying of the Word.” Earle Cairus
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