Revivals and Awakenings

While most of the church’s growth over the centuries has been marked by slow and steady progress, there have been remarkable works of God when the church grew rapidly in a rather short amount of time. Historians have typically referred to these supernatural works of God as revivals or awakenings. These revivals or awakenings are “spiritual movements marked by return to God.” While the specific historical details vary from one revival to another, there are some similarities between these historical spiritual movements and the revivals we see in Scripture. What we see described in Scripture can point us to seeking God to work in similar ways in our days. Let’s see how the Bible describes these awakenings.

We’re using the NIV Thompson Chain Reference Bible in this article. The NIV Thompson Chain Reference Bible is an excellent tool that aids you in connecting thousands of topics across the whole of the Bible (also available with the KJV!). If your desire is to learn what the Bible says about any particular topic, then check out this resource that’s perfectly suited for use in the Olive Tree Bible App!

Return to God

One of the key features of awakenings in the Scriptures is that awakenings are marked by a return to God. Here are a couple of examples from the Scriptures that demonstrated this point.

“When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, ‘The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!’”

1 Kings 18:39

“Nevertheless, some from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and went to Jerusalem. Also in Judah that hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the Lord.”

2 Chronicles 30:11–12

“While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.”

Ezra 10:1

“All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.”

Acts 9:35

Initiated by Godly Leaders

God often uses godly leaders to spark revival by calling people to repentance. This happens both through evangelization and through preaching to the lapsed covenant community.

“Then Samuel said, ‘Assemble all Israel at Mizpah, and I will intercede with the Lord for you.’ When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed, ‘We have sinned against the Lord.’ Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.”

1 Samuel 7:5–6

“Elijah went before the people and said, ‘How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.’”

1 Kings 18:21

“Hezekiah sent word to all Israel and Judah and also wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, inviting them to come to the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel.”

2 Chronicles 30:1

“[John the Baptist] when into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”

Luke 3:3

“Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized.”

Acts 18:8

Sought by the Godly

Scripture teaches that believers should seek revival both at the individual and community level. We seek God to awaken us and our churches from spiritual stupor while we turn to him for life.

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.”

Psalm 51:13

“Restore us, God Almighty; make your face shine on us, that we may be saved.”

Psalm 80:7

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?”

Psalm 85:6

“Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.”

Habakkuk 3:5

Destroys Idols

Since revivals and awakenings create a spiritual awareness that was previously non-existent or had grown dull, they often lead to a turning from idolatry. We can’t help but worship something, so when God awakens us to worship him we must destroy all the false gods we had previously worshiped.  

“[Asa] expelled the male shrine prostitutes from the land and got rid of all the idols his ancestors had made.”

1 Kings 15:12

“The king ordered Hilkiah the high priest, the priests next in rank and the doorkeepers to remove from the temple of the Lord all the articles made for Baal and Asherah and all the starry hosts. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron Valley and took the ashes to Bethel.”

2 Chronicles 31:1

“A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.”

Acts 19:19

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