by Tom Wagoner
We have gotten so used to the normal, the mundane, and even the dead. That is why when we hear Isaiah cry out to God in Isaiah 64, “Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens,” it challenges us. Tear open the heavens, God, that they might know your Name and that the fire of God would burn again in our churches, our Fellowship, and across our land. Can we really believe God? Can we take Him at His word and lay hold of His promises that this is His desire for us?
Vance Havner, using Isaiah 64, gives three reasons we do not have revival. The first is found in verse 5 which says He “meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness.” God abhors our sin and we have sinned. The first and foremost thing that hinders a great move of God in revival is our sin, and when we come to grips with it, it will be a wonderful day. I visit our state fellowships and preach on sin in the life of men of God and it is disturbing how few people publicly acknowledge, either at the altar or verbally, that they have sinned at all. We need to get honest about our sin and do so publicly that our people might see the pattern of how to repent.
Mr. Havner’s second reason is found in verse 6, a familiar verse regarding our being unclean things and all of our righteousness as filthy rags. Havner says our self-righteousness hinders great revival. The pride and self-magnification that is going on in our churches, our pulpits, and across our movement is costing us when it comes to a real move of God. God help us to recognize that there is nothing in any of us, nothing in you or me, except our old man, and the sin nature, and those things that grieve God apart from the person and work of the Holy Sprit and Jesus Christ who lives in us. “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”
The third reason Mr. Havner gives for why we don’t have revival is something I don’t suppose I have heard anyone say before (remember, he is a North Carolina preacher). He says we are not stirring ourselves up. Verse 7 states, “There is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.” God help us to do what we need to do, whether we feel like it or not, whether we are emotionally moved or motivated, to get up, get in the Word of God, begin a fast, pray, call a solemn assembly, and experience genuine revival. It is time for us to stir ourselves up. If we are not stirred up by the things going on around us, let’s get in the prayer closets and ask God to give us the strength to do what we need to do and be stirred.