“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord and He will have mercy on him; and to our God for He will abundantly pardon .”
Isaiah 55:6-7

What is Revival?
Revivals are a sovereign move of God initiated by the Holy Spirit working through consecrated men and women. A study of the Revivals in the Bible, and in history, reveal that all Revivals begin with a deeper appreciation for the Holiness of God and a realisation of how offensive our sins must be in the sight of our Holy God.

It has been well said, that “Revivals are not churches filled with people, but people filled with God.”

Revivals involve a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Holiness of God, of the wrath of God against sin, and of the utter depravity of man.

Transformation
In the book of Acts, it was said that these Christians who have turned the world upside down have come here also. In fact, Revivals turn things right side up: Restored relationships. Transformed communities. Drunkards made sober. Thieves returning stolen goods. Blasphemers sanctified. Marriages healed. Estranged children and parents reconciled. The selfish becoming sacrificial. Conversions. Miracles. Healings. Revived churches. Revitalised prayer meetings. Dynamic worship. Decisive action to seek first the Kingdom of God.

“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?”
Psalm 85:6

During a recent mission to Europe, I had the privilege of visiting sites connected with the 1859 Ulster Revival. The local churches were celebrating the 150 th anniversary of this mighty move of God. I purchased a number of books on the Revival and had the privilege of travelling with two of the authors of these books, to key Revival sites and hearing their dynamic testimonies.

Can You Not Do Something More For God?
Rev. J.H. Moore exhorted young men in a Bible class to “Do something more for God. Could you not gather at least six of your careless neighbours … and spend one hour with them reading and searching the Word of God?”

The Prayer Meeting in a School House
In response James McQuilkin, Jeremiah Meneely, Robert Carlisle and John Wallace began a weekly prayer meeting in an old school house near Kells. They met every Friday night from September 1857 through the long and cold winter. As they read and meditated upon the Scripture their hearts began to burn with an unquenchable fire from heaven, which set all Ulster ablaze for God.

Answers to Prayer
They believed in the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit, the sufficiency of the Holy Scripture and the secret of Holy supplication. They studied the Word and prayed for three months before there were any visible results. Two more men joined their group and then on New Year’s Day, 1858, the first conversion took place as a result of the prayer meeting. By the end of 1858, about 50 young men were taking part in the weekly prayer meeting.