Others Have Had Faith For Revival. Why Not We?
By W. C. Moore
Joshua and Caleb had faith in God – and they entered the promised land. It was Jesus Himself who said, "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matt. 9:29). The promises of God concerning Canaan Land, flowing with milk and honey, were to all Israel, but because of unbelief the great mass of the people entered not in.
Joshua and Caleb were so engrossed with God, they believed Him so fully and followed Him so closely, that when the time came for entering the promised land they were ready to go in. So filled were their minds and hearts with the desire to do His will – so assured were they in their innermost soul that God was faithful – that they considered not the walled cities and giant enemies. They counted God well able to give them that which He had promised. Their minds and hearts were stayed on God and not on conditions or circumstances or people. They believed God. They wholly followed Him.
The one hundred and twenty before Pentecost counted God faithful and they tarried until they were endued with power from on high.
Today there are people who are believing God to send a mighty revival. The Lord is just the same today as He was in A.D. 33; as He was when prayers were answered down through the years. Jesus, the blessed Son of God, highly commended people for exercising faith. He rebuked them when they manifested unbelief.
Accounts of the great revival in Wales in 1906 fired people around the world with new faith, and many prayed earnestly for months until God answered in a miraculous way for them also.
Frank Bartleman, who helped pray down revival in Los Angeles, wrote: "A great burden and cry came in my heart for a mighty revival. I had received a little book, The Revival in Wales and the Spirit, through the little book, set me on fire. The spirit of revival consumed me…."
He goes on to tell of prayer meetings, hungering after more of God, stirring the people to pray and to believe for mighty things from the Lord. He found it hard to get the people down to earnest prayer. Who, indeed, will "stir up himself to take hold of God" (Isa. 64:7)?
But faith for revival had gripped the hearts of many hungry saints and they kept on. It is said of Elijah and Elisha, "They two went on" (2 Kgs. 2:6). The men of faith went on, while "fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off."
The Spirit of God is stirring many of us today to pray for revival. Let us follow the leadings of the Spirit and pray in faith for God to come forth. Let us "exhort one another daily" to work for, pray for, believe for a mighty work of God in these last days.
In the book of Ezra we are told of a lull in the process of building the house of the Lord in Jerusalem (Ezra 4:23-24). But when the prophets Haggai and Zechariah stirred the people, the work was resumed: "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah…And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel" (Ezra 6:14).
May God grant that every hindrance, every difficulty, every delay will only make us more determined than ever to believe God for a Holy Ghost revival.
Since it is true that to some hungry souls God has indeed given faith to believe for a Holy Ghost revival, let us "be not afraid, only believe" (Mark 5:36). "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward" (Heb. 10:35).
Jesus is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. Let us remember this. Others have prayed through in past days. Why not we? God is faithful. His promises are sure. Let us only believe. Conditions are hard today, but the promise of the Word of God stands sure, "as thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deut. 33:25).
There are some who are praying for a revival, but who feel that it will be only among Christians, and not for an ingathering of souls. It is hard to conceive of real, Holy Ghost revival among Christians without expecting to see sinners convicted and saved. The Bible says, "A true witness delivereth souls" (Prov. 14:25).
David prayed, "Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee" (Psa. 51:12-13). Jesus said, "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain" (John 15:16). And in Matthew 12:30 He said, "He that is not with Me is against Me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad."
History shows that during the church age, the church is first revived – and that the fire spreads and sinners are convicted and saved after the professing Christians get right with God and show forth the love of God. "As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children" (Isa. 66:8).
What is really needed is a Gideon's band to break through, a "120" to believe God, "three mighty men," (2 Sam. 23:16) to go through the hosts (not today of Philistines, but hosts) of darkness (Eph. 6:12), and get this water of life, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that our Shepherd King may "pour it out." David slew Goliath, then the Israelites rushed to the spoils.
Pioneers are needed who love God and will believe His promises as did Joshua and Caleb. Let us not argue over fine points of doctrine, but let us all unite to "pray for rain" (Zech. 10:1). Let us love one another and pray for God to have His way and send a mighty Holy Ghost revival that will make us "one" (John 17:20-23).