The Week of Revival by C. McREYNOLDS

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Dec 8, 1904

The Week of Revival

By C. McREYNOLDS

THIS week of prayer must be a time of great reviving among us in all of our churches, and in every isolated Adventist home. A revival of the spirits of God’s people is much needed. Hearts are hungering for such an experience personally, and longing to see it in their church, but they are wondering who will come to lead them, and perhaps writing to those in charge for a minister to help them in this important effort. Some churches, whose membership is scattered, are thinking of the difficulties and seeming impossibility of meeting each day or evening for the services. While they are considering these, the enemy of the Lord is flaunting before their eyes in panoramic view the utter uselessness of making the effort, and is preparing some to throw a dampening chill over the zeal of others.

We are told in the Testimonies of the unseen conflict that is carried on on every camp-meeting ground, an unseen battle between the angels of God and the hosts of evil; and so it is now all over the land, in our churches and companies, and with our isolated members as well: Yes, and we shall decide the question as to which power will gain the victory in each case. “To whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey.” Which power shall have the victory in your case?

One very important question is, How may we have a revival? There is nothing else so reviving as the presence of the Lord by the Holy Spirit. Paul prayed that we might be “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16); and the Lord by Isaiah thus speaks to us: “Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isa. 57:15.

The uplifting, reviving influence of the Holy Spirit is the great revival so much needed at this time. May we have it? “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find.” Luke 11:9-13. Mark this, he does not say to ask or seek in a public meeting only. No; the promise is to each individual, and we may each have a revival wherever we are, and whatever our surroundings may be. Then it is by earnest prayer that we may have a revival. The best, most effectual and lasting revivals ever experienced in churches were begun by protracted prayer-meetings, and these were sometimes poorly attended at first.

C. McREYNOLDS, of Kansas.