Resolutions For Revival

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is.
–Romans 12:2

Do you feel the need for spiritual renewal in your life? If so, I want to ask you three questions. First of all, do you recognize your need for God? Have you come to the place where you realize there is no relationship, there is no position, there is no possession that can fill the void in your life? That is the foundation for experiencing genuine revival in your heart. Do you recognize your need for God?

Second, will you make God’s Word a priority in your life? You must constantly be exposed to the Word of God to allow it to do its work in your life. And that cannot just happen once a week. Can you imagine going to a restaurant and saying, “I am just going to gorge myself today so it will last me a week. Then I will wait until next week and come and do it again”? That is foolish. It does not matter how much you eat, it is not going to be enough to satisfy your nutritional needs. It is the same way with God’s Word. You cannot just come on Sunday and gorge yourself. In order to be nourished from God’s Word, there has to be a personal, daily intake. Let me ask you: Do you have a desire deep enough for a relationship with God that you would be willing to spend just twenty minutes a day reading the Bible? Most of us spend that much time, if not more, reading the newspaper or reading social media. Why wouldn’t we spend at least twenty minutes a day reading the source of real truth? Will you make God’s Word a priority in your life?

Third, the most important question of all: Are you committed to obeying the will of God? That is the essence of spiritual revival. Most people think of spiritual revival as feeling those spiritual goose bumps. But that feeling is absolutely worthless if it does not lead you to obedience to the will of God for your life. If there is no change, then you did not experience revival. Revival occurs when the Spirit of God uses the Word of God to motivate the people of God to obey the will of God. Are you willing to say, “God, show me Your will, not so I can decide whether I want to do it or not, but so that I might obey You completely”? Before Jonathan Edwards was a catalyst for the Great Awakening, he went through a time of personal renewal, and he wrote out a list of resolutions that would forever guide his life. One of those resolutions was this: “Resolved, to examine carefully and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and so direct all my forces against it.” Are you willing to do that? “God, what is the one thing in my life that is displeasing to you? What is the one thing that causes me to doubt You? Whatever that one thing is, I am going to direct all my forces against it.” That kind of resolve is the beginning of genuine revival.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Recipe For Revival” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2010.

Stephen J. Nichols, ed., “Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions And Advice To Young Converts” (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed, 2001).

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org