We are going to look at the story of a nation that had one of the largest revivals in human history. This nation deserved God’s judgment. The name of the city is Nineveh. And just like Nineveh had a revival, America needs to have a revival.
So what is revival and how can it come about?
Practical Principles
- Revival is waking up from sleep. Revival means to bring back to life. To restore. To wake up from a state of sleep. We need the faith of the Christians of the first century. The faith that changed the world. The faith that turned the world upside down.
- Biblical preaching can bring revival. God said to Jonah, “Go preach to Nineveh” and even though Jonah did not want to go, God used him to bring about revival. God will always have the last word.
- Revival starts with you and me. Inside the belly of the fish, Jonah had revival meaning he was revived and brought back to life and did what God had called him to do. As he turned his thoughts to the Lord, he was ready to obey. First God sent revival to Jonah, and then Jonah brought revival to Nineveh.
- A revived person will be an evangelistic person. The revived person’s evangelism is a result of a Christ-filled life. As we get older in the faith and have walked with the Lord for a time, sometimes we start taking things for granted. We need to be brought back to that place where we once were. Where we realize how important it is to share with others what Jesus has done for us.
- Even revived people need to be revived again. Jonah was preoccupied with himself. He survived three days and three nights in a fish’s stomach. He repents, prays, and preaches the truth to the people of Nineveh. He was a man that God used to bring about a spiritual awakening. Yet he falls into sin. No matter how long you have known the Lord you can still mess up. No matter how long you have known the Lord you still may need to be revived again.
Relevant Reminders
- If God can use someone like Jonah, He could certainly use you or me.
- Revival can’t happen through you until it has first happened to you.
- Revival is getting back to the Christian life as it was meant to be lived. It’s walking closely with the Lord.
Applicable Actions
Only God can send an awakening to America. An awakening is when a nation comes alive spiritually, sees its need for God, and turns to God. But revival can happen right here right now. The people of Nineveh repented of their sin. They called it what it was. God sent His healing. God can do the same for you. We need to get back to that again—revived again.
