The Signs of the Holy Spirit’s Work
Spring 2023
In this issue of Current, articles have focused on the blessing of God in local churches. There has also been time to reflect on the subject of revival in a local church. The subject of revival came to prominence in the mind of many Christians in the month of February as reports came from Wilmore, Kentucky about a prolonged season of worship among the young people in Asbury University. Almost immediately social media posts described this as a revival. It was heartening to see a desire among people for a work of God in our generation. The events certainly stirred up interest in our denomination for, upon ordination, our ministers and elders affirm their commitment to “the necessity of giving ourselves to earnest prayer for a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power to make our service effective and glorifying to God, and for genuine revival in our day.”
Leaving aside the events in Kentucky, these reports did provoke the question: “How might we recognize real revival?” Some are uncomfortable with the question. Does it not imply skepticism? Discernment might appear to some as skepticism, but according to God, it is a Christian’s duty. We are called to “try the Spirits” (1 John 4:1).
There are two immediate problems. First, the word revival is used differently by different people. In this magazine Rev. Armen Thomassian describes it as an “awakening… a sovereign work of God, in answer to the prayers of God’s people, that results in an enlivening Christian experience in the heart of believers.” Others will have different concepts in their minds. Asbury University is associated with seasons of self-styled revival. On this occasion, some Christian leaders have wisely been cautious in labeling revival. Second, people looking back to seasons of spiritual interest and vigor may or may not use the word revival. Some manifestations have been termed “revivals” and are used to judge present events—without necessarily using biblical criteria to ascertain if they were true works of God or not.
In seeking to recognize a revival it may help to leave aside the term. All parties agree on the claim that a revival is the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we need to ask, “How do we recognize the work of the Spirit?” That question is answerable from the Scriptures.
The Holy Spirit produces conviction of sin. “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment” (John 16:8). This conviction of sin involves a recognition of those things revealed as sin in the Word of God. It is a necessary foundation for true repentance. The Spirit opens the mind to true definitions of sin. This conviction is also essential to true holiness. When the Spirit brings a soul to conviction, sin is left behind and there is a pursuit of obedience to the Lord according to His Word.
The Holy Spirit produces prayer and praise in a climate of reverence for God. “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6). Spirit-led prayer and praise come from the hearts of those who are persuaded and delight to express revealed truth. The Spirit works in our emotions through the truth and true revivals are founded upon and thrive upon the exposition of truth and the worship of God expressing the truth in the beauty of holiness.
The Holy Spirit leads sinners and saints alike to the Lord Jesus Christ.
The idea of being led to Christ must itself be defined in a day of biblical ignorance. We could say that the Holy Spirit leads sinners and saints alike to trust in Christ alone, through faith alone, for full salvation. The Holy Spirit leads to a faith that trusts in Christ’s work alone, without our works, as the only ground for acceptance with a holy God. Those who are born of the Spirit (John 3:6) receive Jesus Christ as their Savior (John 1:12–13). When the Spirit works, He leads people to the scriptural truth concerning Christ—His person and substitutionary work. True revival is not an experience shared by false religions, including Catholics, and liberal Protestants alike. One of the features of some “revivals” in the past 100 years is the fact that the Roman Catholic church and Charismatics were able to share in the “delight” of the experience. This is spurious unity and, as a denomination, we vow in our Statement of Purpose, “To contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), opposing the enemies of the gospel, especially the antichristian system of Roman Catholicism and the unscriptural Ecumenical and Charismatic movements…” In true revivals, Christ Jesus is central, not the Spirit. That is not to suggest they are unequal in the Godhead, but the Lord tells us that the Spirit’s work is to testify of Christ and to glorify Christ (John 15:26; 16:14).
It is true that when God works, the devil attacks. It is also true that when God works there are often false spiritual signs present. When these things occur, those who are born of the Spirit discern the false and seek to separate from it. The Spirit cannot lead contrary to the Word and so we identify true revival by observing scriptural conviction of sin, a longing to know more of the scriptural Christ resulting in worship expressing scriptural truth.
C.H. Spurgeon on the Church Prayer Meeting
What should be the great objective of the prayer meeting and that for which we should seek the answer?
First, it must be the glory of God or else the petition is not sufficiently put up. How much of the Lord’s Prayer consists in prayers for God, rather than for ourselves! “Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”
And then, in subservience to that, let us pray for a blessing on the church. We ought to exercise a little of our love for one another in praying for our fellow-members. Pray for the minister, for he needs it most…Pray for the church officers. Pray for the workers in all organizations. Pray for the sufferers. Pray for the strong, for the weak, for the rich, for the poor, for the trembling, for the sick, for the backsliding, for the sinful. Yes, for every part of the one great body of Jesus let our supplications perpetually ascend.
Then we should also pray for the conversion of the ungodly. Oh! this ought to be like a burden on our hearts. This ought to be prayed out of the lowest depths of a soul that is all aglow with sympathy for them. They are dying without hope.
It is of no use my preaching to the people, my dear Christian brethren, unless you pray for them. It is of no use holding special services for the quickening of the spiritually dead unless the Holy Spirit is brought into the field by our prayers. It may be that you who pray have more to do with the blessed results than we who preach.
From Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Volume 60, No. 3421
Delivered by C. H. Spurgeon on Lord’s Day evening, August 30, 1868