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By PHILIP L. POWELL
This article was published in The Midnight
Herald, USA in July 1999 and is being re-published as my contribution
in place of my ongoing series on Spiritual Warfare based on The
Beatitudes to which I will return What is genuine revival?Under the heading THE FOURTH "R" in his delightful little book entitled Great Revivals author Colin Whittaker quotes the late Dr Martin Lloyd Jones from his book Preaching and Preachers — "I know of nothing, in my own experience, that has been more exhilarating and helpful, and that acted more frequently as a tonic to me, than the history of revivals. Church history, and especially the history of revivals is one of the best antidotes to a preacher's discouragement and depression in the time we are living in."*1Coming as I do from the land of Wales I very much relate to the doctor's sentiment. The 1904 revival, though of short duration in the principality itself, was world-wide in its impact and contributed enormously to what has become the pentecostal movement. Whittaker himself a pentecostal goes on to say: "Revival has been described as the fourth R; the three R's being Reformation (doctrine), Renewal (dynamics), and Restoration (direction); but Revival is God taking the field."*2 However, to fully accept this definition is to concentrate on the grand public examples of what we generally refer to as revivals throughout church and bible history and to pre-suppose that the so called "fourth R" is always the last in the sequence. But is that really the case? To put the question another way, "Did the Reformation produce revival or was it a "reviving" of Martin Luther that sparked the Reformation?" If the order is correct doctrine leading to right dynamics and true direction before real revival then is that not more related to works than to grace? In this article I would like to propose t hat genuine revival is an ongoing sovereign work of God in which sincere seekers after Him get caught up and carried along. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are not mutually exclusive factors in revival nor in any other consideration for that matter. Genuine revival always starts with God working in the individual. For this reason you can have it at any time — even during the great apostasy, the precursors of which are presently engulfing christendom. At this point maybe I should declare myself in respect of the so called "Revival Now Movement" (RNM), which is linked to "Toronto", "Pensacola" and "Signs and Wonders" a la Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Rodney Howard-Browne et al. From the outset, back in 1994, I have unconditionally declared it all to be false. In my opinion it is a sham and a scam. It's not genuine revival. Why am I so certain in my opinion and so categorical in my denunciation? Let's just ask ourselves some other leading questions: What is this present move reviving? Where in bible or church history do you find a widespread laughing or a bizarre drunkenness movement with men acting like animals? Seeing "revival" means to "make to live again", where and when did this sort of thing "live" before?
The simple answer is, "it didn't". Oh yes there were odd occasions when isolated strange behaviour did occur, but generally the revival leaders recognised it for what it was — demonic manifestations — and they dealt with it as such. There is no general "laughing movement" among Christians or among God's people in the Old Testament of which this false movement is a modern counterpart. So the RNM simply can't be a genuine revival. As an example of what I am saying I refer to the Wesley brothers in their work especially in England. John Wesley speaks of something similar to the current "laughing movement" and even confesses that he and his brother Charles were affected when it almost broke out among the early Methodists. He refers to so called "holy laughter" and expresses concern at some being "buffeted of Satan in an unusual manner". It is quite clear that he, like other godly revivalists of history, was diametrically opposed in his attitude and action to those named above, who have promoted, orchestrated and encouraged this false movement, which is now undermining true revival and leading to the great apostasy. Please see footnote below for documentation of John Wesley's stand and for the relevant quotation from his journal.*3 The same sort of thing applies to other great revivalists of the past such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitefield et al and to the modern "greats" of our time, e.g. A.W. Tozer and D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. Notwithstanding these incontrovertible conclusions by anyone who correctly reads his bible and church history, notable leaders within christendom are succumbing to this deception, which is now taking on frightening expressions. As our Lord warned, "... if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before" (Matthew 24:24, 25). One of the latest to fall foul of this satanic counterfeit is Selwyn Hughes of the Crusade for World Revival (CWR) and author of the popular daily devotional entitled Every Day with Jesus. In the article History of Revivals Part 8, CWR has endorsed the Toronto Blessing (TB) as part of the end time revival. They give credit to John Arnott, to the (then) Toronto Airport Vineyard Fellowship, and to Holy Trinity Brompton and Sunderland AoG in the UK. They compare the happenings of the TB experience to that which happened in the times of Jonathan Edwards (1734). The article ends with the sentence... "For this reason alone we can thank God for what was unleashed initially in January 1994". An email dated May 8, 1999 throws light on what's happening. We summarise: Selwyn Hughes now has connections with Gerald Coates and his associates who are proponents of TB and are mostly involved with the false dominion theology and now more recently with the false Celtic spirituality movement.*4 Waverley Abbey House (the London based HQ of CWR and its publication "Every Day With Jesus") are holding a festival with speakers Wendy Virgo (wife of Terry), Gerald Coates (Pioneer) now with Kingdom Life Ministries and Sue Rinaldi of the Pioneer churches. There is a financial charge to attend each seminar. Many Christian leaders are getting hooked on the idea of a so-called worldwide revival coming, without any consideration for the bible prophecy about apostasy. The official magazine of CWR recommends a new book called "In The Search of Revival" by Stuart Bell, the leader of New Life Christian Fellowship, Lincoln, UK. The foreword is by R.T. Kendall of Westminster Chapel, London. Both of these men are well known proponents of TB. So many of the leaders, who are promoting these "winds of doctrines", are linked up. The promotion is international and with very large sums of money at their disposal these people have links in North and South America, Europe, Australasia and many other countries. Sadly they are infiltrating and affecting the Christian church and witness in the third world. The deception will not end until Jesus comes. The next issue of REVIVAL magazine (July/August 1999 by CWR), has promised to publish a "Revival World Report" which will focus on the writings about REVIVAL by (the late) Arthur Wallis and Colin Urquhart and try to link these into what's happening in the false RNM. Their views are to be reinforced, by all accounts, in an article by (the late) A.W. Tozer and the history of the recent events that happened in Pensacola. It really is amazing what some men will do to remain in the limelight and to keep their funds going! Those of us who have read and listened to A.W. Tozer know that this man would not endorse what is going on in the RNM. It is blatant deception to call on a godly man like Tozer, whose prophetic insights in what he wrote and preached clearly show that he was diametrically opposed to what is being promoted by RNM.
The only way this can be done with any semblance of honesty is to ignore the context of his remarks as well as his true character. I have heard the same sort of thing attempted in respect of the late Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones. We should reject it totally. I knew and preached with Arthur Wallis and would say that a similar thing applies to him though probably to a lesser extent, for Arthur certainly moved off centre in his later years with his association with Bryn Jones' false view about end-time apostles and prophets, which is nothing more than a self-promotional distortion of scripture. What we are about to see is Toronto and Pensacola etc, being endorsed in the Christian calendar through the Every Day with Jesus publication. This will result in further abuse of scripture, increased unholy practices, the twisting of church history and a further bringing of disrepute to the Christian church. The church and the world will sink into a further mess and Satan, who is a cunning angel of light, will continue to laugh. But, thank God he will not have the last laugh! Can we expect an end-time revival?Frequently I am asked, "Do you believe in revival? Can we expect a revival?" My answer is always "YES" — if I didn't believe in the possibility of revival then I would give up preaching. But what I do say is that there is nothing in the bible which guarantees or even suggests a great world-wide revival in the end times. The bible predicts a GREAT FALLING AWAY (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) with the incidence of true faith being very low (Luke 18:8) and things getting worse and worse with the love of many becoming cold (Matt 24:12 etc.).Some see that as a negative message, but I see it as positive for it indicates that the COMING of the Lord draws near — compare Luke 21:28. "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh." So here's the dilemma that has to be faced and the question that needs to be answered. Is it possible for there to be apostasy and revival at the same time? My answer to that question is "Yes, when you understand revival to be something which relates primarily to the individual." Logically that means that REVIVAL is the first not the fourth "R", which means that the grand public expression of significant historic revivals is really more the effect of revival than revival itself. It was the revivalist who was revived and the impact of his life secured the resultant spiritual awakening, which we have tended to view as the revival. Church and bible history provide ample evidence for the conclusion that the REVIVAL was really the working of God in the revivalist whether he was the active or passive instrument in the process. George Whitefield is a great example. In Bristol, close to where I spent most of my boyhood years, Whitefield preached to crowds of up to 20,000 colliers in the open air and that without any voice amplification. You may be familiar with the quote in the famous preacher's own words — "...the white gutters made by their tears, which plentifully fell down their black cheeks. Hundreds and hundreds of them were soon brought under deep conviction, which happily ended in a sound and thorough conversion." Of this Whittaker says, "That is the fourth R; that is Revival."*5 But is it? I suggest that the true revival was before that incident in 1739 as identified by Mr Whittaker when George Whitefield was so wrought on by God that he decided to take a militant stand against the ostracism of the church and other leaders of his day as he himself wrote: "... Finding that the pulpits are denied me, and the poor colliers are ready to perish for lack of knowledge, I went to them and preached to upwards of two hundred. Blessed be God that the ice is now broken and I have taken to the field." *6 Revival is the first R not the fourth. Dr Martin Lloyd Jones in his book already referred to, gives another most remarkable illustration of this very thing and then makes two telling conclusions about the nature of true revival. He tells of David Morgan, a nineteenth century revivalist who on several occasions went to listen to Humphrey Jones a fellow countryman who had returned to Wales to tell of the great workings of God across the sea in America. After one especially powerful meeting Morgan said, "I went to bed that night, just David Morgan as usual. I woke up the next morning feeling like a lion, feeling that I was filled with the power of the Holy Ghost." For two years everywhere that David Jones preached there were tremendous results with people being convicted and converted in great numbers. But during the last fifteen years of his life, though he continued to preach, there was nothing unusual that attended his ministry. What happened? David Morgan himself bore testimony: "I went to bed one night still feeling like a lion, feeling filled with this strange power that I had enjoyed for the two years. I woke up the next morning and found that I had become David Morgan once more." The doctor concludes: "The power came, and the power was withdrawn. Such is the lordship of the Spirit. You cannot command this blessing, you cannot order it; it is entirely the gift of God.
"The examples I have given from the scriptures indicate this. `Peter, filled with the Spirit.' The Spirit filled him. He did the same to David Morgan; and then in His own inscrutable wisdom and sovereignty He took it from him. Revivals are not meant to be permanent. But at the same time I maintain that all of us who are preachers should be seeking this power every time we preach." *7 It is really these two things — the impermanence of revival and the sovereignty of God, that are identified by Martin Lloyd Jones, plus what we've said about the current "laughing revival" having no precedent, that mark the so called "Revival Now Movement" as FALSE. There is a fourth which is probably the most significant of all and it relates to the primacy of the Word of God and of prayer in true revival. The late Professor Dr J. Edwin Orr in his The Second Evangelical Awakening gives many amazing illustrations of the incidence of prayer as a prelude to revival. I think it is in that book, though I have not been able to find the place (maybe I heard it from him in person, when as a young man I listened to him talk on revival on several occasions) that Dr Orr makes the point that every great spiritual awakening in church history was preceded by "extraordinary prayer". Usually this "extraordinary prayer" — and by the term Mr Orr explained that he meant prayer beyond the usual such as special lunch time prayer meetings for business people, days and nights and weeks of prayer etc, — was initiated by a man who had been "revived" in his own spiritual life and who thus sought for the same thing to happen to others. A major illustration is that relating to New York, down-town city missioner Jeremiah Lanphier, who on Wednesday September 23, 1857 launched a weekly noonday prayer meeting. Six people attended the first, 20 the second and 40 the third, so Lanphier decided to make it a daily instead of a weekly event. Edwin Orr reports, "In the same week, extraordinary revival of religion swept the city of Hamilton in far away Canada. Within six months, ten thousand business-men were gathering daily for prayer in New York, and within two years, a million converts had been added to the American churches." *8 A similar pattern is repeated throughout church and bible history. Revival starts with the individual. It is the first R not the fourth. It is this "reviving" of the individual that illumines his mind and heart to true doctrine (Reformation) and this creates a new dynamic (Renewal) that restores direction (Restoration). So what is it that revives the individual who sometimes becomes the "revivalist" in the grand public event which is probably more correctly called a "spiritual awakening"? I suggest to you that it is the response of the Holy Spirit to a rediscovery of the primacy and authority of the Word of God in God's work. You see God has honoured His Word above His name. Josiah, one of the last Kings of Judah before the Babylonian captivity is a marvellous illustration of this. His immediate forebears and his successors, all influenced by the wickedness of the kings who reigned in Samaria, especially by Ahab, are significantly said to have done evil in the sight of the Lord. Of Josiah it is recorded in 2 Kings 23:25, "And like unto him was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him." 2 Kings chapters 22 and 23 recount a rare spiritual awakening in Israel, which commenced as it usually does in the revived heart of the individual, in this case the young Josiah, who contrary to the trend "did that which was RIGHT in the eyes of the LORD and walked in the way of David his father and turned not aside to the right hand or the left" (2 Kings 22:2). What happened in Israel at this time is illustrative of what could happen in the church in our time. It was a crisis time among God's people. The collapse of the kingdom was close. The Babylonian captivity was about to occur. Then there was a real spiritual awakening just before the final stages of the apostasy and it happened this way. Hilkiah the high priest found "the book of the law in the house of the LORD" (2 Kings 22:8). Later Shaphan the scribe read the book to King Josiah who experienced true revival — a heart that became warmed towards God. Wasn't that what happened to John Wesley when he heard the Word of God being read? His heart was strangely warmed. Incredible things followed including true prophecy from a prophetess, an amazing fulfilment of a long standing prophecy about judgement being expressed at Bethel (i.e. the House of God) — see 1 Kings 13:1-5 c/f 2 Kings 23:15-18; a general purging of idolatry and even of sodomy throughout the land. All of this occurred and more as a result of Josiah experiencing true revival. Dare I draw a parallel. It's a crisis time in the history of the world and of the church. Very soon the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of the Lord and of His Christ. Meanwhile the only revival that will have any significance in our time is that which is akin to Josiah's revival — a purging of idolatry and worldliness in the church. Yes it starts in the individual — so that's a challenge to ME as well as to YOU.
Whenever I have been revived it has always related to the Word of God. In Psalm 119 David prayed — "I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according to your word" — (v107); and "Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to your word" — (v154). I have never seen or experienced a great spiritual awakening. I have experienced the on-going genuine revival when my own spirit has been quickened and as I say that has always been related to the Word of God in some way or other. When His truth has come to me in some fresh and special way as for example when I saw the full significance of Christ's amazing promise of John 15:7 & 8 — "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples"; and the parallel promise of John 14:12-14: "In very truth, I say to you, he that believes on me, the works that I do he shall do also; and greater works than these he shall do; because I go to my Father. And whatever you shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it." That reviving took place over a period of time and was consummated when I made my first ministry visit to India, where I came closest to seeing what you might call a spiritual awakening — well almost! More recently when God's Word came to me as a challenge to take a stand against the false that was coming into the church. I felt revived with a holy boldness and a sense of righteous indignation against the enemy and those who were giving him ground. For this reason my idea of revival is fairly clear cut. I listened to Ken Gott of the so called Sunderland revival tell how he got whatever he got at Toronto and it made him crawl like a lunatic across the car park of his hotel and past the porters in the lobby, to whom he made some senseless motion of good-night greeting. I said to myself, "No that's not revival". It's my own personal individual reviving that has enabled me to stand and say those sorts of thing publicly with a boldness that makes me fear neither man nor the devil. True revival causes you to fear only the Lord and to honour His Word above all other things. *1Preaching & Preachers
— © D Martyn Lloyd-Jones 1971 — pages 117 &
118 [ TOP ] Appeared in Issue 7 -- February 2000 |
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