True Spiritual Revival 

(Reflection from Nehemiah 7:73 – 8:18) 

“Christian Reflection about Revival” 

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Revival today is often misunderstood as simply a worship service that is full of people. 

The service of "revival" is carried out using a multipurpose building or a large open field so that it can gather a large crowd.  Especially in Asia. 


But is it true that spiritual revival only shown from a large crowd is sufficient? 

Wouldn't it be easier to gather large numbers of people in the internet and social media era like today? Especially if you use an artist to support the event? 

Is revival happens if it simply demonstrates the power of God who can heal miraculously? 


But sadly, such spectacular miracles have indeed made many people amazed at the power of God or the power of Jesus. 

But just being amazed by God cannot change lives. 

This is a hard truth that is often difficult for us to digest. 

Seeing miracles happen may indeed “lift up our faith”. But if you remain a Christian who doesn't want to hear and practice God's words, true revival that really changes lives will never happen. 

Because true revival is always caused by the Word of God that converts people. 

It is not revival if it only amazes people at miracles and seeks miracles rather than seeking God and His word. 

Just like in the story of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was well aware from the start that what needed to be built was not only physically, such as buildings and walls; but also spiritually (in our soul). 

So after the wall has been built, now is the time to build up every Israelite spiritually. 

Nehemiah appropriately took the moment to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, in order to teach every Israelite and also to us, that revival must be done by: 

#1 Having A Special Time to hear God's word 

It is said in the seventh month and for 7 days (v. 18), the book of the Torah of Moses should be read to all people, both men and women and everyone can hear and understand (v. 2). 

All people who are healthy, able to hear and understand, must participate to have a special time together to hear the Word of God. 

It also says that all people should listen attentively to the reading of God's Word (v. 3). 

Do Christians today have a special time to hear God's Word? 

Is it enough for just every Sunday in church service listening to the sermon? 
Do we still listen attentively to sermons? 

Or while listening to sermons, while also opening social media or reading news on our smartphones? 

Of course listening to the sermon on Sunday service is a special time to listen to the good word of God. 

And we must be like the Israelites who listened "attentively." 

But that won't be enough for us to experience revival. 


Because we say that the word of God is our spiritual food. 

Shouldn't it be just like we eat for our physical bodies every day we feel strong and energized, so we also have to feed our soul (spiritually) every day too? 

So, set aside a special time to hear God's Word every day too - so that we can experience true revival in our lives. 

#2 The Understandable God's Words 

I am so sad to admit that often revivals do not happen because of the negligence of God's servants. 

They make God's words too difficult to understand. Too complicated to follow. 

In fact, it is the duty of every servant of God to read God's Word and then be given "explanation" so that it can be understood (v. 8). 

However, there are many servants of God, not giving the explanations, but even giving confusion to the hearer. 

Every servant of God needs to be very aware that true revival can only occur because the Word of God leads to repentance. 

To be able to lead to repentance, the word of God must first be understood by those who hear. 

In the present time, this is not something difficult! 

There is so much material and even help for God's servants to learn to convey the truth of God's word in a way that is easy to understand. 

All it takes is humility to continue to learn AND ENOUGH TIME OF PREPARATION. 


I think that with internet access and social media wide open today, the servants of God can no longer say the reason that they are short on materials. 

All it lacks is the humility and discipline to put in sufficient preparation time. 

# 3 Touched by the Word and Blessed (vv. 9-10) 

The first time the people of Israel listened attentively to God's words, it said that all people wept after hearing (v. 9). 

They were touched by God's words and found how far their life had gone from God's provision. 

But what is interesting is that their cries, their emotional touch, did not become the subject of psychological play by the servants of God at that time. 

Their awareness of God's presence and their sins are not material for the servants of God to subdue the people in the power of the servants of God. Make them dependent on the instruction and direction from  the servants of God. 


Even God's servants and leaders say that they has cried enough. Because it is good if all of us have been touched by the preaching of God's Word. 

Now is the time to be happy. Eating and drinking. Feasting. Enjoy life. 

It is said that “for the joy of God is Your Strenght! (v. 10) ”, which means the truth has made you free. 

However, to continue to be free, it is not enough just to know the truth but to continue to do the truth. Then God's protection will always be with us. That is what gives us joy in God. 

Exactly as in James 1:25: 
But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. 


Let us every time we are touched by God's words and experience repentance, let the sorrow for sin not overtake us. Guilt does not haunt our steps forward. 

Because repentance is only the first step for God to work to restore our lives. And in the next steps, God also wants to continue to be with us. 

God never acts, then hands off. He is faithful to the end 

Let us also continue to be faithful to the end of our Lord. 

When God's words convert us and give us awareness as a first step, let us also take the next steps in life to continue to practice the truth of God's word. 

That's where true revival occurs.

 

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Read Also: The Next Steps