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How Successful Are Modern Revivals?
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to listen to Bible truth. Unless a religious service has something of
a sensational character, it has no attraction for them.
With every truly converted soul the relation to God and to eternal
things will be the great topic of life. Where in the popular churches of
today is the spirit of consecration to God? Converts do not renounce
pride and love of the world. They are no more willing to deny self
and follow the meek and lowly Jesus than before their conversion.
Godliness has well-nigh departed from many of the churches.
Notwithstanding the widespread declension of faith, there are
true followers of Christ in these churches. Before the final visitation
of God’s judgments, there will be among the people of the Lord a
revival of primitive godliness not witnessed since apostolic times.
The Spirit of God will be poured out. Many will separate from those
churches in which love of this world has supplanted love for God
and His Word. Many ministers and people will gladly accept those
great truths which prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming.
The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work, and before the
time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavor to prevent it
by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring
under his power he will make it appear that God’s special blessing
is poured out. Multitudes will exult, “God is working marvelously,”
when the work is that of another spirit. Under a religious guise,
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Satan will seek to extend his influence over the Christian world.
There is an emotional excitement, a mingling of the true with the
false, well adapted to mislead.
Yet in the light of God’s Word it is not difficult to determine the
nature of these movements. Wherever men neglect the testimony of
the Bible, turning away from these plain, soul-testing truths which
require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be
sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed. And by the rule, “Ye shall
know them by their fruits” (
Matthew 7:16
), it is evident that these
movements are not the work of the Spirit of God.
The truths of God’s Word are a shield against the deceptions of
Satan. Neglect of these truths has opened the door to the evils now
widespread in the world. The importance of the law of God has been
to a great extent lost sight of. A wrong conception of the divine
law has led to errors in conversion and sanctification, lowering the