Revive Us Again: Four Marks of True Revival in the Church (Part 5).
Have you ever wondered what it looks like when God revives His people?
Over the past few weeks, our study of the book of Nehemiah has pulled back the curtain on this very question. We've witnessed how God captures someone's heart, burdening them as His champion for revival and rebuilding. Through prayer, that burden transforms into a vision that demands action. God then provides the resources to make that vision a reality. He calls leaders to scrutinize the situation, inspire people toward a better future, and mobilize them into service for His vision.
But what happens next? After part of the vision has been accomplished, the story takes an unexpected turn. Now, let’s uncover the next chapter in this unfolding story of God and Nehemiah.
The Walls Completed
"So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days” (Nehemiah 6:15).
What a fantastic achievement! In just 52 days, Nehemiah motivated and inspired God's people to rebuild walls that had been broken down for far too long. Now, they were protected which did not make their enemies happy.
The enemies around them were not pleased by God's granting of success. Nehemiah says the enemies stood in fear, recognizing God's hand was on His people and Nehemiah's leadership.
You might think the story would end here, with the vision complete after rebuilding the walls. But God's intention was not just building walls—His vision was for the community to come together and re-commit themselves to Him. The walls were merely a means to an end.
Nehemiah had to move from building walls to building people, which was far more difficult. This is the task of every church leader. Pastors are not merely called to oversee construction projects. They are called to build people, to make disciples. Buildings are not more necessary than people! Nehemiah’s legacy is not about walls. It is about leading people to a renewed relationship with their Maker.
Responding to the Word of God (Nehemiah 8:1-12)
One significant indicator that revival is happening is a desire for the Word of God. Israel gathered as a community, eager and anticipating what God would speak through His word.
A large platform was built so Ezra could be seen. He opened the Book of the Law, and when he did, the people stood in reverence and awe of God's inspired, holy word that some were hearing for the first time.
A second mark of revival is a desire to worship God without being prompted. Ezra led them in prayer and worship. They began raising their hands, saying "Amen, Amen!" and bowing in worship to God (Nehemiah 8:6).
When God revives His people, there's little need to coax worship from them. The natural response of those moving from fear to faith is physically worshiping the God who empowered them. I love new believers for this—they react freely without inhibition. They haven’t been around the church long enough to care what other people think. All they know is that they were once blind but now they see, and they know that God is the reason. So, without urging, they lift their hearts to the Lord in worship.
A third sign of revival is a renewed love for sound Bible preaching. Ezra read the Law and interpreted it. He exegeted the text and served the people through the word. Through Spirit and Word-led preaching, hearts and minds were opened to the presence of God. The people responded with tears, convicted of their sins. Through tears, they experienced the grace of God that comes to the contrite (Psalm 34:18 KJV).
Let’s summarize the signs of revival:
A renewed love for the Word.
A renewed desire to worship
A renewed craving for Spirit-led biblical preaching.
A renewed heart ready to repent
The Word Reforming Our Lives (Nehemiah 8:13-18)
Repentance is marked by reform—when we repent, there is an accompanying personal change and commitment to God's Word. As the Israelites studied God's Word, it reshaped them.
On the second day, Ezra read from Leviticus 23 about celebrating the Feast of Booths, a time to remember how God sheltered Israel in the wilderness by living in shelters for seven days. The people joyfully decided to do this, having neglected it for nearly a decade!
Oh, for the fervency and freshness of a new experience with God! When we're newly saved, we don't debate the Bible—we are so glad to be free from the bondage of sin and surrounded by God's presence that we obey with more zeal. The Psalmist declared:
"I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (Psalm 119:32).
Catalyst for True Revival
Nehemiah 8 paints a powerful picture of what happens when God revives His people. The completion of the wall was not the ultimate vision - it was merely a means to the greater end of restoring the community's relationship with God.
Building new buildings and creating new church programs cannot accomplish genuine and sustained revival alone. At its core, revival must involve the renewing and maturing of God's people. The Holy Spirit and the word of God catalyze this.
When the Israelites allowed God's Word to permeate their lives again, it sparked repentance, worship, obedience, and ultimately, reformation of their lives into greater Christlikeness. Ezra's expository teaching was the spark God used to rekindle a blazing passion in their hearts.
This is why expository preaching is so vital. When we commit to systematically unpacking the meaning of Scripture and helping people understand it, we unleash God's very Word into their lives. And make no mistake - that Word is "living and active...judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12). It can refashion our lives, reshape our desires, and continually reform our hearts into the image of Christ.
Like the Israelites, we, too, can experience reformation when we return to God's Word with a humble heart. Though we have strayed at times, the Lord continually extends His grace, giving us space to confess our sins and receive His forgiveness. As we repent and let the Spirit realign our lives to Scripture, we are free to worship and love our Redeemer again passionately.
So, if you desire true revival that goes beyond outward change and impacts your innermost being, commit yourself to becoming a student and doer of the Word. Allow the living Word to search, refine, and revive you. For it is through His Word that God revives the souls of His people.
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