Revival

As a revival spreads in a society, people change. As they grow into discipleship, they begin thinking and living biblically, following the principles and practices of the kingdom of God in their own lives. In the process, like leaven working through a lump of dough, the mores and customs of society begin to change, eventually altering the culture of that society. This is true internal, organic transformation; not something enforced from outside. Acts 19 provides a picture of how this happened in Ephesus under Paul’s ministry, where people willingly changed their religious beliefs and eliminated old practices. During a reformation, new organizations and institutions arise both to propagate the teaching of the kingdom of God as well as to sustain the work already underway. Laws may change to reflect a more God-centric viewpoint. New institutions (“wineskins”) such as new denominations, hospitals or universities may be founded. Reformation is the means by which the new teaching and experience about God as Father is handed on to the next generation. This is a necessary step to ensure that the harvest is not lost, as people can easily return to old beliefs and habits; a reformation is always only one generation away from expiration. Reformation is more than an experience; it engages the heart, the soul, and the mind. It is literally a change in the deep structure of a civilization’s thought and values, of a society’s priorities, laws and institutions, and ultimately of people’s lifestyles. Reformation introduces and sustains the abundance of God’s presence in a society by providing access to supernatural living.