There is excitement in the air at Asbury University in Wilmore, Kentucky, and it is spreading outward because there has been a great movement of the Holy Spirit urging believers to strengthen and act on their faith in Jesus Christ.
Some are calling this movement a revival, but I pray it is also the beginning of an awakening, as well.
Asbury University is a private Christian school, which means that most likely the majority of students have been raised in the Christian faith, but students from other colleges have visited to find out what is going on at this college.
Young people are seeking answers to the questions, “Why am I here,” and “What am I supposed to do with my life?”
God is putting a desire in their hearts to know who they are meant to be within His creation. How very exciting and wonderful this is!
When God stirs up His people in a new and exciting way, we call it a revival because their dedication and commitment to God’s work has been revived to become even more exciting and focused.
An awakening is when secular souls have felt their heart touched in a way that incites them to seek and acknowledge their creator. In turn, they find their need for a savior and are then awakened to the beauty of believing in and following Christ.
Many of us who pray for our nation have been praying for a movement across the entire country that will turn all created souls toward their creator.
We pray for nonbelievers to have their hearts touched with the desire to recognize their emptiness and to seek the Lord. We pray for Christian churches to have revivals of their first love for God.
We pray for members of these churches to choose God’s way when confronted by worldly choices. We pray that this country will again break forth with honesty, treasure of life, and good moral values – all of the things God gave us in the Ten Commandments that do us well in our lives.
Can a revival and/or awakening happen in the U.S.? Of course. God tells us that we should, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16.
There are many of us who recognize and confess our faults, which, in turn, causes us to live humble lives in order to lift God and His kingdom high.
We pray for each other and our fellow humans that all of us might be healed of our brokenness and recognize ourselves as children of the King so that we might honor God our Creator and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Those who live humbly and love the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength are living in the righteousness of Christ. When we then pray at the direction of the Holy Spirit, we are praying God’s will.
We can be assured that God would love to see everyone’s heart in our country find Him because all of us were created to be in fellowship with God.
The Apostle Paul tells us, “God wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
He desires the best for us, and if we seek Him and obey Him, we will live the best life we ever could imagine.
What are we to do? Henry Blackaby, known for his book “Experiencing God,” wisely tells us to, “Watch to see where God is working and join Him in His work.”
We are to look at our church – the very one we attend – and see if God is indeed working within that church. Are we lifting high the name of God? Are souls meeting the Lord of all Creation? Is prayer a large part of every week and service?
If God is indeed working within our church, well then so should we be working there. We should be serving the way Jesus served, discipling the way Jesus discipled, and loving others the way Jesus loved.
Jesus did not sit around waiting for people to come to Him. He went out to the people. We need to not only open inward the doors of the church, but to go outside and tell others of the great joy and love we have for our Savior. How will anyone know if no one tells them?
Working to revive souls is the work of the Holy Spirit, but these souls also need to know and understand the words of scripture, which are the words of God and the way of life.
That is our work given to us by the Father through Jesus. We are to live our faith and we are to share our faith.
God is always working, and He desires for us to join Him.
Let us take up this challenge to share our faith, to teach others, and to love them in Jesus’ name. Let us encourage this revival in our nation by praying that God will continue to move people in an exciting and beautiful way towards Him.
ED. NOTE: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
