By Dale Lennon - Helensvale Campus Pastor

'Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence and holiness. Thence springs a vivid sense of sin and a profound exercise of heart in repentance, praise, and love, with an evangelistic outflow.' - J.L Packer

This quote I believe well encapsulates the experience of revival for the Christian and it is something we should pursue as individuals and as a church more broadly.

This cannot be forced and is a result of God at work, not us at work.

It is a 'visitation of God' as Packer puts it.

I do believe though that we can position ourselves for this visitation. We see this in the scriptures as we are encouraged to be (being) filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18). That we are renewed day by day by the work of the Spirit.

Also as it says in James 4:8:
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Or Luke 11:9-10:
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

We have come to the end of our series on The Holy Spirit.

My earnest prayer for us this week is that we would continue to ask, that we would take what we have learnt over this series and put it into practice.

That we would continue to seek a visitation of our God, keeping in step with the Spirit and by doing so position ourselves for revival.