“Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. And a number of those who had practices magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all…” Acts 19:18-19
October 29, 2025
Revivals start in various ways. Some start slowly, others suddenly, and in different kinds of circumstances. One well-known revival started in New York City in 1857. One man prayed alone for some time, developing into a famous midday prayer meeting with results spreading to other large cities. There were many conversions. The Atlanta police department dismissed half its force because of reduced crime. It was in the city of Ephesus that prolonged and effective preaching and teaching of the Word of God contributed to the sudden eruption of a revival (Acts 19:8-20). Miracles by the hand of the apostle Paul and major victories of Christ over occultism penetrated deeply into Satan’s territory. There was confession of sin and a willingness to make a clean break with the pagan past in the lives of believers, no matter what the cost. Genuine revivals cannot be programmed or planned. Sometimes a revival will be ignited by the sudden death of someone, or a calamity, something that makes people realize the fleeting character of life in this world. They are solely the work of the sovereign hand of God. They come and they go. However, there are certain features of these times of revival that are highly instructive for us, not as a technique to create duplication, but rather as an understanding of the ways of God. We will look at these in the next Morning Minute.
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“Lord, open my eyes to the spiritual needs in my own life and those of the community around me.”