Day 20 – Ready for Awakening

Ready for Awakening
Acts 19:1-21 

One of the greatest revivals in the early church took place in the city of Ephesus. It is interesting that of all places, Ephesus is where God chose to do one of the most significant revivals in the Bible. History tells us that this was a city where sorcery and witchcraft were widely practiced, sexual immorality was rampant, and many other issues.

The story of how this revival started is recorded in Acts 19. When the Apostle Paul first arrived in Ephesus, he and his companions happened to find some fellow believers. Paul’s first question to them was if they had received the Holy Spirit. They responded, “We have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit” (Acts 19:2). Moments later we are told, “When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying” (Acts 19:6).

Paul understood that if the city of Ephesus were going to experience a spiritual awakening, the people of God would need to be full of the Holy Spirit.

Over the next two years, Paul would preach powerfully in the synagogues and throughout the city. However, Paul’s sermons were not just wise words or persuasive speech; they were accompanied by the power of God. We are told in verse 11 that God did “extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul”, and that the fear of the Lord descended on the entire city (v.17).

The results were stunning. People began coming to faith in Jesus in a tremendous way. Those practicing dark arts were convicted of their sin and dramatically gave their hearts to Christ. Verse 19 tells us, “And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver”. By today’s standards, this would equate to several million dollars that were burnt up, along with the darkness those texts represented.

The insights of Acts 19 provide an important blueprint for revival. If we want to experience a great awakening in our nation today, we must be believers who are full of the Holy Spirit, boldly proclaiming the power of God, not just with words but also with deeds. We must be people who are marked with compassion for the lost, broken, and hurting; but also a people who carry the power of God to do something about it.

God wants to do greater things through each of us, and this corporate fast is paving the way for that to happen. Our country is ready for a great awakening! God is preparing His people for something historic, so get ready!21 Days of Fasting & Prayer: Greater Things | James River Church