The craving for another Pentecost – Part 16

Many Christians often desire another Pentecost, by this they wish God would pour out His Spirit the way He did on Pentecost day. But Pentecost cannot be relived again. Only the principles of Pentecost can be relived. No two incidents of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring or revival are the same. Every outpouring of the Holy Spirit has its own unique features and identity.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the singular unique feature that made Pentecost what it was. Pentecost has come and gone, but we can pray for another outpouring. To have another outpouring we must pay the price for it.

The question we must ask is this: are we willing to pay the price for a Holy Spirit outpouring in our generation? If we desire to experience another outpouring, then we must find out what are the conditions and why has another outpouring eluded the Church for so long?

Nigeria has experienced remarkable revivals in the past; the Garrick Isokari Braide revival in 1918, the Holy Ghost revival in 1927, the Joseph Babalola revival in 1930; the Old Umuahia revival in 1939, the Latter Rain revival in 1947, then the Charismatic revival in the late 1960s extending into 1990s. These revivals define the history of Pentecostalism in Nigeria. Another outpouring of the Holy Spirit of God is a possibility. However, we must be ready to pay the price for it!

According to Jeremiah 5:23-25, sin was the cause of the lack of physical rain. Isaiah 59:2 collaborates the fact that sin causes a breach between God and man. When we live in sin, the heavens are shut against us. But in Hosea 6:3, and Psalm 72:6, the coming of God is likened to the coming of spiritual rain upon the earth. So, sin prevents the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Joel teaches us how to return to the pathway of reconciliation with God and of the Holy Spirit’s outpouring. Genuine repentance by the people and the leaders set the stage for God’s people to experience another outpouring (Joel 2:12-32; Dan.9:20-23; Isa.57:15)

There must be a genuine personal and corporate repentance if we desire to see another Holy Spirit’s outpouring. We must repent of the sins of disunity and the lack of love in the Church. When the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Moravians on thirteenth of August 1727, it brought healing of divisions. We must repent of false teachings, of idolatry, of self-glorification, of greed and self-centredness.

Elijah called the nation to repentance before they saw the visitation of God. He repaired the broken altars of God before the fire fell (1 Kgs 18). When we repent of our sins the fire of the Holy Spirit will be sent.

Repentance must be matched with holy living and conduct. There must be a return to holiness, which is a precondition for seeing God (Heb.12:14). Duncan Campbell said, “The glory cannot be restored without holiness.” The revival in Hybrides by Duncan Campbell started from reading Psalm 24.

The next step is that we must pray for revival (Zechariah 10:1; 1 Kgs 18:41-46; Hab.3:1-2). Elijah prayed until the rain came. William Seymour prayed for years before revival came at Azusa Street. Evan Roberts prayed for fourteen years before revival came to Wales. Before the outbreak of the Joseph Babalola revival in 1930 in Western Nigeria, the revivalists prayed for six months before the revival broke out. We must be consistent in our prayers until the Holy Spirit is poured out upon us. The Church must be mobilised to pray for revival.