I Will Dwell in the Midst of You (Zechariah and Revival)

My favorite leaders and teachers are all saying the same thing: the only way out of our country’s growing moral and economic bankruptcy is another great revival and awakening. We are no longer self-sufficient to pull ourselves out of this mess.

What is revival? If enough believers pray and fast for God’s Kingdom to come and be established over all the strongholds of our nation, and revival comes, will we know what it is? I often ask God, What is revival? What will it be like? The second chapter of Zechariah gives a glimpse of what revival looks like to God:

“For I, says the Lord, will be to her a wall of fire round about, and I will be the glory in the midst of her. For thus said the Lord of hosts, after [His] glory had sent me [His messenger] to the nations who plundered you--for he who touches you touches the apple or pupil of His eye…Sing and rejoice, O Daughter of Zion; for behold, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of you, says the Lord. And many nations shall join themselves to the Lord in that day and shall be My people. And I will dwell in the midst of you, and you shall know (recognize and understand) that the Lord of hosts has sent me [His messenger] to you… Be still, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused and risen from His holy habitation.” Zech 2:5, 8, 10-13

Revival is God in the midst of us. Revival is God’s glory (i.e., all that He has and is) readily manifesting and dwelling amongst us. Revival is being in awe-awareness of God’s Presence like a wall of fire around us. Revival is having true experiential knowledge and understanding of His Christ. Revival is many people, even whole nations, becoming joined—united—married to Christ, and Him dwelling in the midst of us. Revival is the silencing of humanity’s flesh as it realizes there is no weaseling out of His gaze. Revival is the Lord’s manifest Presence being aroused and risen from His holy habitation and coming to dwell in our midst.

A hunger and a thirst for revival should be our deepest longing. One of my favorite verses is found in the last chapter of the Bible: “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’” (Rev. 22:17) Simply put, that’s our job. That’s our cry. That’s our single prayer. I believe we will see revival—we will see Jesus be aroused and arise from His holy habitation to come dwell in our midst—if we, the Bride, regularly put aside our food as an act of crying out to God, “Come! We need You more than food, water ….air!” I like how the Amplified Bible says it:

“The [Holy] Spirit and the bride (the church, the true Christians) say, Come! And let him who is listening say, Come! And let everyone come who is thirsty [who is painfully conscious of his need of those things by which the soul is refreshed, supported, and strengthened]; and whoever [earnestly] desires to do it, let him come, take, appropriate, and drink the water of Life without cost.”

Today, consider skipping just one meal to allow the cry of the Spirit inside of you to spring up: COME JESUS!