Family revival

The family is the first unit that God created, right after He created Adam, and well before government or even church. It is logical that revival must move from the personal to the family level. The ones we live with on a daily basis know us best and will sense what is happening in our lives. What a natural environment for further development of revival!

I must assume that by now you have begun the process of personal revival that must precede anything done with the family. Remember, in revival far more is caught than is taught. In other words, your family will learn more from your example than from your exhortations.

A good way to start is to gather the family together to discuss the need for revival. Share with them what has been happening in your lives you have asked God to lead you in personal revival. Share with them some of the things about which God has convicted you, particularly those things that touch their lives. They have noticed selfishness, pride, lack of prayer and Bible times, absenteeism from Sunday School, Church, etc. These things should be confessed to them.

It is important that the family unit be strengthened by this process. A genuine Holy Ghost revival will do this, since the family was instituted by God and is nurtured by anything God does. After all, a good family life is one of the signs of the filling of the Holy Spirit. (Eph. 5:18 to 6:4)

Dad should take the leadership in this family renewal; however, where Dad is not in the home, or refuses to provide the spiritual leadership for the family, Mom should encourage revival in the home. If her husband is present in the home, she must be careful not to nag him or put a guilt trip on him for his failure to lead. She should pray for him, and hold him up before the family. Family revival should emphasize the importance of our relationship with the Lord, and point out the ways to improve that. Family prayer and Bible reading helps, as does family giving, encouraging the children to participate.

Since revival will always result in righting wrongs, take a member of the family with you when you return that tool or utensil that you borrowed a long time ago and never took back. A renewed conscience may help you to realize that this is the same as stealing. It will also provide an opportunity to witness to the person who owns the item, and it will help in the humbling process in your life. The child who observes this will get an object lesson in how the Lord works in the life of one who is surrendered to Him and is seeking God’s best for his life.

A good family project could be going over the family budget with an eye to determining if the Lord is being treated with honor in our spending. With the same energy, it would be good to discuss as a family what we are watching on the television or viewing through our VCR. Be careful not to turn this into a legalistic session or you will miss the point of revival. Getting the family to discuss revival will lead to discussion of other areas, such as ways we can do for the Lord.

Above all, there needs to be a family spiritual time set up. This may be a formal devotional time, such as a family altar, or it may be a more informal time of sharing from the Bible while on a family walk, or riding in the car. Remember, our Saviour taught his disciples in all sorts of situations and in many different places, indoors, and out. In my family, some of things I thought were unimportant were actually the things our children remembered most. They cherished the spiritual lessons learned, probably better than they might have done had we had a formal devotional time that day. However, the most important part of family devotions is to get started. Don’t wait for the perfect setting or time. Do it today!

For more about this topic see: Christian Home  or visit the BBN BI and register to study course # 20300 Love In The Home