Oswald J. Smith in his book "The Enduement of
Power" encourages us that revival is a definite promise of God, just waiting to be
laid hold of. Oswald J. Smith writes, "'And it shall come to pass in the last days,
saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.' Now, we are still living in the
'last days'. Pentecost was the birthday of the Church. But if Peter could speak of
Pentecost as the 'last days', then we are living in the 'last hours' of the 'last days'.
This is Saturday night in the history of the Church. God has declared that in the 'last
days' He would pour out of His Spirit. That promise was partially fulfilled on the day of
Pentecost. But it remains for us to see the final and complete fulfillment. Let me again
remind you that this is still the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. Have we, then,
Scripture to warrant the hope of another great outpouring of the Spirit of God as we enter
the 'last hours' of this age? I believe we have. It is my deep, deep conviction that God
is waiting to pour out His Spirit once again, and that wherever He can find a people who
will meet His conditions, He will give flood-tides of revival. The outpouring of the Holy
Spirit is the greatest need of the hour. Any one may have it and expect it. This is the
solution of all problems. Not money, but the outpoured Spirit. Not how to get the
attention of the people, but how to secure the operation of the Holy Ghost. Not better
preaching, but Holy Ghost preaching. 'I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh.' This,
my brethren, is the greatest need of the hour."
It is time for the
Church to become united about its desperate need for revival. We must recognize
our true condition! Let us agree in prayer with that old German mystic,
Tersteegen, for the promise of revival. "O Lord Jesus! May we all be assembled
and wait with ardent desire for the power from on high, and the outpouring of
Thy precious Holy Spirit. This you have promised to us. As You have gathered us
together as the body, so unite our minds that we may mutually seek, desire, and
sigh after You in our spirits. Purge our hearts of all distractions and of all
that which does not lead us to You, that we may meditate on You alone. O Lord
Jesus! What are we without the fervor of Your Spirit, without the light and life
of Your Spirit in our hearts? In reality, we are nothing but dead and formal
Christians who neither know You, nor love You, nor glorify You. Come then,
blessed Comforter! Descend upon this assembly! Enter into every heart! And
though we may not all be filled with You, let at least a few drops of Your grace
flow unto us on this occasion, that by this water of life our hearts may be
mutually refreshed and incited to devote and offer up ourselves to You entirely.
May we utterly forsake all that is not You! O Lord Jesus! Forgive us if we have
ever grieved Your Holy Spirit, resisted His influences, and withdrawn ourselves
from them. O let Your most sacred blood cover and atone for these and all other
sins! Be in the midst of us, and manifest Yourself graciously and mercifully to
our souls like the disciples that we may proclaim the gospel effectually to
others. Do this, and hear and answer this our prayer, for the sake of Your
precious blood and merits!"
From: A Revival Source Center