How wonderful it is when a Christian finally realizes Jesus is, in fact, an unseen guest in their earthly home. His presence is far more precious than expensive furniture in the living room or a swimming pool in the backyard. This privilege is not just wishful thinking; it is an absolute truth that is central to the very definition of personal revival.

To understand personal revival, you must fully embrace the concept of living with Jesus as your constant companion. Doing so will make you aware of HIS closeness.

Personal revival can be identified by an ongoing sense of the presence of the Lord. Just as a church experiences the presence of Jesus during revival, so also, do individuals. What I am describing is a heightened awareness of holiness. 

Even those who are considered spiritual leaders can become very uncomfortable when fully exposed to the holiness of God–Isaiah 6 is a powerful and illuminating passage about a great prophet who loved the Lord deeply. Upon seeing God sitting on a throne high and exalted, and hearing the seraphs crying out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty,” Isaiah found himself in a most dreadful situation and cried out: “Woe to me!…I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty” (Isaiah 6:5).

How offensive the society in which we live must be to God. Consider just for a moment, how you might feel standing in His holy presence as a representative of this culture, knowing full well what is displayed each day–via movies, television, magazines, the internet, books, and other media outlets–along with the results of a study claiming that the Lord’s name is used in vain over one billion times each day. How could anything be more shameful, more so in America that other countries, because of our Christian heritage and the fact the Bible is so readily available and open to everyone? Does it shame you enough, with what is happening in our society, to join with others in an honest effort to save Christian values and halt the onslaught of rampant evil in our society?

Because revival is characterized by an overwhelming sense of the presence of a holy God, it naturally follows that conviction of sin, confession, and even reconciliation, are typical events for anyone affected. For revival to be long-lasting, however, the real task is to not only break the old negative patterns, but to firmly establish new positive ones in their place.

The apostle Paul wrote about taking off old clothes and putting on clean, fresh ones. Remember how wonderful it feels when you first try on a new outfit. Revival arrives with the same sense of expectations, only its the putting-on of sparkling-clean spiritual clothing.

Tears are often present during times of personal revival. They usually accompany the softening of a heart made ready to receive God’s forgiveness. Experiencing anew the clean sensation of God’s holiness, we begin to feel more fully alive than ever before. In short, I was you to understand that personal revival results in a sense of great inward joy for the person experiencing it.

Is there a specific sin standing between you and what I’m describing?

Usually people who are really serious can accurately identify what they have been holding on to that needs to be abandoned before a meaningful change can take place.

The bottom line is this: Sin and the presence of Jesus don’t mix. They never have and they never will. You have to choose one or the other.

Those who regularly sense the  presence of Christ, which comes with personal revival, are immediately convicted when they find themselves acting in a manner that has been unrighteous. They are brutally honest with themselves, which brings a quick response to ask the Lord for forgiveness and anyone else who might be affected. Personal revival is quite effective to highlighting the continuing importance to walk righteously. It is a time of new beginnings, of new life, of dedicated revival.

You can experience personal revival. However, only the Lord can make it happen. Reach out to him in prayerful conversation. Let him know the desire of your heart-how much you want it. Be persistent! He will not disappoint you.