Revival Comes 复兴临到

[Dexu Xia]

If my people . . . will humble themselves . . . , then I will hear from heaven. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Aurukun is a small town in northern Australia—its Aboriginal population drawn from seven clans. While the gospel came to Aurukun a century ago, eye-for-eye retribution sometimes remained. In 2015, clan tensions grew, and when a murder happened, payback required someone from the offender’s family to die in return.

But something remarkable happened in early 2016. The people of Aurukun started seeking God in prayer. Repentance followed, then mass baptisms, as revival began sweeping the town. People were so joyful they danced in the streets, and instead of enacting payback, the family of the murdered man forgave the offending clan. Soon 1,000 people were in church each Sunday—in a town of just 1,300!

We see revivals like this in Scripture, as in Hezekiah’s day when crowds joyfully returned to God (2 Chronicles 30), and on the day of Pentecost when thousands repented (Acts 2:38–47). While revival is God’s work, done in His time, history shows prayer precedes it. “If my people . . . will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,” God told Solomon, “I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

As the people of Aurukun found, revival brings joy and reconciliation to a town. How our own cities need such transformation! Father, bring revival to us too.

By:  Sheridan Voysey

While there’s no “formula” for revival, what do you think helps lead to it? How can you respond to God today to help revival come?

Dear Father, please bring revival to our land, starting with me.

我名下的子民，若是自卑……，我必从天上垂听。—历代志下7章14节

欧鲁昆（Aurukun）是澳洲北部的一个小镇，当地人口由七个原住民部族组成。虽然在100年前福音已传至该地，但以牙还牙、以眼还眼的报复行动有时还会发生。2015年，部族间的冲突加剧，紧张情势升温，一旦发生杀人案件，凶手的家族中就必须有人血债血偿。

但在2016年初却发生了一件奇妙的事，欧鲁昆的居民开始祷告寻求上帝。随之而来的是众人悔改，然后集体洗礼，大复兴临到整个小镇。居民喜乐地在街上手舞足蹈，而被害者的家属不但没有施行报复，还原谅了凶手的家族。很快地，教堂每个主日的聚会人数上达千人，而这小镇仅有1,300人！

我们在圣经中也看到类似的复兴，就像希西家王在位的日子，百姓喜乐地回转归向上帝（历代志下30章）；在五旬节那日有数千人悔改（使徒行传2章38-47节）。虽然复兴是上帝的作为，按照祂所定的时间发生，但历史表明在复兴之前必有祷告。正如上帝对所罗门说：“这称为我名下的子民，若是自卑、祷告，寻求我的面，转离他们的恶行，我必从天上垂听，赦免他们的罪，医治他们的地。”（历代志下7章14节）

复兴临到欧鲁昆的居民，为整个小镇带来喜乐与和好，你我居住的城市也需要这样的转变！让我们恳求天父，使这样的复兴也临到我们。

作者：  霍薛顿

复兴虽无公式可循，
但你认为哪些因素能带来复兴？
今天你要如何回应上帝，以得着复兴？

亲爱的天父，求祢使复兴临到这地，就从我开始