The Urgency I Witnessed at the Asbury Revival

In the book of Genesis, we learn of Isaac’s harrowing journey with his family and servants, forced to leave their home and venture into unknown territory. Upon arriving in Gerar, they were immediately faced with a pressing issue: the lack of water.

It was a problem that couldn’t be ignored. Water is a fundamental necessity for survival, and the consequences of not finding it could be dire — even life-threatening for Isaac and his loved ones.

“So Isaac departed from there and camped in the Valley of Gerar, and settled there.?Then Isaac dug again the wells of water which had been dug in the days of his father Abraham, for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the same names which his father had given them,” (Genesis 26:17–18 NASB)

As we delve deeper into the story of Isaac and his quest for water, we can’t help but draw parallels to the state of the church today. Just like Isaac, the church is facing a desperate situation with an urgent need for a life source.

But let’s be clear, the solution is not in finding a hipper music, better methods, or the latest church trend. Minor adjustments won’t cut it. What we need is a return to the fundamentals — the life source itself.

Isaac’s approach to finding water was straightforward. He didn’t seek out experts or look for new sources of knowledge. Instead, he dug for the wells that his father Abraham had already found. It was a simple yet powerful act of rediscovery.

This approach may seem counterintuitive to the way we operate today. We often look for new ideas, the latest principles, and cutting-edge truths. But in times of urgency, experimentation is a luxury we can’t afford.

Isaac knew that Abraham had already found a guaranteed supply of water, and he didn’t have time to waste on trial and error. The same holds for the church today. We need to go back to the wells of our faith, rediscover our foundational beliefs, and tap into the abundant supply of wisdom and strength that has sustained us for centuries.

The truth is, despite the passage of time, the core of human nature remains the same. We are still driven by the same basic desires — to eat, drink, have sex, and make war. And just as our desires haven’t changed, neither has God. His character is as steadfast and unchanging as it was 6,000 years ago.

The problems facing the church today are not unique. They are the same as those faced by our predecessors throughout history. But we have a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to draw from if we’re willing to look back and learn from the past.

Isaac’s story is a perfect example of this. His unrelenting search for life-giving water teaches us that the solution to our problems may be closer than we think. We need to return to the fundamentals, the core of our faith, and rediscover the life-giving water that has sustained us for generations.

If we look back at the history of the Christian church, we see that there have been periods of great power and impact. The gospel was preached with urgency, and people were eager to know Jesus. Prayer meetings lasted all night, and the church’s vitality spilled over into the broader society.

The current state of the church is a far cry from what it once was. We find ourselves in a period of drought, characterized by apathy and lifelessness. But let me assure you, this is not a unique situation. As history has shown us, where there are great peaks, there are also great dips. And right now, we are in desperate need of a change.

But here’s the thing — we can’t solve this problem on our own. The only way to lift the church out of this slump is through revival. It’s a return to the roots of our faith, to the fervent prayer and pouring out of the Holy Spirit that we see in the book of Acts. And the natural response to that outpouring is evangelism.

But just like Isaac had to dig through dirt to uncover the water his father had discovered, we too must be willing to do the hard work of uncovering the life-giving water that has sustained our faith for centuries. The old wells are still there, but they may be filled with dirt and debris. We need to be desperate enough to move that dirt and rediscover the source of our spiritual vitality.

Dear church, have you considered what has filled your wells? The water is still there, but the rubbish is obstructing it. Unfortunately, many churches today fail to recognize this problem and the urgency of the situation. The root cause of the problem is the work of the Philistines!

Recently, I witnessed a flood of people at Asbury and was struck by the movement of God. While some may have disagreed with the methods employed, I can say for myself that I was truly blessed as the water flowed into my cup. The unity found during the service, regardless of denominational differences, was powerful and inspiring.

However, we must also recognize that Satan seeks to divide us, using revival as a tool for discord. If the same water supply witnessed at Asbury could be found in typical Sunday morning services, the demand for worship would be overflowing. It is time for us to honestly face the facts of our current state, fall on our knees, and pray.