REVIVAL, OR NOT?
“Revival” means “restoration to life, consciousness, vigor, strength” (Dictionary.com).
I believe that what many consider “revival” in America today is not our restoration to God and the life of His kingdom, but evidence of sovereign God’s worldwide End-Times harvest in spite of the Church’s failure to bring in that harvest. Our increased patriotism indicates a restoration (revival) of earlier American values and national loyalty but that is not to be confused with spiritual revival.
As you certainly know, 2026 is America’s 250th anniversary. We will be celebrating ourselves in a way that intoxicates many and inoculates us to the dangers that this celebration exposes us to. Even now many Christians are drunk on American military might, our president’s unprecedented and bold Executive Orders, and his dominating influence on the world stage.
Yes, there is cause to celebrate Trump’s dealing with gender issues, his support of Israel and more, but the Church continues to love the world and the things of the world, finding our identity and security there more than in the Kingdom of Heaven. There is little call for the repentance that typically precedes revival, which can lead to the new heart and spirit of Ezekiel 11:19.
We should not consider it strange or unjust then, if God makes His call and mercifully allows purifying fire to come upon us to prepare us to fulfill Jesus’ mandate in these Last Days. James 1:2-4 is for real, and we need it in order to be faithful to Him and to each other in the Day to come – possibly as we give token tribute to God for our success even as we glory in our president and our 250th anniversary.
Let’s remember that both John the Baptist and Jesus began their ministries with a call to repentance (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 7:14). Repentance is as essential to entrance into the Life of the Kingdom of God as chicken is to chicken potpie.
In Matthew 11:20-24 Jesus reprimands the cities where most of His miracles were performed, “because they did not repent.” Paul writes in Romans 2:5, “But because of your hard and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” Are we storing up judgment?
II Chronicles 7:14 is our only hope. We delude ourselves into thinking that we have repented because we can quote it, but are we actually humbling ourselves, praying and seeking His face and turning from our wicked ways?
Ken Stoltzfus
Kidron, Ohio USA
January 22, 2026
Up next: A RECIPE FOR TROUBLE
See:
– www.john2031.com/2020/words2.html, “Words of Correction, Leading to Repentance”
– www.john2031.com/books/tcb/main.html, “The Cosmic Battle and the American Christian.”
– www.john2031.com/prophetic_9-11/a_day_of_repentance.html, “A Day of Repentance, Reconciliation and Restoration”
– www.john2031.com/prophetic_9-11/9-11_and_the_church.html, “If Not Now, When?
– PDF at: www.10minas.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/26-8.pdf