4 Powerful Welsh Revival Lessons: How to Hear the Holy Spirit
- 2 days ago
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We are continuing from yesterday's meditation to examine the revival in Wales from 1904 to 1906. God gave Evan Roberts a vision of winning 100,000 people to the Lord. He took immediate action, holding meetings across Wales within a month. There was very little preaching of the Word of God; many of his critics argued that this was why the revival faded within three years.
The 4 Core Principles of Evan Roberts and the Welsh Revival
His focus was on four key principles as he traveled throughout Wales:
Confess all known sins
Deal with and get rid of anything 'doubtful' in your life
Be ready to obey the Holy Spirit instantly
Confess Christ publicly
From the beginning, Roberts emphasized the importance of relying on the Holy Spirit. "I never prepare the words I shall speak," he noted. "I leave all that to Him. Why should I teach when the Spirit is teaching? Why should I control the meetings? The Spirit that is in them controls them."
Spiritual Transformation: The Impact of the 1904 Revival
He believed in allowing the Spirit of God to lead the meetings freely. During this time, the Welsh people had a humble, broken spirit, often praying and openly sharing what God was doing. The meetings also featured heartfelt worship from the entire congregation, with the choir comprising all attendees. Even young people ages 10 to 14 sought God and participated in prayer meetings; such was the spiritual climate in Wales at that time.
Many people's lives were transformed—crime rates declined, reformed alcoholics returned, and pubs reported fewer sales. Cursing vanished and was rarely heard again. It was said that the pit ponies no longer understood their born-again colliers, who now spoke cleanly, without curse or blasphemy. For many, even sports like football and rugby lost their appeal in the light of the new joy and purpose the converts found. Over 100,000 people joined the churches of Wales, just as the Holy Spirit had told Evan Roberts.
Again, we see in the history of the Welsh Revival that the Holy Spirit descended when a group of people began to pray, open their hearts, and thirst for more of God. They were also willing to lay down sin and to obey the Spirit’s leading in and through them. There was a determination in Evan Roberts's heart to gain the Spirit's power while faithfully praying, waiting on God, and attending church. His faith would not let go of God until He blessed him and he received what he needed—to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
How to Recognize and Obey the Holy Spirit's Promptings
If there is a secret to being filled and controlled by the Spirit, it lies in learning to obey the Spirit's inner promptings. One way I have found to distinguish the Holy Spirit's prompting from my own thoughts is to evaluate a possible thought from God to see whether it follows a chain of successive thoughts or appears without thinking. If the thought comes like a light bulb turning on unexpectedly, it could be the Spirit's prompting.
Application: Your 4-Step Checklist for Discerning God’s Voice
If you want to apply these revival lessons to your everyday life, try running your spontaneous thoughts through this simple evaluation process:
The Origin Test: Did this thought pop into your head out of nowhere (like a light bulb), rather than following your normal train of thought?
The Fruit Test: What is the likely outcome of obeying it? Will it bring a blessing or help someone?
The Alignment Test: Does it align cleanly with the Scriptures? (The Holy Spirit will never prompt you to do something the Bible forbids).
The Worst-Case Scenario Test: Ask yourself, What is the absolute worst thing that could happen if I'm wrong? If the only real risk is a tiny bit of personal embarrassment, drop your pride and take the leap of faith! If there is a chance God will be glorified through this act of obedience, go for it. Keith Thomas
Continue Your Spiritual Journey…
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Read the full study online: Revival Changes Nations.
Series: This excerpt is taken from the series called On Fire With the Holy Spirit.
The lessons from the Welsh Renaissance are profound. Looking at their transformative way of life, I realize that maintaining spiritual discipline is like racing in Subway Surfers—we must constantly dodge obstacles (sin, doubt) and be quick to act on cues to avoid stumbling.