The Power of True Revival: Lessons from the 1830s Hawaii Awakening
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In our daily 3-minute meditations on groupbiblestudy.com, we reflect on how God's Spirit has historically moved powerfully through revival. We hope these sessions inspire us to earnestly pray that He visit us in similar ways today.
A Historic Awakening: The 1835 Hawaiian Revival
In 1835, Titus Coan arrived in Hawaii to share the gospel with the islanders. During his initial tour, crowds gathered from miles away to listen. Many listened with tears and refused to leave. The people eagerly surrounded him, leaving him no time to eat. The Holy Spirit deeply touched many hearts. On the Sabbath, as he traveled to his preaching spot, a line of four villages, each less than half a mile apart, formed. Each village asked for a sermon before he could reach his scheduled location. From dawn until after breakfast at 10 am., he preached in three villages. Many were moved profoundly by his message and desired to align their lives with God.
Within a short time, he was ministering to 15,000 people. Unable to reach everyone, they came to him and settled in for a two-year camp meeting. There was not an hour, day, or night when an audience of 2,000 to 6,000 would not respond to the bell for the next gospel message. There was trembling, weeping, sobbing, and loud cries for mercy—sometimes so loud that the preacher couldn't be heard, and in hundreds of cases, his listeners collapsed into swoons. Some would cry out, "The two-edged sword is cutting me to pieces." The wicked scoffer who came to ridicule the preaching dropped like a dog and cried, "God has struck me!" Once, while preaching in the open field to 2,000 people, a man cried out, "What must I do to be saved?" and prayed for God's mercy. Immediately, the entire congregation joined in the cry, asking for God's mercy as well. For half an hour, Mr. Coan could not get a chance to speak but had to stand still and watch God work powerfully in the lives of those who came.[1]
What Defines the Power of True Revival?
Today, many have become so resigned to the spread of evil in our society that they believe there is no hope and that we should wait for Jesus to return because what can we do? Our role is to pray and cry out to the Lord—that's our part! A true revival cannot merely be scheduled; it is entirely initiated by God. Churches might host a series of meetings they call a revival, but unless God shows up in power, it remains just a conference. Genuine revival occurs only when the Lord visits with His power. This power often manifests as an outpouring of grace over a community or nation. Typically, prayer prepares a specific individual that God uses in the process. The revival persists as long as that person remains humble before God. Throughout history, God has used such revivals to transform entire cities and nations, leading many to faith.
I believe a move of the Holy Spirit is necessary today. The church is fighting a dangerous wave of evil that threatens to overrun the world: “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19 KJV). If there has ever been a time for a Holy Spirit revival, it is now. Where are the intercessors who will pray and cry out to God for what is needed? God will do His part if the church prays: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Often, we overlook the conditions in the Scripture above, especially the word "if" that begins the promise. We are to humble ourselves, pray, and examine ourselves in light of God's righteousness to turn from all unrighteousness (confess our sins to God). Then God will act by forgiving our sins and healing the land. If we fail to do these things, guess what? We will not receive the blessing.— Keith Thomas
How to Apply This to Your Life Today
Reading about history can leave us feeling distant, but the exact same Holy Spirit is alive today. Here is a practical, 3-step application framework you can add to your personal prayer time this week based on 2 Chronicles 7:14:
The "If" Examination: Set a timer for 3 minutes today. Sit in silence and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area of your life that isn't fully aligned with Him. Don't hide from it; bring it to the light, confess it, and choose to turn away from it.
Step Into Intercession: Don't just complain about the state of the world or the culture around you. Turn those frustrations into fuel for prayer. Dedicate just 5 minutes a day specifically to cry out for your local community, city, and nation.
Plead for the Presence, Not a Program: In your personal life and your local church, stop relying purely on routines. Pray specifically for a fresh manifestation of God's power—ask Him to do what human hands and clever scheduling simply cannot accomplish.
Continue Your Spiritual Journey…
Bookmark this page to browse our free 3-minute Bible Meditations.
Read the full study online: Revival Changes Nations.
Series: This excerpt is taken from the series called On Fire With the Holy Spirit.
Genuine revival can't be programmed, and I love how this article emphasizes God's timing. In today's culture, there's a dangerous wave of confusion where evil disguised as good tries to slip into our lives unnoticed. If we lack spiritual discernment, we might accept things blindly without realizing That's Not My Neighbor or the truth we should be welcoming. We truly need to humble ourselves and pray for a standard to be lifted.