The Law of Revival
I've been reading a book entitled "The Law of Revival" by Witness Lee. Originally published in Chinese between 1960 and 1961, I consider the content of this book extraordinarily profound yet practical.
Although in the past, some have misunderstood Witness Lee and thus isolated him from Western Christianity, this book is a strong confirmation of the most current statement by Christian Research Institute that "the local churches - the congregation associated with Witness Lee's ministry - are an authentic expression of New Testament Christianity. Moreover, as a group forged in the cauldron of persecution, it has much to offer Western Christianity." ("We Were Wrong," The Christian Research Journal, Volume 32, Number 06, 2009)
From his writing, I can clearly testify that this author does nothing but propels my spiritual progress in Christ. After only reading the first few chapters of The Law of Revival, I'm convinced that there was someone who knew my spiritual condition more than I did. I don't need another person to try to persuade me concerning the true-ness of this book. My entire Christian life is a literal parallel to its content. I wish I could have read this book sooner so that I wouldn't waste my time in despair due to the multiple occasions where I turned into a dissatisfied Christian.
Yes, it may be a taboo confession to some, that there are times when pursuing Christians can still feel empty or dissatisfied. I have acknowledged this feeling few years back. Yet deep within I knew that there is no lack in the Person of Christ Himself, so there must be another explanation for why I would experience an occasional emptiness. It's important to note that this emptiness or dissatisfaction has never been a perpetual feeling within me. For lack of a better word, it's seasonal. This is why I've been looking for the secret to correct my own down-ness.
Little did I know that it is not about correction or improvement after all. There exists a law! The implied meaning of a law is the fact that it will always work whenever it's applied. Just like the law of gravity, everytime you throw an apple upward into the air, it will always fall back down. We must know what the Law of Revival is, so that we can apply it and experience true revival!
"We do not need to beg in order to be revived. We only need to know the law of revival and apply this law." -Witness Lee
So what is the Law of Revival? I can share with you a glimpse of it in my next post, but like I've mentioned in the beginning, you have to read the book to get the full impact.
Check out also my other post on the recovery of revival.
Check out also my other post on the recovery of revival.
This book is too wonderful Here is a tasty sample: He calls us to, "Rise up, my love, my beauty, and come away" (Song of Songs 2:10), to come out of our self and come away to leap upon the mountains and skip upon the hills with Him. This is to enter into His resurrection. According to our feeling, everything is death, but according to His feeling, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg. 61)
ReplyDeleteWhen we are in resurrection, if others say it is winter, we will say, "No, the winter is past, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing." This indicates that we know resurrection. This is not merely to enjoy the Lord's sweetness but even more to know His resurrection. When we know His resurrection, we will be fresh, living, strong, and powerful, and we will experience the power of resurrection practically. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg. 62-63)
ReplyDeleteSince I am posting anonymous, let me introduce myself. My name is Jeanette and I am just a simple lover of our wonderful Lord Jesus. I have nothing to do with the publisher of this book; I have just been nourished and cherished by the Lord through reading it. It has been a great blessing to me, and a help to my growth in life and going on with the Lord. As the author of this blog said, I hope you can get this book and read it for yourself. You will be eternally grateful to her for introducing you to it. Here is another sample.
ReplyDeleteHe calls us to, "Rise up, my love, my beauty, and come away" (Song of Songs 2:10), to come out of our self and come away to leap upon the mountains and skip upon the hills with Him. This is to enter into His resurrection. According to our feeling, everything is death, but according to His feeling, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are singing. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg. 61)
Thank you for adding these quotes, Jeanette. I was about to do the same. Such quotes are no doubt the best foretaste of this book.
DeleteThroughout our life's journey our experience is one of being broken. Perhaps some would say that this is very bad, but we must remember that this is a necessary process; it is the pathway that every seeker of the Lord must follow. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg. 61)
ReplyDeleteIf we know the law of revival, we will contact the Lord as soon as we feel oppressed. When we contact Him, our inner being will rise up and be revived.
ReplyDeleteFeeling low, down, or oppressed is not something bad; it is a necessary process. But we should not linger too long in this state. The weakness that we see in ourselves should cause us to see something of Christ, which will be a new element to supply us, and we will have yet another revival. Those who exercise to be revived in this way will grow continually in Christ. Their stature in Christ will increase, the spiritual element will increase within them, and they will put off the self. It is through the repeated cycles of the law of revival that we can continue to grow and advance spiritually. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg 40)
ReplyDeleteWe should not continually look at our weaknesses, for they are manifested so that through them we would see Christ. (The Law of Revival, LSM, pg 39)
ReplyDeleteIf we would know resurrection and be open, we would be like unwrapped firecrackers. Once one firecracker explodes, it can kindle the others. (The Law of Revival, pg. 30, http://www.livingstreambooks.com/servlet/the-2200/Law-of-Revival%2C-The/Detail)
ReplyDeleteThe key, the secret, of having a revival is not in our asking the Lord to give us something from above but in our opening to Him and letting Him flow out. (The Law of Revival, pg. 28, http://www.livingstreambooks.com/servlet/the-2200/Law-of-Revival%2C-The/Detail)
ReplyDeleteWe must submit to the Lord and humbly ask Him to give us a vision. We should not merely have enjoyment, satisfaction, and a sense of sweetness in our pursuit of the Lord. We need to see that the Lord is in resurrection. We need a vision of resurrection so that we would be able to leap upon the mountains and skip upon the hills. In spite of the things pressing on our spirit and the difficulties in our environment, we need to see that the Lord is living and storm in us; He is leaping upon the mountains and skipping upon the hills. (The Law of Revival, pg. 29-30, http://www.livingstreambooks.com/servlet/the-2200/Law-of-Revival%2C-The/Detail)
ReplyDeleteI have read parts of this book too. I really liked what you said: "there is no lack in the person of Christ Himself." The Lord is perfect so why do sometimes I feel empty? Because this is the time for revival!
ReplyDeleteAmen! Not every time is created equal. If we can recognize the kind of times we are in, we will be able to touch Christ in a specific way to meet our specific needs.
DeleteI like this phrase in a song that says, "Be done with generality, be specific with reality." The reality of revival is not to beg the Lord in a general way for us to be revived, but to bring specific matters to Him, to open to the Lord that He may meet our particular need.
Hy i have just read that book too, how is your expirience? My revivals are shorter than my valleys and my valleys are longer, and they have been coming every year so far, revived restored,low, revived and so on, do you have similar expiriences?
ReplyDeleteThat's a good question. I probably have a similar experience every year. However, what's so encouraging about this book is the fact that we are given an understanding of a law that will always work when activated.
DeleteThe author mentions how it is unnecessary for us to remain low and dry, because there is the law of revival. There's nothing wrong with coming to a low point, but this should be a sign for us to be desperate to attain to the new beginning. In other words, coming to a pause does not mean that we should remain there for a long time.
I'm still reading the book but I notice that there are some helpful practices in the book, showing us how to be revived. One of the examples is to simply open to another member of the Body with the intention to fellowship concerning our spiritual condition. I included some quotes from this section of the book in my next post. Please read my post entitled, "The Application of The Law of Revival."
Too bad I can't find your name or contact info, otherwise, I'd be happy to fellowship more.
Grace to you!
Hy katherine, I don' t like to publish my name in public, I allways open up when I am at this low point, but these low points which take s longer yime are allways unbearable to me, and revival at least in my life is not a firecrackermirical, revival is moment by moment and then the lord hides for a longer time, I wished it would work like that, i turn and I am completly in ressurection the moment I turn
ReplyDeleteSorry it took me a while to reply but no worries if you wouldn't want to publish your name in public.
DeleteI agree that revival in my life is probably almost never firecracker miracle. I think the effect of revival is similar to eating our physical meals. Many times I don't feel the immediate nourishment from the food I eat, yet somehow it supplies something into my body. I haven't quite learned the secret yet, but at the same, I have to testify that recently I have experienced this resurrection, reviving life. It's nothing fireworks but inwardly, I know there has been a fresh outburst of season of refreshing.
I appreciate from the book the fact that when it seems like the Lord hides Himself, when all our excitement is not there, that is the time where we can be still and open to the Lord concerning who we are (the aspects we are lacking), to speak to the Lord that He is all those things that we are not and we cannot.
To let go of trying to be revived, and to just let the Lord revives and shepherds us in whatever way He wants to.
Sweet overflow! This truly is awesome book! Probably my favorite ministry book in years. Came is such a timely time! Lord, we want to continue to open to you! Reach us where were at.
DeleteKatherine, I quoted you in one of my blog entries. Fairly new blog, with the burden to follow up from the burden from the team reunion a couple of years ago in ATX. :)
http://davidandviri.blogspot.com/p/church-life.html
Btw, how comes you have conversation with miss L, are you living near here?
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming you're from Orange County? No, I don't live there. I used to few years ago.
DeleteWow, yes I totally agree, you are a good writer!! I am from Irvine. Thank you for your reply
ReplyDeleteThank you. I appreciate your fellowship and openness very much. I'm also glad that you enjoy reading this blog. May the Lord continue to shepherd us that we may shepherd others.
DeleteMuch grace to you!
I have a question; do you know if there is a ministrybook where it talks about that what we were sharing? About valleys and why they tend to take so long? I was reading in a genesis lifestudy that the day by spiritual younger saints is shorter and the night longer, do you maybe know more about that? Fyi; if you would rather like to communicate via e- mail I can send you a mail
ReplyDeleteSorry for the late response. I was away for few weeks, but could you send me an email?
DeleteAlso I'm interested in what you mentioned from Life-Study of Genesis. Where does it mention that the day is shorter and the night is longer for spiritually younger believers?
Thank you!