Revival and the Word of God

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"My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word." - (Ps. 119:25, NASB)

   Psalm 119 is one of the two most well-know in the collection, and retains the title of the longest. At 176 verses, it covers an entire five pages in the Bible I am looking at this moment. Besides the length of this Psalm, one of the most glaring facts that stand out is the focus on God's Word. When we use that terminology today, we are referring to the Bible, the entirety of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. In David's time, the NT was not written, neither were many of the writings among the prophetic collections, and some others. David uses various terms in referring to God's Words: law, ways, statutes, commandments, testimonies, and precepts, and others. However, each refers to the inspired directive that comes from God. So, even though David did not have access to the collection of books we have today, we can still refer to all of these as the Word of God. At its core, this Psalm illuminates and elevates the prominence of God's Word among man, particularly in David's life.
   With this established, notice David's words in the above verse, "Revive me." I must confess to you that I have read this Psalm many times through the years, but never picked up on something until yesterday. This verse is not the only time in this Psalm that David uses that phrase. If you research it, you will find that the phrase is used ten times throughout this Psalm. Out of the ten instances, seven link revival to God's Word. Let that sink in for a moment. God's Word and revival are eternally linked together. 
   There is more to revival, but the Bible is the best place to start, along with prayer. The greatest temptation that will come your way each day will be to forego the studying of God's Word and prayer, and there is a very good reason. The devil (yes, there he really exists) understands that your spirit is maintained by the Word of God and prayer. When those things disappear from your life, death soon follows. Like most living things on this planet, once you remove food and water, the health of the living things begins to falter, fail, and ultimately die. The Word of God and prayer are your spiritual food. And, unlike natural food, you can overeat and it is acceptable!
   If you need revival in your on spirit, you do not have to chase the next thing God is doing somewhere far off. Revival is a personal thing. Begin today, now would be even better. Make your time in the Word of God and prayer the most important part of your day. Get up earlier if you have to, or maybe stay up later. Turn off the phone, get off the computer, leave the house if you have to. Do whatever is necessary to get alone with God and let Him revive your soul. I am convinced that as we, the church, make the Word of God and prayer priority in our lives, revival will come. 

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