This little book packs a powerful punch. More sections are highlighted, starred and underlined in my copy than are not!
The following words were taken from pages 11, 12 of my book (all emphasis mine)—Preface to the 1973 edition:
“This little book was first published some twenty-three years ago (1950). With the passage of years I am more sure now than even then that the truths expressed in these pages lie at the heart of all those movements of revival by which God has restored His church to new life in the hours of her dryness and need. Such movements of revival are not only glorious memories of the past, but are taking place right now in various parts of the world. The outward forms of such revivals do, of course, differ considerably, but the inward and permanent content of them all is always the same; a new experience of conviction of sin among the saints; a new vision of the cross of Jesus and of redemption, a new willingness on man’s part for brokenness, repentance, confession, and restitution; a joyful experience of the power of the blood of Jesus to cleanse fully from sin and restore and heal all that that sin has lost and broken; a new entering into the fullness of the Holy Spirit and of His power to do His own work through His people; and a new gathering in of the lost ones to Jesus. For revival is not a green valley getting greener, but a valley full of dry bones being made to live again and stand up an exceeding great army (Ezek. 37). It is not good Christians becoming better Christians—as God sees us there are not any good Christians—but rather Christians honestly confessing that their Christian life is a valley of dry bones and by that very confession qualifying for the grace that flows from the cross and makes all things new.”
Page 18...
“If God is to bless (the reader) at all through these pages he must come to them with a deep hunger of heart. He must be possessed with a dissatisfaction of the state of the church in general, and of himself in particular—especially of himself. He must be willing for God to begin His work in himself first, rather than in the other man. He must, moreover, be possessed with the holy expectancy that God can and will meet his need. He must be the first to humble himself at the cross.”
Next to the Bible, this is one book of small number to have a huge impact on my life, my heart, my view of the cross and the One who was crucified on it. Powerful words!
Powerful is the life that regularly experiences personal revival!
