Would You Have Been Embarrassed in the Upper Room? by Shane Idleman
*Excerpted from my series on revival and my new book, “Oh God, Would You Rend the Heavens? Understanding and Contending for a Genuine Spiritual Awakening.” More here.
Although I consider myself a conservative, I often wonder how so many conservatives can quote people like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards but conveniently avoid the mighty, uncommon moves of the Spirit that occurred under their preaching. Is it because these things don’t fit within their theological framework?
Although many powerful experiences during these spiritual awakenings parallel the books of Acts, many critics still refuse to accept them. They avoid words and phrases like revival, moves of the Spirit, and the deeper life, but these themes are used throughout the Bible. How many times did God say that He would “pour out His Spirit”? How often was the heart-cry of God’s people focused on revival—“Will You not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in You?” (Psalm 85:6). And isn’t seeking God with all our heart part of the deeper life? Absolutely. The living water Jesus spoke about is not dead and stagnant.
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Why would we fear encountering God in powerful and profound ways? To be stoic and stiff is fine for a graveyard but not for a dynamic worship service. I wonder if these types of people would be embarrassed if they were in the upper room when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples on that historic day in Acts 2?
Excited about the Presence of God
If a pigskin can travel a hundred yards across a football field and millions get emotional, shouldn’t Christians saved by the power of God get emotional when they experience Him? Sadly, 1 Corinthians 14:40 is often used as a fire extinguisher to quickly quench anything out of the ordinary: “Let all things [in the church] be done decently and in order.”
Sometimes I’m accused of being “too conservative” because I want to honor this verse. I believe that a “circus” environment is not healthy or beneficial, but I also believe that a cemetery setting can be just as damaging and damning. When sinful men encounter a holy God, it’s often controversial. We need shepherds who can steward the flame of revival, not snuff it out.
