Revival Nights: Why We Do It
By Ian Chew
Looking back from 3 years ago when Awaken Generation hosted its first Worship Night to today, I am humbled and thankful for how God has moved powerfully in our meetings every single time. We’ve seen many touched by the tangible presence of the Lord, people getting healed and set free, and even non-believing friends encountering God’s peace and love. One of my favourite moments was when over 20 different churches represented in the room started praying for one another. It was truly a “glory to glory” experience.
This year, we’ve rebranded our Worship Nights to “Revival Nights”, and here’s why: We believe there is a significance when worship and prayer converge unto Singapore’s vision for revival in the nations. We earnestly echo the dreams and desires of the generations in seeing Singapore fulfill its Antioch call, and in witnessing a spiritual outpouring as never seen before. Just to add, I am personally convinced and convicted that the next great revival of our time will be ushered in and marked by worship and incense that rise from the united Bride of Christ.
“The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions. All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang:
“He is good; his love endures forever.”
Then the temple of the Lord was filled with the cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of God.”
– 2 Chronicles 5:11-14
We love to see the body of believers coming together in worship; regardless of church or denomination. When we gather “regardless of divisions” and come to a place of agreement in the spirit, there is a corporate anointing that is released from heavenly realms that permeates throughout the body of Christ (Psalm 133). God is attracted to unity. In fact, when the priests, musicians, and singers, stood together to minister to the Lord, His glory so filled the temple it became overwhelming. What transpired in this event led to an unprecedented rule and reign of peace for Israel in King Solomon’s time.
As Bill Johnson says in his book Experience the Impossible, “Worshipers are positioned by God to summon nations to their destinies.” When we host the presence of the Lord on earth, it influences and shifts spiritual atmospheres over our city. In worship, we are essentially recreating the conditions of Heaven here on earth; and anyone who comes into it has the opportunity to be transformed by it. The level of faith created in such an atmosphere of worship is unlike any other.
Most importantly, we strive to never forget to keep the main thing the main thing. We worship God simply because of who He is. Doxology is the ultimate goal. At the same time, we recognise that our Revival Nights are not an end in themselves – rather, they serve as a rallying point, a launching pad, an incubator of dreams; that God would awaken, stir, and set believers off on a trajectory towards the revival narrative He is writing in the nations today.
We consider ourselves incredibly blessed that we get to be a part of the story, and my prayer is that you will fulfill yours too. Amen.
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