If you were a witness to any of the civil unrest of recent years or only saw reports of it on the news, the language of this year’s main headline act at Revive Fest may sound eerily familiar.
Spirit fall down, start a holy riot
Fill this place now with the tongues of fire
Oh, break the strongholds
Come and unleash heaven
Burn within us, make us bold as lions*
They are powerful words that call to mind recent events and compare them with the day of Pentecost 2,000 years in the past. Unlike some of our most recent exposure to riots that included burning cars and buildings, the song “Revival Anthem” calls to mind the fiery flame of the Holy Spirit resting on the disciples gathered in the Upper Room. Contrasted with all of hell breaking loose, Rend Collective describes heaven being unleashed as the Holy Spirit works divine conversion, transforming a mob of 3,000 into the one holy Christian Church.
This song is more than just an exercise in comparing and contrasting. It is a prayer that God would pour His Spirit into the church today and make us bold as lions. Even now, just a few months away from the festival, a team of intercessors are praying fervently for those attending the festival, that God would revive His church. Limbani Chikaipa is the director of this year’s prayer team. He is leading that team into bold prayers for every aspect of the festival, that it would glorify God and be used powerfully by Him.
We request your prayers that:
- The harassed and helpless will know again or for the first time Jesus as their Good Shepherd (Matthew 9:36–38).
- The church will be inspired, and the Spirit’s gifts will be fanned into flame (2 Timothy 1:6).
- Seeds sown at the festival will bear fruit one hundred-fold in each attendee, and they will return revived and reviving (Matthew 13:8–9).
The festival is July 21–22 in Leonidas, Mich. Friday night features main stage artists Sanctus Real and We Are Messengers. Saturday artists include Sidewalk Prophets and Rend Collective. Join the prayer team, volunteer, become a sponsor, or buy tickets at myrevivefest.com. Prayers are always appreciated and welcome.
This is our revival anthem
Can you feel the darkness shaking?
Oh, we are the dry bones rising
This will be our great awakening
This is our revival anthem*
Photos Courtesy of Revive Fest
“Revival Anthem” by Chris Llewellyn | Gareth Gilkeson © 2019 Capitol CMG Paragon CCLI #995516
