500 words about the book

Revival is a word that is on the lips of many today. It is a heart-cry of multitudes yet frustration and confusion surround the subject of how the church may be revived. Campaigns are mounted, money is spent, and prayers are lifted for a fresh move of God, but revival tarries. Is revival simply unpredictable or have we been pleading for God’s presence without meeting His conditions? The Power of Return presents a premise that answers the question of why many work and pray for revival, but expectations are not realized. Fresh insight on God’s Word challenges commonly accepted ideas about renewing the Church and gives hope for genuine revival.

Many books have been written on spiritual renewal but The Power of Return is unique in its approach and content. The book is based on the twelve major revivals recorded in the Bible. These scriptural accounts of revival are filled with riveting stories of glory clouds and heavenly fire, idols torn from their pedestals, and people swept together in powerful times of repentance and worship, yet this awesome God-breathed record of revivals is generally unknown or ignored by a church thirsting for spiritual renewal. In addition to the exciting and challenging concept of the revival protocol, a unique feature of The Power of Return is the engaging dramatizations that introduce each chapter. They lead the reader to consider what it might have been like to experience one of the great revivals of Bible times. These Scripture-based stories lift this book out of dusty theory and set the stage for a fresh look at the way back to God.

The book presents “the revival protocol” a powerful concept that may best be expressed in a verse found in the book of Zechariah, “‘Return to Me’ declares the LORD of hosts, ‘that I may return to you’” Zech. 1:3. God is faithful to show us how to return to Him. The revival protocol provides a blueprint for the church to return to God through revealing the appropriate honor, conduct and procedure God expects when we come to Him for corporate renewal. The scriptural accounts illustrate principles that, when applied, brought spiritual awakening and now provide us an example of how to usher in times of refreshing. Each biblical renewal exhibits the revival protocol in a combination of godly attitudes and actions setting the stage for the Lord to manifest His glory. Through recognizing and applying this God-given plan we can prepare for Him to move in his Church and in society with tremendous power. The record of renewal reveals that revival occurs in two stages – the first is a return to God by His people; the second, a gracious response by the Lord as He “returns” to supernaturally defend and bless His people. The demonstration of the Lord’s presence and other wonderful results of renewal in God’s kingdom, and on society, will encourage those who long to see the Church moving in obedience and affecting society.