Day Thirty-Three "Shantung Revival"

Matt 7:18-23

Gal 5:19-21

Rom 8:16

In the 1920’s the spiritual condition of the churches of North China were dismal. Missionaries were extremely grieved. Church members were apathetic and had little and at times no desire for spiritual things. There were doubts if many of the church members had ever been saved. Many were believed to have made decisions for Christ in their heads only.

In 1920, the missionaries and Chinese leaders devoted one day each month for prayer asking God to send revival. Seven years later the southern revolutionary army burned Nanking and ordered all missionaries to be evacuated to Chefoo and Tsingtau. Prayers of confusion wondering why they had been forced out before revival ensued plagued the minds and hearts of the missionaries.

During this time a missionary named Marie Monsen began challenging the missionaries to repent of sin and get right before the Lord. Sins were repented of. Relationships were reconciled. God laid a heavy burden for the lostness of the nation of China on their hearts. These missionaries were convicted of having more joy for physical healing than the spiritual healing of salvation. Eventually this was also repented of.

Marie asked three penetrating questions to the missionaries. First, “Have you been born of the Spirit of God?” Second, “What evidence do you have of the new birth?” Finally, “Have you been filled with Spirit?”

Once the leaders were revived God began moving elsewhere in 1932. Twelve years had passed as missionaries prayed for revival. After over a decade of intercessions and repentance God began drawing the lost to salvation including an evangelist for 25 years. He preached for free the rest of his life because he had preahched so many years without have first been saved himself. A missionary nurse was drawn to salvation during this time also, realizing she had been a church member but not born again. In one school all 600 girls were saved. In a boy’s school 900 out of 1,000 boys trusted Christ for salvation.

Many began proclaiming Christ and spiritual awakening followed. People burned their “house gods” as they turned to Jesus for salvation in droves. People began to hunger for God’s Word so much that new Bible Studies were formed meeting nearly every night of the week. Church attendance multiplied. Prayer meetings began forming. Some of these prayer meetings lasted as long as two hours. Families were reconciled. Fractured relationships were repaired.

All of this started after God’s people repented of sin and obeyed the Lord. I ask you to take some time today to ask yourself those same three questions that Marie Monsen challenged the missionaries with. It time to get right with God.

Steps to Revival

1. Have you been born of the Spirit of God? (if so when and how?)

2. What evidence do you have of the new birth?

3. Have you been filled with the Spirit?