Relevant Life

Chayah (khaw-yaw)

I want to begin with a simple but profound observation: whenever a culture tries to remove morality and godliness, something unexpected happens. Instead of eliminating the desire for righteousness, it actually awakens a hunger for it. A generation begins to long for what has been stripped away. And that longing—whether they recognize it or not—becomes the spark of revival.

We’re watching this unfold right now. Gen Z and Gen Alpha are finding their way back to God. Not because the world has become more spiritual, but because the absence of truth has created a craving for it. Revival in America and around the world is needed now more than ever.

Revival in Scripture was never meant to be a one‑time event. It was meant to be a continual movement, a returning to life—bringing back the active workings of the Lord among His people.

Let’s anchor ourselves in the Word:

Psalm 143:10 — “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your gracious Spirit lead me forward on a firm footing.”

Psalm 143:11 — “For the glory of Your name, O LORD, preserve my life. Because of Your faithfulness, bring me out of this distress.”

These verses capture the heart cry of revival: Teach me. Lead me. Preserve me. Bring me out.

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Hebrew Words for Revival

Before we go deeper, let’s look at three key Hebrew terms that shape our understanding of revival:

1.מִחְיָה (michyah)

◦This word emphasizes sustaining life. It appears in contexts where God restores or preserves life—physically or spiritually.

2.חָיָה (chayah)

◦This is the heartbeat of today’s episode. Chayah means to live, to be revived, to return to life or vitality. It’s the picture of something dead coming alive again.

3.שׁוּב (shuv)

◦A powerful verb meaning to return. It’s used throughout prophetic literature as a call to repentance—a turning back to God. This is revival in motion.

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There Are Several Stages of a Revival

Revival is not random. It moves in recognizable stages. Here are the seven stages:

1.Being drawn to a deeper and more authentic prayer life.

2.Rediscovery of righteousness and purity through God.

3.True repentance.

4.Surrendering to the Savior and embracing the Gift of Christ—the Holy Spirit.

5.Passion to share the truth.

6.Deep desire for discipleship.

7.Continual preservation of God’s purpose and truth.

These stages form a cycle that keeps revival alive—not just in a church, but in a soul.

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Where Many Past Revivals Go Wrong

The danger comes when mankind tries to control revival, label it, or package it. When human desires begin to overshadow God’s presence, the movement loses its purity.

Many people get stuck in the revivals of the past—Azusa Street, the Jesus Movement, Brownsville—and instead of moving forward, they allow religion to settle in. But God is always doing something greater. Revival is meant not only to bring us back but to preserve us in His purpose and truth.

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Apostolic Revival: The First Pattern

Right after the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles—and right after a major miracle—Peter declared that a time of refreshing and revival had begun. He laid out several truths about this revival:

1.There had to be true repentance where ways are changed and Christ is demonstrated through each individual.

2.There had to be a turning back to God and a removal of empty religious practices and ideals.

3.There had to be recognition and acceptance of the Messiah.

4.There had to be a continuation of following the Lord until He returns.

Peter uses a powerful Greek word here: ἀνάψυξις (anapsuxis), meaning refreshing, cooling, revival, restoration of breath.

Listen to his words:

Acts 3:19–21

“Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so He can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you,

and send you the Messiah He prepared for you, namely, Jesus.

For the time being He must remain out of sight in heaven until everything is restored to order again just the way God, through the preaching of His holy prophets of old, said it would be.”

This is revival language. This is chayah—life returning.

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Revival Around the World

Right now, people across the globe are coming to Christ. Some for the very first time. Others are experiencing a revival deep within their soul—a rekindling of what once burned bright.

But with every move of God, we must also be clear about what revival is not.

What Revival Is Not

Revival is not:

1.Another Christian fad to be talked about for a season and then forgotten.

2.A time for self‑centered or self‑proclaimed leaders to take over and exert control.

3.A time to make money off new or impressionable believers.

4.A time to create a new denomination or some wild new Christian slogan or catchphrase.

5.All about worship music or Christian concerts.

Revival cannot be bottled, branded, or marketed like spiritual snake oil. It must remain authentic. We must fight to keep the flame burning until the return of Christ.

That’s the heartbeat of Chayah. Revival is not nostalgia. It’s not hype. It’s not a trend. It is the breath of God bringing life back into His people.