今天我們要開始研讀一個新的主題──從天上賜下的復興，這無疑是聖經其中一個最偉大的主題。我說「從天上賜下」，因為真正的復興不是源自教會的正常活動，而是由天上所賜的。

當然，關於這個主題有很多不同和互相衝突的觀點，所以我在開始時要先討論一個問題，我相信沒有基督徒對這問題會感到困難──神的心中有沒有一些比我們現在所能看到更偉大的事情？寫到這兒我不禁在想，你的回應是甚麼？那些有幸作為有動力的教會的成員，或者積極參與佈道的人，和那些處於屬靈死水中的人可能會有不同的回應。但我個人認為，事實上無論你所參與的崇拜或事奉的群體在屬靈上是多麼有活力，神都能夠做更偉大和更奇妙的事情。我們的神所擁有的能力，是我們這一代的教會沒有完全經歷過的，我相信每個基督徒都會認同這一點。

雖然我們不能忘記，神賜下恩雨給祂的教會，但我們同樣不能忘記，賜下恩雨的神也可能賜下洪水。事實上，復興就是這樣──神的聖靈如洪水一樣澆灌祂百姓所身處的一個地區或社群，激起冷漠的心，令很多人確信和歸向祂。歷史上神的復興發生在不同的時期和地點，而正如白天之後必有黑夜一樣，神的復興必定還會再發生。

We begin today a study on what is without doubt one of the greatest themes of Scripture - . I say "heaven-sent" because real revival is not something that springs up or out of the normal activities of the Church but something that comes down to us from above.

There are, of course, many different and conflicting views on this subject, so I want to begin by looking at a question which I imagine no Christian will have any difficulty in facing: Has God got something bigger in His heart for us than we are at present seeing? What is your response, I wonder? Those who are privileged to be part of a vibrant church, or are actively involved in evangelism, might respond differently from those who find themselves in a spiritual backwater. But the truth is (in my opinion) that no matter how spiritually alive the community in which you work and worship, God is able to do greater and yet more wondrous things. Our God has reserves of power which we, the Church of this generation, have not fully experienced. Surely every Christian believes that.

Although we must not be unappreciative of the fact that God is obviously sending showers of blessing upon His Church, we must not forget either that the God who sends the showers can also send the floods. In fact, revival is just that - God flooding a locality or a community of His people, stirring up the complacent, and producing the conviction and conversion of a great number of people. It has happened at various times in various places throughout history, and as sure as night follows day it will happen again.