这几天，我们在思想复兴能带给人狂热和愉快的感受；然而，基督徒会从复兴所经历到的狂热高峰滑下来并失去他们当初的爱和喜乐，这是一个不容置疑的事实。不过我们不能因此而对复兴作出否定。我们知道只要查阅一下新约圣经，就会发现圣灵在五旬节降下后，有些人似乎失去了原来的喜乐，但是没有人能否认一个事实，就是在他们中间的确涌流着一股奇妙的力量。

批评者也向我们指出，灵性复兴可以带来很大的属灵骄傲──特别是对年青人。在灵性复兴的历史中，有不少年青人在经历属灵巅峰后，被骄傲冲昏了头脑。威廉斯（William Williams）提到其中一位年青人的情况：「他是一个稚嫩的年青人，没有人愿意将羊群交托给他牧养，可是他却认为自己比那些肩负重任和压力的老牧者有更高涨的灵命，并因此显得沾沾自喜。」难道五旬节后的教会就没有这样的人吗？保罗曾对委派初信者在教会任职提出警告：「……恐怕他自高自大，就落在魔鬼所受的刑罚里」（提前三6）。这样的软弱是我们必须常常小心防范的。

复兴充满危机，对这一点我们不必争论，不过所有的危机都可以透过神在圣经中所列出的原则来应付。当一块煤炭从火堆中掉出来的时候，任何一个理性的人都不会立刻跑去把灭火筒找来，他们只会取出火钳，将煤炭放回火炉中。

The fact that Christians can come down from the ecstatic heights experienced during times of great spiritual awakening and lose their first love and joy is not a valid argument against revival. As we have seen, we have only to examine the New Testament to find that following the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost there were some who seemed to lose their joy. Yet none can deny the reality and genuineness of the power that surged in their midst.

Critics also draw our attention to the fact that revival can induce great spiritual pride - especially in the young. Revival history contains many accounts of young men being carried away by pride after a high peak in their spiritual experience. William Williams says of one: "He was a raw youth whom no one would entrust to shepherd his sheep and is riding high in a boldness of spirit much superior to old ministers who have borne the burden and heat of the day." But then, were there not such people in the Church that emerged after the Day of Pentecost? In one place Paul warns against appointing a novice in the faith to office in the Church, "...lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil" (1 Tim. 3:6, NKJ). It is a failing that must be expected and guarded against.

Revival is full of dangers - let us not argue against that - but all the dangers can be handled through the principles set forth in the Word of God. When a coal falls out of the fire no reasonable person rushes for a fire extinguisher. They simply pick up the tongs and return the coal to the grate.