The new song “Awaken”, written and produced by the Abundant Life Worship Team, is rooted in 2 Chronicles 7:14. During Revival Weekend in August of 2021, there was a call to seek God for a fresh outpouring of His Spirit. It became clear to the worship team that a spiritual revival starts with repentance and humility. Through this revelation, the song “Awaken” was born.
“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
—2 Chronicles 7:14
What Does a Spiritual Revival Look Like?
The word “revival” literally means “renewal” or “awakening.” There is a lot of talk today about a new awakening in the Church that would cause a fresh spark and desire for the move of God in each of us personally and around the world. A spiritual revival in the Church would look like this…
- A throwing off distraction and apathy
- A rededication of oneself in unadulterated purity to the cause of Christ
- A complete abandon and passionate for Jesus the results in action.
“Awaken” was written in response to this desire for revival, to experience a new movement of God in our world.
The Story of “Awaken”
How a Spiritual Revival Starts | Internal Surrender
Second Chronicles 7:14 starts with a call to humility and repentance, “If My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face…”
It’s easy to desire that God would make things right in the world–to execute justice, restore what’s been lost, heal what’s been broken, and bring prosperity and peace. However, revival isn't set into motion unless we take personal ownership of the problems around us. Experiencing a spiritual revival starts with a call to repent, to internally surrender, and begins with us personally
We want God to hear us from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land. This requires we first humble ourselves, recognize our own wretchedness, and repent.
This is the heart posture Abundant Life’s Worship Team had in creating the first verse of the song…
Wretched as I am, on my knees again / Humbled I admit You’re all that I need / Mend this broken heart, do a work of art / Give this tired song a new melody / Let it start in me
What Does Internal Surrender Look Like?
Internal surrender is an invitation to ask God to invade your heart, removing anything that isn’t of Him, and replacing it with His Spirit (Psalm 139:23-24). An internal surrender wakes us up to the reality of who we are in Christ and calls us to live out of our identities as redeemed sons and daughters of the King of Glory (Ephesians 5:14).
Through internal surrender, you ask Him to redefine you and invite His refinement process.
It is from this place the chorus of the song was created…
Spirit awaken me / And take everything/ redefine me / Lord send revival / Oh let Your fire fall / Purify my soul / refine me / Lord send revival
A Spiritual Revival Continues | Eternal Fruit
Second Chronicles 7:14 ends with the external fruit of a life fully yielded to Christ, “… and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
We long for the Spirit of God to move in power in the world around us and affect the change we desire to see and experience. It starts with a personal invitation for God to take His place in our lives—on the throne of our hearts—and that’s the prayer this song ends with.
If not for Your love, I would never be enough / Humbly now I lay my life at Your feet / Fill me with Your power, ready to send out / From this moment on I’ll go where You lead / Let it start with me
Spiritual Revival Spreads
In the end, this song is a dance between these two aspects of the work of God– internal and external. This is what is required to experience awakening–a spiritual revival. We long for the Spirit to break out and move in power but must first invite Him to invade our lives and take His place on the throne of our hearts. As He does, we believe anything can change, and that one day everything ultimately will be made new (2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:5).
Spirit break out / Come move in power / Anything can change in Your presence
Spirit invade / Come take Your place / Everything will change in Your presence
Our Response to Desired Revival
“Awaken” reminds us that it takes a continual yielding of the heart to experience the power of God in our lives. There is a work that God is doing on the inside, followed by the work God is able to manifest on the outside. This becomes the living proof of His love to a watching world.
This is a believer's motivation for the ministry of reconciliation: that the world would come to know Christ through our witness, resulting in true, spiritual revival (2 Corinthians 5:18-21).
- Start with repentance.
- Ask God to purify you with holy fire and transform you into His image (Zechariah 13:9; 2 Corinthians 3:18).
- Ask God to awaken your soul.
- Yield your heart.
- Be living proof of a loving God.
We know this is easier desired than done. It’s costly but when we yield our hearts He moves and changes everything.
