Something Going On

Can you feel it? Can you sense it?  There is something going on in America.  One could certainly say it's not all good, and I agree with that.  But, in the midst of what seems at times to be a massive battle between good and evil, when evil seems to be pervasive and good is sometimes overwhelmed, the Spirit of God is moving upon the hearts of people.  In the times of the apostle Paul, he wrote to Timothy in the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 3 (ESV).  Here are some snapshots:
1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

He then discusses the types of behavior that would be carried out and pinpointing those who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth," he provides a template for resisting evil:
8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,
11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.

In the face of evil, the hand of God is on His people, and because Jesus has defeated the power of the enemy, even though he still roams about, we can be confident that He is with us, doing what He's always done -in Acts 10, Peter proclaims:
37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

So, in our society today, there is anticipation that the presence of Jesus, by His Holy Spirit, is doing that healing and redeeming work.   The website for the Barna research group states: "In a survey conducted in February 2026, nearly 3 in 10 U.S. adults (29%) say a spiritual revival could be coming, with Gen Z the most likely of any generation to anticipate such a movement (38%). These figures reflect Barna’s most conservative population estimates of renewal—and even at that level, they account for roughly 80 million revival-minded adults."

Please keep in mind, this is not a survey of self-identified Christians or evangelicals - these are adults in general, and even then, just about 3 out of 10 respondent said revival could be on its way - 4 out of 10 in Gen Z!

The survey summary continues:

When Americans who expect a spiritual revival explain why, they point to a mix of spiritual hunger and cultural hardship.

Across all adults, the top reasons are deeply spiritual in nature. Prayer leads the list, cited by 46 percent of revival-minded adults, followed by young generations turning toward God (44%), a search for meaning and purpose (41%), people experiencing God (39%), and hunger for God (37%). Miracles rounds out the spiritual category, cited by 30 percent of respondents.

And there's a time stamp here - the frame given is the next 12 months.  

Gen Z consists of those ages 14-29, and in this case, only adults in that category were polled, and regarding that generation, "Forty-two percent of Gen Z cite mental health challenges as a revival catalyst—the highest rate of any generation—alongside anxiety (35%)."

Barna CEO David Kinnaman is quoted as saying:

“The research doesn’t predict a revival. And respondents were not given a specific definition of revival, so we anticipate that people have a wide range of ideas of what that might look like. Yet, it reveals something worth paying attention to: a large number of Americans believe one is possible—and for younger adults especially, that belief is being forged in some of the most difficult circumstances of their lives.”

“That matters for Christian leaders. When a generation turns toward faith not out of tradition or habit but out of a genuine drive for something deeper—stemming from anxiety, isolation, and disruption—the Church’s response to that search may prove more consequential than any single cultural trend.”

The anecdotal data is certainly there - I read and share stories regularly about gatherings in which the Spirit of God brings people into a saving knowledge of Christ.   We see individual and community transformation.  People are testifying publicly to the existence and goodness of God.   Now, we have statistical data that indicates people think that some sort of non-descript "revival" could be - could be - on its way.

But, the clear indications of revival can be found in the familiar verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14, offering the prescription for revival and spiritual awakening in a nation.  And, it starts with the Church.  There are 4 conditions: 1) humility 2) praying 3) seeking God's face, and 4) turn from their/our wicked ways.   And, the result: 1) God will hear 2) God will forgive 3) God will heal.  That's the barometer right there.   I believe the degree to which we meet the aforementioned conditions determines the extent to which God promises to respond.

We can check our own hearts and collectively we can take the time and allow for the Lord to work in us...we are directed to humble ourselves before the Lord and certainly we are to pray.  But, there is an extension of that: to seek His face.  What does that mean?  I think you could start by examining the difference between calling out to God and communing with Him.  And, through communion-fellowship-intimacy, true repentance grows.  In the presence of God and His righteousness, repentance results, which produces righteousness in our own lives.