In general, a spiritual awakening is a new revelation, breakthrough, or enlightenment that happens within our spiritual life. From a biblical point of view, salvation serves as our PRIMARY SPIRITUAL AWAKENING. Prior to salvation, the Bible says that WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS “…you He made alive, WHO WERE DEAD in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air…But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD in trespasses, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (by grace you have been saved), and RAISED US UP TOGETHER, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US in Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:1-7)
We were all naturally born into sin, separated from God, and mentally blocked from the things of God: “…whose minds the god of this age (Satan) has BLINDED THE MINDS of unbelievers, so that they CANNOT SEE the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” (2 Corin. 4:4) This is what God said about this blindness, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made HIS LIGHT SHINE IN OUR HEARTS to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed IN THE FACE OF CHRIST.” (2 Corin. 4:6)
A note of caution: There are many worldly counterfeits to biblical spiritual awakening, which is by salvation in Jesus Christ alone. Many non-Christian versions of spiritual awakening are rooted in mysticism, New Age thinking, or other religions. While they may have some thought-provoking ideas, these alternative paths to spiritual awakening should not be approached WITHOUT GREAT WATCHFULNESS. A worldly version of a spiritual awakening could in reality be no more than an open door for the demonic… “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself TRANSFORMS HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, WHOSE END will be according to their works.” (2 Corin. 11:13-15)
“…knowing the time, it is high time to AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. Let us walk properly, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in strife and envy. But PUT ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” (Rom. 13:11-14)
-Bill Stockham