My mom gave me this book after someone at her church had recommended it. I was a bit hesitant as I had never heard of Roy Hession and still don't know a ton about him. Judging by this short collection of evangelistic essays however, I like the guy.
Hession explains through a series of essays that we have misunderstood revival to mean awakening. Revival is not masses of people coming to Christ all at once. Revival is exactly what the word means, "a restoration to life" or a strengthening of a life that has grown weak. In Hession's words, "the unconverted do not need revival, for there is not any life there to revive...It is the Christians who need revival."
In short this book is about the process of sanctification. Hession illustrates how pursuing brokeness, repentance, a fuller and deeper understanding of Christ's work on the cross and obedience to the Lordship of Christ will produce true revival in the church which will in turn bring an awakening to the glory of the Gospel in the lost and perishing world.
I will be returning to this short book for sermon illustrations, encouragement and exhortation often.
"People imagine that dying to self makes one miserable. But it is just the opposite. It is the refusal to die to self that makes one miserable. The more we know of death with Him, the more we shall know of His life in us, and so the more of real peace and joy." - p. 15
"...the only beautiful thing about the Christian is Jesus Christ." - p. 62
"The God who declares beforehand what we are, provides beforehand for our sin." p. 66
you can download this book for free here.