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The Law of Revival
63 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2012
8 people are currently reading
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About the author
Witness Lee
2,139 books119 followersWitness Lee (李常受, pinyin Lǐ Chángshòu) was a Chinese Christian preacher associated with the Local Churches movement and the founder of Living Stream Ministry. He was born in the city of Yantai, Shandong Province, China, in 1905, to a Southern Baptist family. He became a Christian in 1925 after hearing the preaching of Peace Wang and later became a close coworker of Watchman Nee. Witness Lee moved to Taiwan in 1949 as the Communists were advancing in mainland China. During the 1950s, his ministry extended throughout Southeast Asia and in 1962 Lee moved to the United States, relocating the base of his ministry to Southern California. He gave his last public conference in February 1997 at the age of 91. Many of Lee's spoken messages have been published in over 400 books and translated into more than fourteen different languages. Lee's major work is Life-study of the Bible, comprising over 25,000 pages of commentary on every book of the Bible from the perspective of the believers' enjoyment and experience of God's divine life in Christ through the Holy Spirit. Lee was also the chief editor of a new translation of the Bible entitled the Recovery Version.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 27, 2014
The Law of Revival is a delightful little book. It is basically an extended exposition and application of Song of Songs chapters 1-3, tracking the ups and downs of our pursuit of Christ. This book shows that our spiritual life with the Lord goes through stages, the same six stages that are presented in the Song of Songs. In essence, every stage is the same since they are all experiences of Christ in His death and resurrection. But in fullness and measure each stage is greater than those before. Throughout every stage the Lord is leading us to live according to the objective vision of His resurrection and not according to our feelings. Finally, the matter of revival is presented as a natural law of the spiritual life that accompanies these stages. Revival is not a matter of being emotionally stirred up or inspired; revival flows out of our experience of the indwelling Christ according to our degree of openness.
Here are eleven quotes that I really enjoyed:
No other book in the Bible shows the stages of pursuing the Lord as clearly as Song of Songs. p. 7
If we do not have new beginnings, we will inevitably fall into formal service and religious worship. p. 11
Our consecration and dealings with the Lord are continuous and should get deeper. p. 13
Our work and service should be according to the experience in Song of Songs. We should not do a habitual work that merely maintains the status quo. p. 15
The problems in our heart, in our family, in our environment, and in the church are mountains and hills that cannot be overcome merely by our enjoying the Lord’s sweetness and abundance. These problems require that we have a vision of resurrection and see the transcendence of our resurrected Lord, who is undeterred by any problems. p. 25
Revivals come from within us, because the resurrected Lord is now the Spirit indwelling us. The Spirit is filled with all the riches of Christ and dwells even in the most desolate believer. Hence, the power of revival does not descend from heaven, from an objective position. The power is already dwelling in us. p. 27-28
Our knowledge and experience of Christ are based on the knowledge of our weaknesses. If we do not learn more concerning our weaknesses, it will be hard for us to know more concerning Christ... In order to genuinely know Christ, we must first discover our weaknesses. The weaknesses that we discover will reflect a certain characteristic of Christ. We can then experience and gain Christ according to this particular characteristic. p. 37
We must be tried and broken in order to become dependable. p. 52
We must experience the Lord’s death and resurrection one day at a time and one experience at a time. p. 63
Our spiritual experiences have not been arranged in order for us to remain whole. They are for us to be broken and for our human element to be put to death so that we would have a deeper knowing of Christ’s death and His resurrection. p. 63
There is no room for wishful thinking in our spiritual journey. Many things are contrary to our desire, cause us grief, and make us disheartened. This is our path, this is where we grow, and this is also where the New Jerusalem is produced. p. 63
Here are eleven quotes that I really enjoyed:
No other book in the Bible shows the stages of pursuing the Lord as clearly as Song of Songs. p. 7
If we do not have new beginnings, we will inevitably fall into formal service and religious worship. p. 11
Our consecration and dealings with the Lord are continuous and should get deeper. p. 13
Our work and service should be according to the experience in Song of Songs. We should not do a habitual work that merely maintains the status quo. p. 15
The problems in our heart, in our family, in our environment, and in the church are mountains and hills that cannot be overcome merely by our enjoying the Lord’s sweetness and abundance. These problems require that we have a vision of resurrection and see the transcendence of our resurrected Lord, who is undeterred by any problems. p. 25
Revivals come from within us, because the resurrected Lord is now the Spirit indwelling us. The Spirit is filled with all the riches of Christ and dwells even in the most desolate believer. Hence, the power of revival does not descend from heaven, from an objective position. The power is already dwelling in us. p. 27-28
Our knowledge and experience of Christ are based on the knowledge of our weaknesses. If we do not learn more concerning our weaknesses, it will be hard for us to know more concerning Christ... In order to genuinely know Christ, we must first discover our weaknesses. The weaknesses that we discover will reflect a certain characteristic of Christ. We can then experience and gain Christ according to this particular characteristic. p. 37
We must be tried and broken in order to become dependable. p. 52
We must experience the Lord’s death and resurrection one day at a time and one experience at a time. p. 63
Our spiritual experiences have not been arranged in order for us to remain whole. They are for us to be broken and for our human element to be put to death so that we would have a deeper knowing of Christ’s death and His resurrection. p. 63
There is no room for wishful thinking in our spiritual journey. Many things are contrary to our desire, cause us grief, and make us disheartened. This is our path, this is where we grow, and this is also where the New Jerusalem is produced. p. 63
June 26, 2025
Insightful, deeply helpful, and spiritually grounding, The Law of Revival by Lee should be on repeat in my spiritual repertoire. It reminds us that what we often perceive as dips, setbacks, or even the aching feeling of “missing the Lord” are not red lights, but green lights—to seek Him, to pursue Him, to go on with Him. These moments are not signs of failure but divine invitations to progress, to find Christ again, and to grow not only in spite of, but because of, our outward circumstances.
One of the most impactful truths in this book is the journey from living by our feelings to living by faith. I’m reminded of the example of a pilot—he cannot rely on his gut feeling about which way is up or down. He must trust his instruments. In the same way, we must learn to trust the divine “instruments” of God’s Word and revelation of who Christ is more than our fluctuating spiritual feelings. This principle, lived out, will revolutionize the Christian life. Don't we all want to be delivered from feelings? Learn the secret Paul speaks of in Philippians 4? The secret to getting there is to see a vision of Christ.
Lee points us to Scripture’s own picture of Christ “leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills” (Song of Songs 2:8)—a vision of the resurrected Christ full of vitality and forward movement. This is what revives us, lifts us out of ourselves, and empowers us to go on. And the best part? This isn’t a special experience for a select few. Revival is not an exception—it’s a law. It can be experienced daily, weekly, seasonally, or yearly—whenever we recognize the “green light” to go on with the Lord.
We aren’t discouraged by physical hunger, nor are we confused about what to do when we feel it—we eat, we are nourished, and we grow. It’s the same in our spiritual life. The signs of spiritual hunger aren’t missteps or failures; they’re normal. In fact, Lee shows us actually they’re green lights—divine signals to come, eat, be supplied, and grow in Christ.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Read it.
One of the most impactful truths in this book is the journey from living by our feelings to living by faith. I’m reminded of the example of a pilot—he cannot rely on his gut feeling about which way is up or down. He must trust his instruments. In the same way, we must learn to trust the divine “instruments” of God’s Word and revelation of who Christ is more than our fluctuating spiritual feelings. This principle, lived out, will revolutionize the Christian life. Don't we all want to be delivered from feelings? Learn the secret Paul speaks of in Philippians 4? The secret to getting there is to see a vision of Christ.
Lee points us to Scripture’s own picture of Christ “leaping on the mountains, skipping on the hills” (Song of Songs 2:8)—a vision of the resurrected Christ full of vitality and forward movement. This is what revives us, lifts us out of ourselves, and empowers us to go on. And the best part? This isn’t a special experience for a select few. Revival is not an exception—it’s a law. It can be experienced daily, weekly, seasonally, or yearly—whenever we recognize the “green light” to go on with the Lord.
We aren’t discouraged by physical hunger, nor are we confused about what to do when we feel it—we eat, we are nourished, and we grow. It’s the same in our spiritual life. The signs of spiritual hunger aren’t missteps or failures; they’re normal. In fact, Lee shows us actually they’re green lights—divine signals to come, eat, be supplied, and grow in Christ.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Read it.
February 15, 2023
The beginning, course an end of multi cycles are for us to grow in the life of God. The pause stirs up the sense of dissatisfaction in order to cause us to realise our need and apply the law of revival.
September 26, 2016
I enjoyed Chapter two of this book: the serving ones needing to be delivered from living according to feelings and to open to the lord to bring in a revival. In this book, brother Witness Lee mentioned that most serving ones still live in their feelings; it is hard to find a serving one who lives by faith. A few are living and fresh.Most of the serving ones, however, have lost this sweet experience. Instead of being fresh and living, they are down and oppressed and want to withdraw from the service.
The only way to have a revival, a new beginning, is to be open. This is the only way to be fresh. We need to open and be released instead of being locked inside the self. The resurrected Lord is now the Spirit indwelling us.
The only way to have a revival, a new beginning, is to be open. This is the only way to be fresh. We need to open and be released instead of being locked inside the self. The resurrected Lord is now the Spirit indwelling us.
November 18, 2015
Four characteristics of pursuing the Lord:
1. Many beginnings, many processes, & many endings
2. Beginning of our pursuit having two aspects — the Lord draws us; we are hungry for Him
3. Reaching a state of fullness in every stage
4. State of fullness in every stage coming to an end
Related: God's Need and God's Goal
1. Many beginnings, many processes, & many endings
2. Beginning of our pursuit having two aspects — the Lord draws us; we are hungry for Him
3. Reaching a state of fullness in every stage
4. State of fullness in every stage coming to an end
Related: God's Need and God's Goal
August 29, 2016
The Christian students in UCSD read it during one of our spring-break trip and it was eye-opening to me that in every Christian there is the law of revival. This book is also very experiential, applicable. a lot of it matches my personal experience.
November 7, 2015
Discusses seasons and our growth in life as a Christian. References Song of Songs and the experience from feelings into objective growth.
November 22, 2016
This is a wonderful book for me.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews