Persecution: key to Revival?

Iran is often in the news these days--and it's always bad news.  But something amazing is happening in Iran, which few outside that country seem to know much about.
 God's Spirit is being poured out in sweeping Revival in Iran!  Indeed it is possible--according to a number of sources I have checked, that more people in Iran are coming to accept Jesus Christ than in any other nation.  The above image of an Iranian man who was recently hanged for his refusal to renounce Christ, speaks volumes about the power of God in the face of extreme persecution.  In fact, there seems to be a positive relationship between suffering (particularly, persecution of Christians), and genuine Revival.

Click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnV3HJ8EuSg&spfreload=10.  In this short (2 min.) video, pastor Lazarus Leghnazar, an Iranian Christian minister, reveals that within the last 35 years or so--during the Islamic regime in Iran, "...over A MILLION Iranians have come to Christ".  In a country with a total population of less than 80 million souls, a Christian Revival which has resulted in over 1,000,000 conversions is indeed phenomenal.  Pastor Leghnazar then makes the following remarkable statement:

"In the time of the Shah, before the Islamic Revolution, nobody was interested to hear the Gospel while there was total freedom.  But in the last 35 years while we have been experiencing darkness in politics, and in economy, and in all social stratas [sic] of the society, we see a [spiritual] thirst and hunger which is unprecedented in Iran."

Faithful Christian ministers in America have grieved for years over the spirit of apathy which pervades this nation, concerning the things of God.  In pastor Leghnazar's quote, above, one phrase really stands out: "...nobody was interested to hear the Gospel while there was total freedom [in Iranian society]".  That revelation should come as no surprise.  It should provoke us--not merely to recognize the positive relationship between persecution and Revival, which pastor Leghnazar pointed out.  But it may be instructive to take a closer look at the nature of the relationship between persecution and Revival.

Pastor Leghnazar alluded to suffering in a rather broad sense, where he said, "...while we have been experiencing darkness in politics, and in economy," etc..  Nevertheless, he also specified a certain period of time during which that "darkness" has been in effect, a period of time demarcated by the Islamic Revolution in Iran.  Thus, it is not unreasonable to infer that an essential component of that "darkness" referred to by pastor Leghnazar, involves persecution of the Christian Church, under a radical Islamic regime; which persecution Leghnazar explicitly mentions.

Apparently, socioeconomic oppression generally, and persecution of the Christian Church specifically, has been effectual to awaken large numbers of (formerly) apathetic people, to seriously consider--what?--their own mortality? the meaning of life? their personal values and priorities in life? the implications of eternity? the claims of the Gospel of Christ?

And here is the wonderful insight which such "experiencing darkness," as pastor Leghnazar referred to, provides to us, as follows:

Is it necessary for individuals actually to experience such darkness in fact, in order that they may thus be led to open their minds and hearts to contemplate eternal realities?  Or, might they not rather be led--by means of anointed preaching--to contemplate those very same realities, in lieu of their having actually experienced conditions similar to those described by pastor Leghnazar?

In other words, is persecution of Christians NECESSARY to Revival?  I think not.  Persecution, I believe, is no more necessary to Revival than poverty or sickness is necessary to salvation.  If poverty or sickness were effectual to bring souls to Christ, then the masses would be saved.  And if persecution brings Revival, then, why do we not yet see real Revival in America, notwithstanding the fact that Christians in America are already suffering a very real and substantial measure of persecution?  Persecution alone, evidently, does not bring Revival.  But persecution doubtless does bring something important to the working of the Holy Ghost in the Church, viz.: it rudely awakens Christians from a state of spiritual 'sleep', and compels them to re-consider the imperatives of God's Word.

The point I want to emphasize, in light of the foregoing discussion, is this: Is persecution NECESSARY in order to awaken the Church to Revival?  What may be accomplished--in the direction of soul-winning and of Revival-- if, instead of being compelled by persecution, the CONTENT and DELIVERY of PREACHING were such that hearers would be powerfully CONFRONTED WITH THEIR SIN AND ITS CONSEQUENCES?  What if, therefore, in order to have genuine Revival, it is first needful to REVIVE GENUINE GOSPEL PREACHING?

Perhaps, that may not happen in many churches in America.

But it can happen somewhere. In America.  In some churches.  In home meetings.  On street corners.  In public places.  Dear God Almighty, please, send forth fearless preachers in America, once again!