Revival Begins with the Weary
Text: Isaiah 40:28-31
INTRODUCTION:
We often talk about revival like it begins in stadiums or on mountaintops, in emotional crowds or spontaneous moments. But revival does not begin in strength, it begins in weakness. Revival does not begin when everything is going right, it begins when God’s people are worn out, emptied out, and desperate again for Him. Revival does not begin in those who think they have everything together, it begins in those who are humble enough to admit their need.
Revival isn’t an even on a church’s calendar, it’s God awakening hearts, renewing strength, lifting burdens, restoring passion, reviving faith, and calling His people back to Himself.
If that is true, then revival does not begin in people who feel strong, confident, and self-sufficient. Revival begins in the weary. Revival begins in honest hearts who are not afraid to say, “I am tired, but I still believe.” Revival does not begin with pride, revival begins with surrender. It does not begin with power, it begins with hunger for God again.
Every great move of God in history did not begin in strength, it began in desperation. It was born in prayer meetings, in tears, in repentance, in fresh surrender. It began with believers who had grown tired of powerless religion, tired of empty routine, tired of going through the motions of faith without encountering the presence of God. Real revival does not begin with unbelievers getting saved. Real revival begins when the people of God get revived.
That is why the prophet Isaiah gives us one of the most hope-filled promises in all of Scripture.
In Isaiah 40, the prophet of Judah writes to nation of weary, discouraged, nearly hopeless people.
Before we read our passage, I want to make this clear.
You may be weary, but you are not disqualified. You may be worn down, but you are not forgotten. You may feel spiritually tired, but you are exactly where revival begins. Revival begins in the weary.
TRANSITION:
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. — Isaiah 40:28-31 (NIV)
To understand this passage, we must understand where God’s people were emotionally and spiritually when Isaiah wrote this. These words were first preached to a weary nation, Judah, who had lost their way spiritually. They had turned to idols. They had trusted politics more than prayer. They made alliances with pagan nations instead of trusting God. Sound familiar today?
Isaiah prophesied that judgment would come, and it did. Babylon attacked Jerusalem. The temple was destroyed. The people were carried into exile. Heartbroken. Homes lost. Hope shaken. Future uncertain. Faith tested.
And in exile, they began to say what many weary believers today still say. I verse 27, Isaiah writes:
“My way is hidden from the Lord, my cause is disregarded by my God.”— Isaiah 40:27 (NIV)
It’s to people wallowing in weariness that Isaiah writes. And his purpose is to remind them, that although their strength may have been gone, God’s was not!
That is not a rebellious statement. That is a weary one. That is not someone walking away from God. That is someone who still believes God exists but cannot feel Him. That is someone who wonders, “Does God still see me? Has God forgotten me? Does God still care about my life?”
Isaiah is writing to a people who feel exactly like that. They are not faithless, but they are tired. They still believe in God, but they cannot see what He is doing. They have lost strength. They are emotionally exhausted, spiritually drained, and worn out from waiting. Yet it is into that condition that God speaks a message of revival and renewal.
Isaiah 40 is the beginning of a new tone in this prophetic book. Chapters 1–39 warn of judgment, but chapter 40 begins with the most unexpected opening line:
“Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” — Isaiah 40:1 (NIV)
This is a turning point, a revival moment. God was not finished with His people in their weariness. He was preparing them for renewal.
So, here’s the point of this passage: God’s not finished reviving weary people!
MESSAGE:
If you and I want to experience revival in our lives, then we must learn from this passage, that revival begins in the weary:
1. When we look up and remember who God is
Isaiah begins in verse 28 by lifting their eyes from their circumstances to their God. He asks,
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? — Isaiah 40:28a (NIV)
This wasn’t a rebuke — it was a reflection. Isaiah understood that weariness has a way of making us forgetful.
Trials make us spiritually nearsighted. We forget who God is. But revival begins with a fresh revelation of God, not a change of circumstances.
Revival always begins with a renewed vision of God.
The people were overwhelmed by what they saw around them because they lost sight of the One who reigns above them. Revival does not begin with noise or emotion. Revival begins with rediscovering the majesty of God.
So, Isaiah continues in verse 28 saying:
28 …The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. — Isaiah 40:28b (NIV)
Notice the four things that Isaiah tells them about God:
- He is everlasting — meaning, He is not temporal, seasonal, or limited in any way
- He is Creator — meaning He is the authority. And he has no rivals, equals, or boundaries
- He never grows weary — He’s always on — and never has a weak moment
- And, His understanding cannot be fathomed — He knows all things, and knows what He’s doing
I think Isaiah’s point here is to say, weary does not describe God. Weary describes us.
And if weary describes you today, you are exactly the kind of person God revives. Revival begins when we stop staring at our weakness and start staring at His greatness. Revival is not man-made energy, it is God-revealed reality.
So, maybe today what you need most is a change in perspective.
When a storm hits, anxious people stare at the storm, but people of faith stare at the God who commands the storm. Revival does not begin when problems disappear.
Revival begins when perspective changes. You cannot experience renewal with your eyes stuck on all that is wrong. Revival begins when you lift your eyes and say, “God is still in control.”
It begins when you do as the psalmist says in Psalm 121:1-2,
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from, My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” — Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)
2. When we humble ourselves and admit our weakness
Verse 29 gives hope to every honest believer:
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” — Isaiah 40:29 (NIV)
God is not looking for strong people to use. God is looking for weak people who are willing to depend on His strength. And He doesn’t give strength to the arrogant, proud, or self-reliant. He strengthens the weak, the weary, and the desperate.
Revival does not begin with self-confidence. Revival begins with God-dependence. This is why Scripture repeatedly tells us that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.
Some of the most exhausted Christians today are not weary from living in sin but weary from fighting battles, carrying responsibilities, praying long for breakthrough, and not seeing change. Many are quietly tired. They still love God, still serve, still press forward—but spiritually dry inside. That is where revival begins.
In his second letter to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul recalls a time when God spoke to him saying,
“My power is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9
Revival is always born in humility, and humility begins with an honest confession, “God, I need You again.”
Have you ever seen a long-distance runner get to the final stretch and stumble, not because they lack heart but because they ran out of strength? I know that’s how many believers feel — and maybe that’s how you feel today. Well, if so know this, God does some of His best work in the lives of the weak and weary.
So, don’t run away — run to God today.
Revival starts when we stop pretending to be strong and start praying honest prayers again. Revival starts when we confess our weakness and say, “God, I need You.”
3. Revival begins in Those Willing to wait on God
Verse 31 is one of the most beautiful promises in the Bible:
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
Some translations say wait on the Lord. Wait — or hope. But hope here isn’t passive. It’s an active waiting on God. It is the demonstration of an active trust in the Lord. It is leaning forward with an expectation. Waiting is worship that refuses to quit. Revival does not come to the impatient. It is demonstrating a belief that God will come through.
And the good news (as Scripture proclaims), is that God strengthens people in the waiting. He responds to and revives those willing to wait on Him.
So, waiting seasons are never wasted seasons. Waiting seasons are revival seasons! Waiting is where God changes us, prepares us, and strengthens us. God does His deepest work in the stillness before He moves us in power.
Notice the promises that Isaiah gives. To those willing to wait on the Lord, he says:
- They will soar on wings like eagles
- They will run and not grow weary
- They will walk and not faint
I think these could be understood as three stages of a genuine revival. Think about it:
- Soaring on wings like eagles — Spiritual break-though
- Running and not growing weary — Sustained personal strength
- Walking and not fainting — Endurance for the long-haul
Most days in the Christian life are not soaring days, they are walking days.
You might think of it like this, revival is not always the big, bold, and dramatic. There will certainly be those days when God empowers you to soar. And there will even be those days when God enables you to run. But many days, maybe most days, His reviving work in you will best be understood as sustained power to enable you to walk with Him. The ability to keep in step with His Spirit and stay on course in your walk with Him.
It is as Eugene Peterson once described it, the ability to walk out “a long obedience in the same direction.” And that is a part of what it looks like to experience the promise of revival in your life.
That’s living in Him. That’s revival. And that’s a gift from God!
Application:
In light of this passage and the focus of this message, let me add one more important thought to the mix, as it applies to the local (or global) church.
Before God sends revival to a church, He first sends revival to the believer. Before revival hits a community, it will first the heart of an individual. Because, revival doesn’t begin on a corporate level, it all begins with one weary soul desperately searching for God. And when that person cries out, “God, renew me.” He will!
So, if you are weary, just know that you are not disqualified for God’s presence, power, or promises. To the contrary, you are perfectly positioned for God to work in you.
Remember, God is not looking for impressive people, He is looking for surrendered ones. He’s looking for you!
Conclusion
Isaiah 40 is not a shallow passage or some pithy bit of encouragement. To the contrary, it is a promise of resurrection hope (for you and for me). It is a declaration to all weary sojourners, that God is not finished. It’s a reminder that revival does not begin when life is easy and conditions are great. Revival begins when God’s people get honest with Him about the weariness of their soul.
When weary ones get honest and humble before the Lord, God renews their strength.
So, today I am calling you to respond to God’s invitation. I’m calling every weary believer to take a stand for the promise of strength. Every pastor tired in battle. Every believer weary in their walk. Every mother or father carrying heavy burdens. Every intercessor who has been praying but not seeing the result. Every young adult fighting discouragement. And every leader weary from service.
If that’s you today, reach out to God and find the promised revival and renewal and rest for your soul. More than that, find the empowerment to fly like an eagle, to run and not faith, to walk and not grow weary.
Because revival is here for you — the weary.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father, we come to You today not pretending to be strong, but confessing our weakness. Breathe on us again. Revive our weary hearts. Renew our strength. Restore our passion for Your presence. Lift every heavy burden and awaken every tired soul. We wait on You and we trust You. Send revival, beginning in us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.