The correct answer is through personal conversion and a complete faith in gospel
The Great Awakening had its beginnings some years ago among Dutch Presbyterians and pensioners in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, grew up with the preaching of Edwards and reached its peak in 1740, with the itinerant work of the great English revivalist George Whitefield (1714 -1770).
Jonathan Edwards believed in the importance and necessity of revival. He saw the Great Awakening as a work of the Spirit of God, revitalizing and empowering the church for its mission in the world. At the same time, he was aware of deviations, excesses and even satanic acts that produced eccentricities, emotional lack of control, ostentation and scandals.
However, he understood that such problems did not invalidate the positive aspects of the revival and, even more, that some of the "phenomena" or "manifestations," although unusual, were admissible in the face of the profound experiences of God's grace that many people were having, including your wife. Such things, in themselves, proved nothing.
The criteria that really indicated whether conversions and awakening were genuine or not were the visible fruits: conviction of sin, seriousness in spiritual things, supreme concern for the glory of God, deep attachment to the Scriptures, changes in ethical behavior, transformed personal relationships and transformative influence in the community.
Only this kind of revival will be a blessing for our lives, our churches and our country.
