Praying for Revival
As we have prayed through our 28 Days of Prayer Guide in August, I have been praying for revival. Revival first begins with God’s people because it assumes there is something there to be revived. Revival expresses itself in God’s people repenting of sin, seeking the Lord anew, and living righteously before the Lord. Often revival ends in seeing the lost come to faith in Christ. I believe that God is stirring us once again, and has been since the Spring of this year. But I also believe that we must pursue God’s Spirit as we pray and hope for revival.
But how does revival come about?
Revival is a supernatural work of God that cannot be conjured up by human effort. All we can do is humbly place ourselves before the Lord asking that by His great grace and through the power of the Holy Spirit that He would revive us.
Revival begins with God’s people in prayer and fasting.
Revival begins when God’s people repent of known sin and seek the Lord fresh and anew.
Revival begins when God’s people have a renewed interest in the things of God, especially prayer, Bible reading and application, worship/study attendance, and daily obedience empowered by the work of the Holy Spirit.
And what does revival look like once it comes?
Revival reveals itself in individuals being recommitted to the Lord.
Revival reveals itself in sin being confessed and repented of.
Revival reveals itself in broken fellowship and friendships being renewed and healed.
Revival reveals itself in the seeking and giving of forgiveness.
Revival reveals itself in God’s people having a renewed interest in evangelism and missions, seeing men and women, boys and girls come to faith in Jesus Christ.
Revival reveals itself, ultimately, in God being glorified in His Church.
Let us pray as the Prophet Habakkuk prayed as he pursued the Lord on behalf of God’s people who were in need of revival (Hab. 3:2) “O Lord, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O Lord, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.”
Pastor Kevin Shrum