Prayer is the Answer

So What’s Next?

A bit of a recap today before I finish off what has turned into a bit of a mini-series on the subject of revival.

We know what is and what is not revival. Real “revival is not something we can demand or call down, no – revival is a sovereign act of God. It is as sudden and dramatic in its effect as a tidal wave or tsunami.” That will be real revival – when people are saved in the street, no-where near any meetings; when people are healed just walking past a meeting hall; saved by walking into the meetings without a clue as to why they are there. That’s REVIVAL.

We know which type of church we need - We need churches who preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, who are united as a church, who pray and worship together – as one. Churches where there is a hunger for the lost and a realisation that time is short. Churches who lead their flock through the narrow gate and along the narrow path. NOT churches and church leaders who happily announce that they are ‘having revival’ this weekend. What they really mean is that they are holding a meeting, or meetings, at which they hope the Holy Spirit may graciously manifest His presence in healings and anointing.

We know not to quench the Spirit. Although we have managed to constrain Him simply by ignoring Him and disobeying Him, He is still the Holy Spirit of God and for us to try to constrain Him, then we might as well try to put the wind in a box. He will always be there ready to speak to us. Always ready to befriend us, ready to reveal God to us, ready to comfort us. So many roles for us and we, so willing to reject Him.

So what’s left? What is possibly the final ingredient into the melting pot that we call revival? Could it be prayer? I mean daily fervent prayer for the lost. The lost in our own homes, street, town, or country. Where is the weeping for the lost? I so well remember, indeed I will never forget, the way local folk wept over the lost of their area as they prayed over a huge map of Norway. When was the last time anyone in your town wept for the lost? When was the last time your group or your church prayed for the lost around you. When was the last time Pastor announced an evening of prayer for revival? In the 1904 and 1949 revivals here in the UK, the old saints used to weep over the lost at every meeting. Where is our broken-ness for revival?

Prayer, prayer, and more prayer is what is needed more than anything – and this is your personal responsibility. After all we cannot tell the Lord when to send revival, nor where to send it either. When was the last time any of us admitted that we don’t care where revival falls – just so long as it comes at all – anywhere in our town or nation?

As for me, I don’t care which denomination is hit first. I don’t care which church or pastor is hit first. I just want to see revival hit my town, my area, or my country. I don’t care when it comes either – just so long as it comes. I would prefer it to be soon but God’s timing is perfect for me too.

And then – what comes next?? Can there be more?

YES - There’s ALWAYS more we can do for God.

Pray some more and watch and wait – the signs are there for all to see. God is moving by His Spirit today, and when He makes that sovereign move we call revival – thats when all bets are off.

That’s when we shall see just who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.