On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.

  - Isaiah 62.6, 7

And not undeservedly has the merciful Lord granted the prayers of His saints, who on account of His commands have crucified their own wills, and who have so great faith that they do not doubt that they will obtain what they demand from His mercy.

   - Jonas, Life of St. Columban, Italian, 7th century

The greatest need of the times is for prayer, believing prayer, prayer that takes God seriously when He says He will show us great things and mysteries that we’ve never seen before (Jer. 33.3) and will forgive our sins and heal our land (2 Chron. 7.14).

Alas, too many of the prayers we offer border on the trivial – not that any need or request is trivial to the Lord, but when we spend all our time in prayer pleading with God for this or that passing need, we leave no time for the great matters of moment facing our generation.

Like revival.

I use the term, “revival,” in a general sense to indicate that daily increase in Christlikeness which believers seek; that renewing of order, worship, disciple-making, and mission which local churches desire; and that in-breaking of divine light and truth into lost souls and benighted cultures which manifests as awakening to the Kingdom of God.

The Church of Jesus Christ our Lord is sorely in need of revival, and revival comes with the prayers of God’s people as they “give Him no rest” and pray without doubt and without ceasing for a fresh upwelling and outpouring of His Spirit.

Only God can revive us; only God can shake us out of our spiritual torpor and renew our sense of His presence and glory. Only God can launch us out in mission once again, so that we go boldly and lovingly to embody and proclaim the Good News to our generation.

Only God can revive us, and He will only do so when we rattle the gates of heaven, fill the corridors of His throne room with our pleadings, and cry out to Him day and night for the remedy we seek.

Do you pray? I mean, do you pray like this – without doubt and without ceasing, for God to do great things and show you mysteries of grace and truth you’ve never dared to believe could be possible? Do you demand of God that He do as He has promised, and then humbly but expectantly wait for Him to reply?

He will.

If we will. If you will, without doubt and without ceasing, pray.

Psalm 126.1, 2, 4, 5 (Truro: “Shout, for the Blessed Jesus Reigns!”)
When God restored our fortunes all, we were like those who sweetly dream.
Our mouths with joy and laughter filled, made Him our constant song and theme.

Restore our fortunes, Lord our King! Let grace like flowing streams prevail.
All they with tears of joy shall sing who sow while yet they weep and wail.

I cannot pray without doubt and without ceasing without Your help, O Lord! Let such prayer be my “sowing”, and let my sowing increase!