“…let this be the first rule: that we be disposed in mind and heart as befits those who enter conversation with God.”  John Calvin

When we pray for revival, we acknowledge God to be the hope and source of the salvation of the world. Were He not, or could we gain salvation by any other means, we would have no need to pray for revival, renewal, and awakening.

All we’d have to do is give it our best shot.

Thus, a certain amount of reverence exists in our prayers to begin with. It’s built into the very notion of prayer, as we come seeking the help of Him Who alone can save, bless, and renew.

And yet as I examine my experience of praying for revival, I find I have often been lacking in preparing my heart, my attitude, and my mind to approach God’s throne with the reverence He is due. I have been more focused on what I wanted to say in my prayer than onWhom I am approaching in prayer.

This often leads to prayer that amount to a tallying-up of my wants, without proper regard for the One into Whose presence I have come.

By contemplating God and the beauty of His holiness – contrasted with our frailty and corruption – we will lower our eyes in humble respect for His glory. And by considering His righteousness, justice, holiness, mercy, forgiveness, grace, and goodness – at the same time keeping in mind our wretchedness – we may nurture a proper sense of how to approach and address our Lord in prayer.

We will come to Him with reverence, that is, rather than with reference to our interests and needs as of first importance.

Such prayers, founded upon right thinking about God’s character, as presented in His Word, will be honoring to Him. And they will strengthen, lift, and embolden us, and fill us with the joy of knowing God’s favor.

God knows that we will struggle with praying rightly. Because we do not know how to pray as we ought, He sends us His Holy Spirit who comes to our help (Rom. 8.26). 

If this is a struggle for you as well, I hope this will encourage you to spend time thinking about Him to Whom we are praying, and not just about what you want to say to Him. 

Ralph Lehman, Men’s Prayer Coordinator (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)
T. M. Moore, Principal (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

Prayer Resources for a Movement of Men at Prayer
“Men of the Church: A Solemn Call” can be downloaded for free by clicking this link. Hand this brief paper to every man you know, and urge them to join you in this movement of Men at Prayer.

Order additional copies of If Men Will Pray and begin challenging your friends to take up this daily work of seeking the Lord with greater consistency and power.

Finally, our latest resource for prayer is the book, Restore Us!It’s available at the bookstore, and is our guide and resource for enlisting you and your friends in praying daily for revival.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.