“Thus says the LORD of hosts:
‘Peoples shall yet come,
Inhabitants of many cities;
The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
“Let us continue to go and pray before the LORD,
And seek the LORD of hosts.
I myself will go also.”
Yes, many peoples and strong nations
Shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem,
And to pray before the LORD.’”

  - Zechariah 8.20-22

As we pray for revival, we are plowing the same furrow as many of our esteemed predecessors, continuing a rich tradition that goes back to the apostolic church. Beginning in that upper room in Acts 1 and continuing throughout the New Testament, seeking the Lord for His promises, including the promise of revival, became a cornerstone of church life.

Throughout her history, the church has prayed big by praying for revivals that would catch up their native county and extend beyond their borders. Jonathan Edwards saw in these verses from Zechariah a perpetual call for believers to unite in concerted prayer for the revival, renewal, and awakening. Below is a summary of his response to a call by Scottish ministers for two years of praying for revival (on Saturday evenings, no less), which he issued in 1744. 

“From the whole we may infer, that is a very suitable thing, and well pleasing to God, for many people, in different parts of the world, by express agreement, to come into a visible union in extraordinary, speedy, fervent, and constant prayer, for those great effusions of the Holy Spirit, which shall bring on that advancement of Christ’s church and kingdom, that God has so often promised shall be in the latter ages of the world.  And so from hence I would infer the duty of God’s people, with regard to the Memorial lately sent over into America from Scotland, by a number of ministers there, proposing a method for such an union has been spoken of, in extraordinary prayer, for this great mercy.”

Edwards expounded his view of the Biblical basis and urgent need of men to join in praying for revival in his book, An Humble Attempt. We’d like to send you a PDF of that book, so that Edwards can challenge you the way he challenged his own generation.

Edwards’ call for united, specific, extraordinary prayer for revival was taken up in the generation following his own and led to the second great awakening, a revival of religion that lasted for a generation (ca. 1800-1833) and saw not only the harvest of a multitude of souls for Christ, but renewal in churches across America; the creation of a wide range of Christian enterprises in missions, education, and publications; and the movement to abolish slavery and heal many other social ills plaguing the nation.

The need for revival in our day is certainly evident. And the way to ignite revival remains the same: men must pray.

Edwards was struck by the Lord’s command in Isaiah 62.6, 7 that those appoint to watch on the wall of His city should take not rest and give the Lord no rest until He moves and stirs and makes His city a source of joy and blessing in the earth once again.

Where are the men who will wait in prayer like this?

Won’t you join us to carry on this noble and worthy exercise by lifting up prayers worthy of an omnipotent, forgiving and gracious Lord? God has promised that, if we will seek Him diligently in prayer, He will show us great things and mysteries we have never seen before (Jer. 33.3).

Our world, and our children and grandchildren, could do with some of those great and mighty things. And prayer is the way to achieve them.

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.)

An Humble Attempt: Yours for the asking
Read the complete text of Edwards’ stirring call to prayer for revival. Email T. M. at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and he’ll send you a PDF of Edwards’ work, An Humble Attempt.

T. M.’s book, Restore Us!, is a concise guide and resource for implementing prayer for revival in your own life and with your friends. Restore Us!is available at the bookstore. Order a copy for yourself and for several of your friends, and join us in taking up the mantle of Edwards’ – and the Lord’s – call.
 
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 Prayand begin challenging your friends to take up this daily work of seeking the Lord with greater consistency and power.

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