Revival! (1)

I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4.1-3

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival
The Rev. John Bonar, Minister of Larbert and Dunipace
“Never for instance were brethren more unworthily or unhappily divided that they have been of late. No where can they be more worthily or happily reconciled than in the mountain of the Lord’s house…O it is sweet to see how in such a time [of revival] the holy of all sects and denominations are invincibly drawn together by the constraining influence of the ‘love of the Spirit.’”

In previous seasons of revival, Christians from other churches and denominations have set their differences aside, and joined regularly to pray that God might be pleased to send revival. Such a visible manifestation of our oneness in Christ creates an arena within which the Spirit can flex His muscles for renewal and awakening. But such a gathering must not be a one-time event. Let ministers call their members together monthly, moving from church to church to pray, as they seek the Lord together in prayer for revival. Let invitations go out to all churches to join this movement of prayer. Soon enough, the Spirit of God will manifest His power and begin to grant our requests. Even beginning to call upon the Lord in prayer is indication that the Spirit has begun to revive His people (Ps. 80.18). But ministers are not likely to get their churches to join in praying for revival, if they themselves are unwilling to do so. Pray that pastors and church leaders will be “invincibly drawn together’ for prayer, that the next great worldwide moving of God’s Spirit may begin now.

Is there another pastor with whom you might share such a vision of your churches beginning to pray together for revival? Could you meet regularly together for prayer?

Preparing for Revival
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.,” says the Lord (Jer. 29.13). Prayer is the place to begin in seeking revival. Join with other men to pray online monthly, using the Word of God to guide our prayers. We’re looking for men who will commit to seeking the Lord for revival together. If you’re interested, write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and I’ll give you a list of available times. Or we can discuss beginning a new group to pray for revival at a more suitable time.

To help you in preparing for revival, we have two brief books that won’t take you more than an hour to read. Preparing Your Church for Revival tells you what to expect as the Lord begins to move, and shows you how to get ready even now (click here). Restore Us! provides the rationale and means for praying together for revival. It includes 12 psalms to guide your times of praying together (click here).

All quotations in this series are taken from Ministers of Scotland,Lectures on Revival, Richard Owen Roberts, ed. (Wheaton: Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers, 1980). Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.