Restore us, O God of our salvation,
And cause Your anger toward us to cease.
Will You be angry with us forever?
Will You prolong Your anger to all generations?
Will You not revive us again,
That Your people may rejoice in You?
Show us Your mercy, LORD,
And grant us Your salvation. Psalm 85.4-7

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival II
The Rev. Jonathan R. Anderson, Minister of Kirkfield Parish, Glasgow
“In vain do we expect a revival of religion in our day and in our land, unless the Lord shall be pleased to appear in his glory, and make himself known to his own people for their refreshment, and to sinners for their conversion. The beginning of a revival is never seen till the voice from the temple goes forth, ‘Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’”                                    

Revival is not something we do. Revival is God’s work, as He makes Himself known in more compelling and transforming ways among His people, and they bring Him in His glory to the surrounding community and the world. If we would see revival in our day, then, we must foreswear all our tactics, programs, and other good ideas, and get down on our knees to plead with God: “‘Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.’” Then it might please Him to show up in power and revive His Church; renew her life, worship, and mission; and awaken the world to the reality of the living and reigning Christ and His Kingdom. Churches must first be revived and renewed, before awakening to Christ can occur among our unbelieving neighbors. And such revival will come when begin asking the Lord together, “Will you not revive us again?”

Would you be willing to commit to praying regularly and faithfully for God to send revival to His Church? How would you enact such a commitment in your own church?

Preparing for Revival
Perhaps most pastors fall into the category of those who do not expect to see a great revival and worldwide awakening in our lifetime. But just in case God chooses to do what He has done many times throughout the history of the Christian movement, we do well to prepare for it. Join us online once a month to pray for revival. Surely you can spare 30 minutes, once a month, to join with other pastors and church leaders to seek the Lord for revival, according to His Word? 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.