Revival! (4)

Wait on the LORD;
Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD! Psalm 27.14

Ministers of Scotland: Lectures on Revival VI
The Rev. Alexander Cumming, Minister of Dunbarney Parish
“When we persist in the exercise of prayer, notwithstanding all discouragement, we do honour that loving kindness which will not frustrate the anticipations that are formed upon the basis of his written declarations; and the longer the perseverance is maintained, the more unpromising the symptoms against which it is upheld, the greater is the lustre reflected upon his character. Hence blessings of great magnitude are associated with ardour and perseverance in prayer; for the more splendidly these qualities shine, the greater is the attestation borne to his fidelity and love.”

If we wish to see revival, we must pray earnestly, and persist in it without becoming weary or discouraged (Lk. 18.1). We can look to God’s Word in the Psalms and find many “anticipations” to guide us in our prayers. Revival will not come because we sometimes remember to include it in our petitions, or conduct a special series of meetings to stand in for it. God will know that we’re serious about tapping into His great love and power, that He should pour out His Spirit for revival, when we persist, like nagging children, in pleading with Him to grant us what He wants us to have and has promised we may. As our “perseverance is maintained” in this work of prayer, God “will not frustrate the anticipations that are formed upon the basis of his written declarations,” but will richly fulfill His promise to bring His goodness to light in the land of the living (Ps. 27.13). How long are we willing to persist in prayer for revival? How serious are we in entering upon such a season of prayer? God will know.

What would it look like if your church were characterized by ardor and perseverance in praying for revival?

Preparing for Revival
Spend a few minutes meditating on Psalm 27 – or Psalm 72, Psalm 85, Psalm 126, or any psalm that invites us to conjure “anticipations” of what God will do when we pray. This is what we do when we gather to pray for revival, look to God’s “written declarations” to guide our “perseverance” in prayer. Why not join us? 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.