PRAYER FOR REVIVAL

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Thanks so much Erica for your encouragement and prayer.


Prayer for the Nations

Psalms 2:8 NKJV
“Ask of me and I will give you the Nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possessions.”

Two hundred and fifty-three times the plural word “nations” is mentioned in the Scriptures. This word could be rendered as “etnos” or ethnic groupings.. the idea that it is being conveyed here is that there are also nations within nations- people groupings that make up a nation. If we are to discover the keys to unlock closed doors to these final over 1000 unreached groups totaling over 2 billion of our earth’s population, we must begin to pray. This is essential!

Praying for a nation and for the unreached people group is no small order. Maybe you have not even considered the possibility of praying for someone beyond your own circle of friends and family. it Is possible! In fact, it is a command from the Lord. God asks us to do the possible and He will take care of the impossible.

The Old Testaments abounds with examples where the course of a nation was changed as the result of intercession. Consider Nehemiah, serving in exiles as cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes. He received the report that the wall of Jerusalem had been torn down and the Jewish remnant was in great trouble. There was no apparent hope for the Jews.

But Nehemiah, of Jewish nationality, interceded on behalf of his people: “When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome GOD, who preserves the covenant and loving kindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, let Thine ear now be attentive and Thine eyes open to hear the prayer of Thine servant..” (Neh.1: 4-6). Nehemiah continued in confession and repentance.

As a result, the king granted Nehemiah permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuilt the city wall. Amidst intense opposition from surrounding enemies. The task was completed providing protection for Jerusalem against the attack. The exiled Israelites were able to return to Jerusalem and the nation was spared from destruction.

Two biblical admonitions can assist us as starting points in praying for the nations.
1 Timothy 2: 1-2
“First of all, then I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgiving, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and for all who are in authority…..”
Matthew 9: 37-38
“The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

In addition, for every society, there are basically seven areas which shape the thinking of individuals, and subsequently a nation. These “mind-molders” have tremendous influence over the direction of a nation. Fervent intercession is needed for godly change in these areas.

 Home and Family
 Church
 Education
 Arts and Entertainment
 Media
 Government
 Business and Commerce

What can we do? We can pray… pray regularly… and pray believing!

“Father, we thank You for the open communication You have given to Your children to have a continuous fellowship with You. Father, we pray that You will forgive us of our sins. We are sorry of committing them Lord. We repent of them and we pray that You will strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit to be overcomers. Father, we pray that Your will be done in our homes and families. We pray that husbands will take on their role as the head of the family under the headship of Jesus Christ and that the wives will be a godly helpmate to them. We pray that your HS will possess the hearts of our children so that they will be obedient to You. We pray that You will be with all our ministers in every church in the body of Christ. Help them to preach and live Your Word faithfully, that all Your children will be obedient to what Your words say. We pray that You will restore Your godly instructions in our Educational institutions. We pray that You will protect the hearts of our children and children’s children so that ungodly philosophies will not be able to steal the hearts of our children. We pray too that we will have a good and godly curriculum and if need be that our children will have home-schooling to mold their characters godly, then "Thy will be done". We pray too that Your children will shun ungodly arts and entertainment that Romans 12:1-2 will be a reality to us. We pray that our news media will have freedom to proclaim the real truth and factual happenings without being bias. Give Your children hearts of compassion that will react to terrible news with prayers that will intercede for people, nations and circumstances. We pray for all the government leaders all over the world that they will act with wisdom, knowledge and understanding to execute Your perfect will in their countries and countrymen that you have entrusted to each one of them. I loose from them abuse of power and unrighteousness and Father I pray for all atrocities done in many countries will stop and that Your love and healing grace will be upon the people affected. Be with all Your children who are persecuted. I pray that Your will be done to each one of them. Give them a strong heart to stand firm on the faith that they received. Deliver us lord from the works of the evil one. Be with our brothers and sisters in the Commercial and business world. Help them to stand strong on godly principles and not to be tempted by ungodly gains and protect them Lord from falling into the wrong crowd. Bless them so that they can bless all Your work and help in the furtherance of Your kingdom.

Thank You Lord for your faithfulness and for so many answered prayers in the past. Thank You Lord for saving our unsaved loved ones. Thank You lord for the answers to our prayers that are already on the way. Give us the grace Father to persevere and believe YOU for our prayers. Take us deeper Lord in our prayer life and quiet time. All these things we ask in Jesus name, Amen.

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"The Pastor And Revival"
Edited & Compiled by David Smithers

The following material represents the godly wisdom born out of the day to day experiences of pastors who actually witnessed years of revival. To them revival was not a philosophy, a fad, or just an old story, it was something they lived. These men labored in the Lord's vineyard during the most prolonged period of revival history known to the Church. Imagine if you can, living and ministering for nearly five decades during the second and third Great Awakening. Since your earliest memories you would have continually heard about wonderful revivals in one part of the country or another. It was a time when America was known for her rare spirituality rather than her rank sensuality. Revivalists shook the nation with powerful preaching, followed by daily prayer meetings and transformed lives. Pastors all over the country rejoiced as they saw virtually years of gospel work accomplished in only days.

Many of us are longing and praying to see this kind of glory return to the Church. Still, there is much confusion and debate over how it is to be truly accomplished. As we seek understanding on the process of revival, we need to take care not to commit the sin of Rehoboam. Being wise in his own eyes, young king Rehoboam rejected the counsel of his father's elders, and as a result, divided the Kingdom. (1 Kings 12). We can not afford to quickly dismiss our forefather's wisdom and experience, under the convenient assumption that, "God is going to do a new thing." Though many are confident that a revival is eminent, we must be very careful not to be presumptuous about a revival that is still yet to be experienced. Whether or not we see a revival in the future I believe will be determined by the choices we make today. Please now consider the wisdom and advice of men who, like the Apostles, proclaimed only those things which they had seen, heard and handled. (1 John 1:1-4).

(Ist part of a series on revival)

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(Part 2 on revival series as compiled by David Smithers)

The Need for Watchfulness - Pastor Theodore Cuyler

Theodore Cuyler graduated from Princeton Seminary in 1846, and after entering his first pastorate in Burlingham, New Jersey witnessed a remarkable revival. In 1853 Mr. Cuyler moved to New York City into the Market Street Dutch Reformed Church, where he was instrumental in another revival. Eventually, in 1860, Cuyler went to Brooklyn where he pastored and built what was then the largest Presbyterian Church in America. Mr. Cuyler was also well acquainted with many successful preachers, such as Horatius Bonar, C. H. Spurgeon, D. L. Moody and Charles G. Finney.

On the subject of being prepared and watchful for a coming revival, Theodore Cuyler writes, "One day the wife of one of my two church elders came to me in my study, and told me that her son had been awakened by the faithful talk of a young Christian girl, who had brought some work to her husband's shoe store. I said to the elder's wife: 'The Holy Spirit is evidently working on one soul, let us have a prayer meeting at your house tonight.' We spent the afternoon in gathering our small congregation together, and when I got to her house it was packed to the door. I have attended thousands of prayer meetings since then, but never one that had a more distinct resemblance to the Pentecostal gathering in 'the upper room' at Jerusalem. The atmosphere seemed to be charged with a divine electricity that affected almost every one in the house. Three times over I closed the meeting with a benediction, but it began again, and the people lingered until a very late hour, melted together by 'a baptism of fire.' That wonderful meeting was followed by special services every night, and the Holy Spirit descended with great power. My little church was doubled in numbers, and I learned more practical theology in a month than any seminary could teach me in a year. That revival was an illustration of the truth that a good work of grace often begins with the personal effort of one or two individuals. The Burlington awakening began with the little girl and the elder's wife. We ministers must never despise or neglect 'the day of small things.' Every pastor ought to be constantly on the watch, with open eyes and ears, for the first signs of a special manifestation of the Spirit's presence. Elijah, on Carmel, did not only pray; he kept his eyes open to see the rising cloud. The moment that there is a manifestation of the Spirit's presence, it must be followed up promptly. For example, during my pastorate in the Market Street Church, New York, (from 1853 to 1860), I was out one afternoon making calls, and I discovered that in two or three families there were anxious seekers for salvation. I immediately called for a series of meetings for almost every evening. A large ingathering of souls rewarded our efforts and prayers. I have no doubt that very often a spark of divine influence is allowed to die for want of being fanned by prayer and prompt labors, whereas, it is sometimes dashed out by inconsistent or quarrelsome church members. It was to Christians that St. Paul sent the message, 'Quench not the Spirit.'"

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Part 3 On Rival by D. Smithers..

The Necessity of Prayer - Pastor J. O. Peck

J. O. Peck was a respected and successful Methodist pastor in the latter part of the 19th century. He had been both a witness and a instrument of many genuine revivals. From his own experience he had learned that, "In every revival there is an inter-blending of the divine and the human agencies." Therefore he regularly warned the Church against neglecting their duty to pray for revival. Some have falsely assumed that because a revival seemingly comes without noticeable preparation and prayer, that such things are not necessary. Addressing this subject Mr. Peck writes, "There are times when revivals seem to be spontaneous manifestations of divine power, having no visible human agency at work. Dr. Lyman Beecher had one of these spontaneous revivals. It came suddenly and powerfully. It swept the town with mighty power. After it was over Dr. Beecher was visiting a bedridden member of his church in a remote part of the town. This member told him that day after day for weeks he had felt a great burden of prayer for the unsaved, and that he began at one end of the town and prayed for each household till he had included every family. Then, as if this were not enough, he prayed for each family again. In an instant Dr. Beecher knew from whence the revival came. It was born in the heart of that bedridden mighty wrestler with God!

One Sunday a stammering blacksmith asked his pastor to appoint an inquiry meeting for the following Monday night. The pastor said there were no indications justifying such a step, but the blacksmith insisted that there was going to be a revival, and begged the pastor to announce the meeting. It was done. The night was stormy, but to the pastor's astonishment the room was full. Many were weeping, and the majority stated that they were brought under conviction on the Friday afternoon previous. That was the precise time when the old blacksmith had felt a great burden for souls and, locking himself in the shop, had given the afternoon to prayer until he won the victory. I believe that all revivals, which seem to come without any human agency, will be found to have their origin in some man or woman of mighty faith...
The Great Awakening in New England under Jonathan Edwards seemed to come without the intervention of human agency; yet for years Dr. Edwards and his saintly wife had been besieging the throne of grace, praying day and night, "0 Lord, revive Thy work!"

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Last part on the compiled work of David Smithers on "Pastor and Revival".........

Cooperating with the Spirit -Pastor Theodore Cuyler

"While it is true that we finite creatures cannot predict the [exact] times or seasons of the Spirit's special presence, yet it is always right to be praying for an outpouring of the power from on high. The late Dr. Thos. H. Skinner told me that two or three of his elders, in Philadelphia, met in his study to prostrate themselves before God, and to ask for a baptism of the Spirit. They emptied themselves and prayed to be filled with Christ. He did fill them. Then they interceded most fervently for the awakening and conversion of sinners. Presently a most powerful revival shook the whole church like the mighty blast which filled the upper-room at Pentecost. Mr. Finney tells us that for fourteen successive winters there was a rich spiritual blessing brought down upon a certain church just because it was the custom of the church officers to 'Pray fervently for their minister far into the night before each Sabbath.' Those wise, godly men honored Christ's ambassador, honored His gospel, honored their own duty and felt their own responsibility. They did not run off to Egypt for help. The prayer-hearing God honored them... When the influences of the Spirit are recognized in your congregation in any degree, you must be on the alert, and be prompt and untiring in your cooperation with the Divine Agent. The secret of success in a revival is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit."

FATHER I pray that once again you will raise godly men and women servants of YOURS who are hungry to see revival coming from one church to another church, one country to another country, one nation to another nation, continent to continents until the whole world is on fire for YOU preparing us for the coming of YOUR dear SON, FATHER give us the privilege to see it come during our generation according to YOUR will only for YOUR pleasure and YOUR glory, then LORD in JESUS name we pray that we will be ready to receive the 'latter rain.' O' DADDY, shake our world once more with revivalists who do powerful preaching and praying as YOUR HS convicts people of their sins, may we see transformed lives, transformed homes, transformed churches, transformed communities, countries and nations LORD, we pray in JESUS name, amen.

"Revivalists shook the nation with powerful preaching, followed by daily prayer meetings and transformed lives. Pastors all over the country rejoiced as they saw virtually years of gospel work accomplished in only days."

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"FATHER, we praise YOU, we worship YOU for YOUR continuous marvelous works in our lives. As we trace YOUR footprints in so many situations and circumstances in our lives that we have gone through so far, we marveled how YOU have carried us through. Some of us are half-way in YOUR works and we are expecting its wonderful completion in us. Like Peter, please help us to walk on the water but steadily and without fear. Please help us keep our attention and eyes on you so that we will not be fearful of the waves and sink in despair.

Oh DADDY, without YOU we are nothing. YOU are our everything to us oh LORD. YOU are our Provider, our Healer, our Redeemer, our Stronghold in the times of troubles and so FATHER our eyes are on YOU. Please remember Sky carrying the precious baby into full term, the complete change of Jaz according to YOUR plans, sllypoet for he financial venture, Pebbles in her situation, Erica's husband for his glorious victory against alcohol and other sister who have the same problems, improvement in our sexual relationship with our spouse since this is a beautiful thing within boundaries that YOU have created. LORD YOU know our circumstances. Please help us all in our undertakings. We are counting on YOUR sovereignty Oh LORD.

FATHER please let the 'Last Rain' come down upon us that will flood the whole earth with YOUR majestic power and turns all things around including all the peoples of the earth according to YOUR will. That will be a worldwide revival to our lives, homes, countries, governments to prepare for our homecoming. Oh FATHER, how we long to worship YOU in YOUR presence in heaven. As the deer pants for the water, we pants to behold YOUR glory and see YOU face to face. I long to meet my sisters and friends LORD in YOUR presence as we marry our LORD KING JESUS in YOUR kingdom. And LORD we claim our households as our inheritance and like what YOUR encouragement in Psalm 2:8 says, we are pleading for their renewal and salvation from YOU LORD. I know fully well that YOU never run-out of strategies to bring them home with us so LORD we commit them into all into YOUR hands including this Board and all the staff that runs it LORD.

We love YOU LORD very much! Help us to express it in deeds that will bring healing to this broken world. In JESUS name, amen."

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This song has been going on through my head and my whole being. Just click the url and you will get the great song of Robin Mark on

REVIVAL .........


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbrt1y8pKCo


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