Our revival services begin Sunday morning, September 27. We are making plans, preparing services, and looking forward with great anticipation to what God might do. But let’s remember that all of our efforts will fall short unless God blesses them.
We can plan the services. We can invite our friends and neighbors. We can prepare the music and messages. We can plan ever detail down to the smallest jot and tittle, but only God can bring genuine spiritual renewal.
That is why, beginning Wednesday, August 19, our church will enter into 40 Days of Prayer leading up to our revival services.
Why 40 Days?
Throughout Scripture, periods of 40 days or 40 years are often associated with significant seasons of waiting, preparation, testing, and anticipation.
Noah endured 40 days of rain. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. Elijah traveled for 40 days to Mount Horeb. Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning His public ministry.
These biblical examples remind us that God often does important work in the lives of His people during seasons of waiting and preparation.
Our 40 Days of Prayer is an opportunity for us to do just that.
We are going to wait on the Lord, seek His will, and prepare our hearts for whatever He wants to do among us.
Why Should We Pray for Revival?
Prayer is NOT a way of convincing God to do something He doesn’t want to do. Prayer is how we acknowledge our dependence upon Him.
We pray because we need God.
We need God to prepare the hearts of those who will hear the Gospel. We need God to convict us of sin. We need God to draw people to Himself. We need God to strengthen His church. We need God to give wisdom to those who will preach and teach. We need God to remove anything in our own hearts that would hinder our fellowship with Him.
Most importantly, we pray because revival is not something we can manufacture.
Only God can bring spiritual awakening.
Our responsibility is to seek Him faithfully and trust Him with the results.
Paul reminded the believers in Corinth that one person may plant and another may water, but “God was causing the growth” (1 Corinthians 3:6).
That is our prayer for these services: God, do what only You can do.
Preparing Our Hearts
These 40 days are not simply about praying that other people will be revived. They are also about asking God to begin His work in us.
Before we ask God to change someone else or even our church, we should ask Him to change us.
Before we pray for our community to turn toward Christ, we should examine whether our own hearts are fully surrendered to Him.
Before we pray for others to experience spiritual renewal, we should ask God to renew our own walk with Him.
The psalmist prayed:
“Search me, God, and know my heart;
Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there is any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
— Psalm 139:23–24
As we begin these 40 days, let’s make that our prayer as well.
Lord, prepare me. Search me. Change me. Use me.