Our country needs CPR… Corporate Prayer for Revival! Yes, lots of people are praying, but how are we praying? I’ve borrowed the term “Revival Praying” from author David Butts. He says it’s more than just praying for revival, which might cause us to focus on a happening more than on pursuing Christ. Are we seeking to know Christ on a deeper level?
The Apostle Paul said, “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”1 The Greek word for “knowing” here means to know “by exposure, learning, and experience.” Meditating on Christ’s words, talking with Him, and continually listening for His voice helps us to obey His direction throughout our day. God’s purpose is for us to become conformed to the image of His Son, an ongoing work in each of us. We want our prayers to reflect the heart of Jesus and His compassion for the lost. As we see others with His eyes, we are compelled to continue His mission to release the captives from addictions, to comfort anxious hearts with the gospel of peace.
“The whole idea of revival is a Christ-awakening,” David Butts writes. “We want to learn to pray for what God desires to have happen—and that is the reviving presence of Jesus.” 2 Further, David continues, “I like to think of revival praying in terms of preparing ourselves for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.” He compares revival praying to plowing up hard ground, which prepares it to receive the soil-drenching, life-giving water that causes everything to flourish. Doesn’t that sound refreshing?
So how do we prepare our hearts for revival? Repentance. As we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal past and present sins and then humbly confess them, we can experience cleansing newness. It’s also about changing our behavior to be more like Jesus. “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance,”3 was what John the Baptist said in preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah.
Restoration is also part of preparation for revival. We are called to pray for others who have strayed from God’s best. Jesus continually interceded for His disciples. He knew Peter was going to deny Him, but Jesus prayed for restoration. He told Peter, “When you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 4
It seems that leaders especially are targeted by the enemy these days. Rather than judging them, we need to pray for them, humbly acknowledging that we also have missed the mark. Hebrews 3:13 tells us, “Encourage one another daily…so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” The root word for “hardened” is “skleros” from which we get the term “arterial sclerosis”—hardening of the arteries. God wants to revive His children to have tender hearts again.
When I worked at a childcare center, I took a class in CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). Training in teams of two, we learned to first call 911 for help and then to work together to restore the heartbeat (cardio) and breathing (pulmonary). That reminds me that we need, not only tender hearts, but also the fresh air of the Holy Spirit to revive the Body of Christ from our apathy.
Revival prayer involves praying Corporately (together as a united body)—not just with people in our local church, or even in our denomination. We need to pray with other believers in our communities, and especially with leaders in our churches. After all, we share the same town – schools, grocery stores, neighborhoods. As parts of the greater Body of Christ pray together for common needs, we are encouraged with reinforcements. When we individually meditate on Christ’s words, listen to Him, and then share our hearts with others, we often find He has spoken very similar things to them as well!
I pray every Monday night on a conference call with a few dedicated intercessors, praying for national issues and whatever God has put on our hearts. Often one of them will share a Scripture that I just read the very same day! Then we join with CT Intercessors for America across our state to pray for issues in legislation and education that conflict with godly values. We have seen many answers to prayer!
Recently we joined with friends from different prayer groups to invite prayer warriors across Connecticut to an in-person evening of “Praise and Prayer.” People came from the north, south, east, and west to join hearts worshiping God in singing, thanksgiving, and in seeking Him. Several pastors led us in powerful prayers on behalf of the Church and our country. We sensed God’s Spirit preparing the ground through revival praying.
As we seek Christ together, praying prayers of repentance and restoration—revival praying, we can expect to see God refresh our hearts and spirits, a sort of spiritual CPR!
1 Philippians 3:8; 2 “Kingdom-Focused Revival Prayer” in Do It Again, Lord!; 3 Luke 3:8; 4 Luke 22:32
Very good and so agree. I am so encouraged about revival popping up on the college campus. We have prayed so much for that to spread and now on Ohio State Campus revival on the football field. Keep praying it is happening.
Good to hear! I hadn’t yet read about Ohio State. Thanks be to God! I also heard that there was much spiritual fruit at some of the youth camps at Chambers this summer.