Words blazed in my soul this morning with such force that I had to scramble to my feet to find paper. I’d prayed a few minutes earlier out on my front porch for true revival: for such a groundswell of souls saved that we’d have no earthly explanation, and for believers to be flooded by the Holy Spirit in such a way that our souls would be purified with a holy, selfless, unstoppable fervor. I have prayed those kinds of things before but this time I called upon the Lord with my whole heart to rip away this ceiling that seems to be over our heads. The Holy Spirit is moving with breathtaking force in parts of the world and in segments of the church. Why not among all of us?? And why not now? We love Him, too!
So many of our pastors, leaders, evangelists, and teachers are crying out for it. We see glimpses of it. We feel it pressing on the walls of many of our churches. The paint is beginning to crack. We sense a change coming. The roof shifting. We know the sun of righteousness is rising on a different kind of day and the horizon beaming with a new shade of color on young and old, on rich and poor. On all who would let Him lift their chins despite their sins, for our redemption draws near. I feel the stirring of a fresh work of the Holy Spirit in my own congregation and sense that He’s ushering us step-by-step and person-by-person and Sunday-by-Sunday to a place of open-armed willingness for whatever He would give us. For many of us who have felt the breezes of revival stirring, we can’t often define how the Holy Spirit is working or explain the difference between one gathering and the next. All we know is that there are times when we are left to say, “Only God could do that.” We taste it. It’s on the tip of our tongues but our throats are still parched. Our voices may be hoarse and our volume weak but, at the sound of His yes, the mute would find speech.
I cried out this morning for Him to remove the obstacles that hold us at bay on the damp edges of a mighty torrent of revival when, before us, is the deep. We have seen drops of rain but, if we’re willing to be honest, most of us know that we have not yet seen what the living Lord Jesus Christ is capable of doing when He has a mind to pour His Spirit out on millions and wreak the holy havoc of true revival with innumerable souls. We have blamed our government and every secular institution possible when revival has ever remained a matter between God and His own people in the pages of Scripture. They are not our problem. We point fingers at our pastors when many of them have nearly broken their backs trying to drag us to revival. We hold worship leaders responsible for our own small worship and say that it must be the songs.
My heart burns with a sense that part of this ceiling over our heads is our demand that God must bring awakening and revival within our means, keep our rules, and respect our boundaries. If Christ is to do what He longs to do, we must relinquish all our expectations and formulas for revival. Lest we think we can’t leash a work He’s willing to perform, the words of Matthew 13:58 and Mark 6:5-6 won’t peel off the gospel page. We keep getting together and rehearsing for a revival He’s not yet fully attending. Why?? Why does He wait?
I think one reason is that we are afraid for Him to do whatever it would take. We are scared of the uncertainty of revival. We don’t trust God with the work of His own Spirit. He might embarrass us. Or make us change our minds. God won’t work contrary to His Word but many of us must admit that it is not His Word we are worried about Him working contrary to. We are worried about Him working contrary to our tastes. We are worried that He will not use our methods. I said we. I have done the same thing. I want Him to work in a way that makes me feel comfortable. But maybe a true outbreak of revival is not comfortable. I don’t know. I can’t say I’ve ever seen what I believe God may want to do in our day. Meanwhile, numerous gatherings of believers dwindle and die or rust for the sake of routine. Generations are falling away as revival clings to our doorposts. It’s there. It’s close. But why won’t it come on in? We feel it. We hunger for it. Why does it delay? Perhaps there are many reasons why revival waits and we could write more blog articles and list the possible hindrances and deliberate over them and mull over them and debate them and exert more and more energy while we have less and less time.
Or maybe we could say today,
Lord, if Your time is now – and it’s the only time countless millions have – remove the obstacles, whatever they are. Shove them out of the way and COME, Lord Jesus, with a torrential downpour of Your Holy Spirit.
I’m just looking for anyone out there who would be willing to echo a prayer something like this one. I bring it to you in humility, lacking much, wanting much. I do not wish to put words on any tongue detached from a heart. Vocabulary is meaningless without volition. If this is not you and if these sins are not yours and these aches find no place in your soul, you are not who I’m talking to. But this is me and I wondered if it might be anyone else, for where two or three are gathered in His Name, crying out for a cracked-open heaven, that ceiling that we feel shifting over our heads could shatter to our feet. I’m tired of giving God an inch and expecting a mile. I want to go with Him wherever He’s going.
Most glorious all-powerful, merciful God,
Your Son died for more than these. We thank You for what You’ve already done but we beg You to do infinitely more. Look upon this ailing planet, pulsing with the hopeless, helpless, the hiding and the dying. You have willed that people would not die in their sins but be saved and redeemed through Your Son, Jesus Christ. You promised that the Cross was big enough for us all, with stakes pointed northward, southward, eastward, westward, reaching everlasting arms to the ends of the earth. We know what Your Word says You can do and we confess to You that many of us have not yet seen it with our eyes but we feel it stirring in our souls. Hosanna, Lord! Save now!
We who are willing confess to you our sinful arrogance. We have prescribed to You by what means You, the solitary Healer, should heal souls and You have refused to sign Your Name to our prescriptions. We say to You this day, write Your Name across our sky and bring revival! Save by whatever means brings You glory. Bring it any way You like but bring it, Lord. We free You from using our methods. We free You from using our denominational names. We free You from using our buildings though we welcome You to them. We free You even from using us, though we cast ourselves before You at Your complete disposal and beg that You would. Use none of us. Use all of us. Use whatever people and whatever means honors You most but do it, Lord. Please do it!
We confess to You our appalling narcissism in asking You to mirror us. We confess to You our over-sophistication and snobbery. We confess to You that we are terrified of Your Holy Spirit. We confess our pathetic arrogance for having forbidden signs and wonders when there could be no greater sign and wonder than a tidal wave of salvation rolling on our dry banks. Oh, Jesus, that we would not leave You to marvel that You could do so few miracles among us because of our unbelief.
We repent this day for not trusting You with what revival should look like. We repent this day from prioritizing our dignity over Your downpour. We confess to You that we have torn pages from our Bibles and handed them back to You and demanded that You work through what was left. We confess to You this day that the tent pegs of Scripture are vastly wider than our imaginations and our expectations.
Lord, if souls are saved by the thousands of thousands and millions of millions, we pledge to You this day that we will not, in our sectarianism, pick apart the process and reason how it was not legitimate. We are ready even if it’s messy. Even if, atop the beautiful feet carrying the good news, are bruised and broken bodies of willing evangelists.
Open Heaven. Rain down, Holy Spirit. We repent for having asked You to respect our boundaries. We bow now to Your boundless Spirit and make room over our lowered heads for You to fall upon us with power and might and a firestorm of Your great affection. You have loved us so. You have loved us well. Scar our hearts with Your Cross and love through us, Lord. Oh, Holy Spirit of the Living Christ, come without limit. We have known You were able but begged You to be willing. All the while, we have been disabled because we have been unwilling.
To what conceivable degree we could have held them in our hands, we turn the reins of revival back over to the Rider who is Faithful and True and we plead that You would not let them rest on the neck of that great horse but that You’d bid him run.
Whatever, Lord. Do what You want but do it now. Do it here. You have no peer. Make Your name glorious. Save now. We avail ourselves.
O God, I avail myself.
In the holy name of Christ our King. Amen.
Savior, Savior, Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling, do not pass me by.
“I cried out this morning for Him to remove the obstacles that hold us at bay on the damp edges of a mighty torrent of revival when, before us, is the deep. We have seen drops of rain but, if we’re willing to be honest, most of us know that we have not yet seen what the living Lord Jesus Christ is capable of doing when He has a mind to pour His Spirit out on millions and wreak the holy havoc of true revival with innumerable souls.”
Mmm. This comment burns into the fiber of my heart as it exposes my own damp toes on the edge of the bay. Oh LORD, strip me down and stir my heart, my life, my family, our church, my children, my motherhood and my ministry for TRUE REVIVAL. Pour Your Spirit down on us and yes, wreak holy havoc on every idol that holds up the ceiling above my head!
Thank you for this anointed word, Beth. Truly a Rema word to me.
Becky Crenshaw
My heart pounds within my chest, having just read this post. YES, Lord!! YES, Lord!! AMEN!!
Oh! Beth! Your words, I read them through tears! I have been talking to the Lord, begging for His Spirit to come. I confessed that I know that I have never experienced the total fullness of His presence and power in my life. I confessed that asking for that Fullness is terrifying! But I want it. I desire it. I long for it! Thank you for this, dear Beth! I pray that your words will call forth others like us, who are longing for souls to be saved, lives to be transformed, and nothing short of a massive revival, to be bold in asking, fervent in crying out to the Lord of Heaven and Earth, for His great move all over this world.
Miracles are happening all over our planet. In remote villages and far away places, but not here. Not. Here. Because of our unbelief. Because of our lack of faith. Forgive us Lord Jesus. Prepare us to receive your Spirit. Reign down.
I stand in agreement with you Beth for Revival. Carman’s song “Revival is coming to our shore.Get ready for the movement of the Spirit of the Lord” has been going through my mind for weeks now. Blessings!!
AMEN AMEN & AMEN. I read the prayer aloud to pray with my husband and struggled to get the words out, fighting back tears. We are with you Miss Beth. Beseeching the Lord for a revival in Moose Factory, Ontario where we serve. We all so desperately need Jesus. Thank you.
I take this challenge and will pray this too and
I wi be available to do what He calls me to do.
Please Lord send a revival.
Oh, this stirs my heart! Praying with you!
“Rain down, Holy Spirit.” YES, this!!
Beth:
Thank you so much for this! I am with you 100% I have been guilty of wanting revival but in my own way with my own stipulations. Now I am so hungry for revival I do not care how it happens just bring it and now! This posting was so powerful it was like water to my thirsty and parched soul. Thank you so much for having a community like this you are truly a treasure and a blessing!
Laura
Amen
Waving a white hanky in agreement here in Florida.
YES! YES! YES!!!!!! I feel it, too! I feel God calling and tugging me into new territory that isn’t safe, or comfortable and it’s blind step by blind step of faith and He keeps showing Himself faithful and good! My 3.5 year old son was ‘typical’ but then developed retractable epilepsy (unable to control) and has regressed to no speach, no walking/running/jumping. Barely utters a sound but we fully believe that God wants to and is going to heal our son, Ezekiel (Zeke!) This kind of faith is new and foreign to me but believers and unbelievers are watching and so as I blogged out, I’m willing to be a fool for God as I let Him rule and reign in my heart, praying that His kingdom would come and will be done, on earth (in Zekey) as it is in heaven!” Bless you for this post! The Spirit lept within me!!!
Bree
Yes, Lord Jesus, come. I pray with you and will keep praying. Thank you for this post–I spent this morning during my prayer time convicted, praying, crying, for this very thing. God is working–Lord, use me–I avail myself.
Thanks Beth. God terrifies me. Funny I don’t have a bigger respect in some of my life choices for sure. I’m growing. But trusting that some things are God freaks me out. Really. I’m trying not to be scared. But am just the same. Grew up with some wacky things. We leave and then life swings back around and its so hard to KNOW. Gotta know God. Anyway thanks.
That was soooooo crazy powerful!!!!! I prayed it out loud, Beth….weeping the whole time!!!! My daughter walked in and looked at me like “what are you doing” she is 17!!!! I said baby people need to be saved….there are sooooo many lost people out there!!!! At that moment my other daughter called me on the phone and asked me what I was doing…..she is 23… I said praying, crying and talking to your sister…..she said ” are you in your prayer closet…I said no! I started reading this and did not make it to my prayer closet!!!!!!!!!! We do need a revival and we have sat by toooooooo long!!!!!! It is time to get serious……Lord Jesus ……I am listening!!!!
Thank you for this post, Beth….I am reading it to all the woman in study tomorrow night!!!!!
Love you
Sam
Beth, my fellow sister in Christ, your post in your prayer very much echo the way I have felt for a long time. Some days I feel like I’m dagging the boat through the sand. I long so much for people to get excited about Jesus, to get excited about what a relationship with him could truly mean and how it could change their lives. But the biggest thing I keep running up against, the biggest challenge is time. People just keep telling me they just don’t have the time and it breaks my heart. I see God working in and around my life quite often and he reminds me that he is near, and although I feel discouraged sometimes those little reminders are what keep me going. To me there is no greater satisfaction then the work that I do for our Lord. Sometimes I ask myself how it is a God saw fit to use me as a vessel knowing where I came from, but then again I’m reminded of how gracious a God we serve. Our church is really focusing on missions this year and we are on track to emphasize My Hope campaign through Billy Graham and his organization. We are also on track to start another one of your studies for the ladies in August. On my cell have a ticket to see yours ministry event in Daytona in November. Jeff, we just need to keep going to the Lord, hands opened up ready to receive letting him know that we are simply willing. People ask all the time what they’re supposed to do for God, what does God have planned, and my response is simply to say open up your hands and tell the Lord you are willing to do whatever he gives you and then you will be living out of his plan for your life then you won’t need to ask the questions as to what God has planned for you, because you will be serving him. I pray with you that the Holy Spirit remove that ceiling, and that more people will get serious about their relationship with Jesus Christ. May God continue to richly bless you and your ministry. Please pray for me and my ministry. I would greatly appreciate it. In His Service, Jeanette from Orlando
yes and amen!
You have no idea how this mirrors the cry of our hearts in the women’s group at my church! Amen!!!
I want to be a part of this revival I pray The Lord Jesus will use me in any way and any means to help in this revival. I surrender all to you Lord Jesus. Let the revival begin.
To the One who is Faithful and True- Come!
The sermon in my church this Sunday was about this same topic. During the musical part of the worship service before the sermon, the presence of God was so heavy it was almost tangible. It’s like that almost every service. But as I was singing and praying and crying I closed my eyes and I ‘saw’ revival over our heads . . . so heavy it was weighing the ceiling down like it was a huge water balloon and it was almost bursting through. But there were small segments that made up the ceiling and there were linchpins holding them shut. I felt like those linchpins were our sins or our unwillingness to repent of our arrogance and humble ourselves and allow God to ruin us with His presence. In the sermon, the preacher stated that we don’t know what revival will look like . . . that it probably won’t be anything like we imagine it will be and it may not come in the form we want. It was very similar to what you said in this blog post. God is at work in a tremendous way in our church. And I believe revival is coming. Thank you for this blog post.
Amen and Amen! We fall on our faces in repentance for trying to make your Words palpable to our selfish desires and ambitions… For not allowing your work in our lives. Forgive us!!!! Reign in us! Cause us to be restless and dissatisfied until we have settled into You and your purposes. Let your Spirit fall on us with power. We are yours. Do as you will in us. Break down walls of restraint and have your way in our lives to your glory. Words escape me in light of your great holiness and your great power and love. Slay us with that love…. And bring a great revival for your glory.
Amen, and amen!
I’ve been praying for revival fires for two years. It’s been blazing on my heart and in nearly every one of my prayers of supplication. Your blog is a affirmation. I join with you!!
I’m praying with you sister.
With a willing heart, I echo this prayer.
Amen.
Amen Yes Lord. Your name alone is worthy of praise and honor and glory.
Amen
Amen and Amen!
Amen and amen. Will join you in this prayer. The time is now!
Amen and amen!
I cannot add spoken words to this; only my heart groans, reiterates this prayer and desires revival. Forgive me and may I never lose sight of what’s at stake. Amen.
And the let the Church say – AMEN and AMEN!
So powerful!!!!! Feeling it with all of my heart!
Yes, yes and amen. I’m praying this with you.
My only comment to each phrase, sentence, and paragraph is a resounding, “Yes!” Thank you for putting words to what so many of us feel and reminding us that our ideas and plans (however “progressive” they may be) pale in comparison to what Jesus has already accomplished. May we be unified in giving praise and credit to the One True God.
YES!! YES!! YES!! At Options Now, we meet every Tuesday morning to pray over the communities we serve. We pray for revival and an outpouring of His Spirit. God has told me clearly that He wants to change our hearts and bring revival. As you, we see the beginninga of it, the waves crashing on the shore but we long to be in thw deep end of the ocean. We are desperate for Him but after reading this I know that we are not desperate enough. I can’t wait to share your words with my board of directors, staff and prayer warriors. Come Lord Jesus, Come!
I’m not even sure where to begin. I saw this on twitter and began to read. This entry has been my journey for the past year and a half. Trough a lot of trial and prayer and crying out and experiencing the Holy Spirit in ways this Baptist girl never had, this prayer is my hearts cry. So I prayed it in earnest with you and will continue to pray. I know God is calling me back to the ministry he called me to years ago. And I don’t know what that looks like except he’s given me a heart to journey alongside other women. With different and not as eloquent words I have laid prostrate and prayed without words, only my heart, essentially this same prayer. The fact that you wrote these words shows the Holy Spirit is gathering his laborers for the harvest.
Yes, Jesus, hear our cry.
Yes and amen. Come Lord Jesus…..
This literally brought be to be prostrate before our holy God and pray with you. I prayed that His glory will be shown in any means. That He would use me or not use me – and that I would step aside. Confessing my unbelief and fear. I have made boundaries for God – and others; that He would give power & might to trust Him to remove them. I have been that disabled one because of my unwillingness. I prayed that whatever he would do, to do it now even within my house and each of my family members – myself included. I praise His glorious name for what will unfold from all of these prayers. His name will be glorified as great and might things are done through our Holy Spirit. This reminded me of a song that I have now looked at the lyrics more closely now, the band is Rend Collective Experiment, the song ‘Build Your Kingdom Here’; the last stanza is: Unleash your kingdom power; reaching the near and far; no force of hell can stop; your beauty changing hearts; you made us for much more than this; awake the kingdom seed in us; fill us with the strength and love of Christ; we are your church; we are the hope; on earth.
Thank you for your continued obedience. May Our loving Lord continue to bless you. May He be at work in the hearts and lives of not only those who don’t know Him but of those who have called Him Savior!
YES!!!!!!! Me too!!!!!!
Amen! Thank you Beth for putting into words what so many of us feel!
Amen and Amen! Yes, Lord, Yes!
Psalm 119:25
My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to your word.
Psalm 119:37
Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity and revive me in your ways.
Psalm 119:40
Behold, I long for your precepts; revive me through your righteousness.
Psalm 119:50
This is my comfort in my affliction, that your word has revived me.
Psalm 119:88
Revive me according to your loving kindness, so that I may keep the testimony of your mouth.
Psalm 110:93
I will never forget your precepts. For by them You have revived me.
Psalm 119:107
I am exceedingly afflicted; revive me, O LORD, according to your word.
Psalm 119:149
Hear my voice according to your loving kindness; revive me, O LORD, according to your ordinances.
Psalm 119:154
Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me according to your word.
Psalm 119:156
Great are your mercies, O LORD, revive me according to your ordinances.
Psalm 119:159
Consider how I love your precepts, revive me, O LORD, according to your loving kindness.
His word, his ways, his righteousness, his loving kindness, his precepts, his ordinances, his testimonies…this is how we are revived.
His written word! Like fresh water to our thirsty souls!
Forgive us gracious Father. Thank you for your patience.
Open our hearts and eyes. Grant us discernment and empowers us to serve You and others.
Prepare lost souls to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord. Then join believers to serve and share the Good News with the lost.
The world’s views have been turned upside down-they do not line up with our plumb line – Your Word-the Bible. Help us to hold to Truth and not be swayed.
Bring us to our knees in preparation for revival. Empower us to work as a family of believers-the Church forgetting about denominations and programs. Use us Lord. Revive us.
Draw lost, empty souls to the saving grace of Jesus.
We pray for revival. Praise You. Amen!
This was amazing, with arms held high I just prayed this prayer to my savior. My generation is dying for revival and healing. Thanks for sharing this prayer and post with us!! “For such a time as this”
You and You alone Lord…..Do what only YOU can do. Have Your way Lord
Yes and amen.
YES LORD JESUS!
“Be Still, And Know That I Am God.”
Psalm 46:10
We Must Be Alert, Ready &Willing!
Let The Revival Begin!!!
Joining in Prayer. Joining In Hope.
In The Holy Name Of Our Lord And Savior. AMEN.
I also agree wholeheartedly this prayer! Dear Jesus send revival now! AMEN! AMEN!