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 love how the Lord ministers through His own and thank Him for stirring you as you prayed on your porch! He consistently ministers to me and so many others through you, Beth, and we pray for you as you humbly take that responsibility seriously. Oh, He is good. Lord, still us, cause us to revere You, humble us, forgive us, stir us, and with all eyes on You, revive us. Not our kingdoms, not our wills, but thy Kingdom come, thy will be done. All glory to the One who inhabits eternity!
Thank you so much for sharing. I too awoke this morning feeling very much the same thing. I feel my soul wanting to burst forth with praise and spreading Jesus word. But of course there is the unknown that hinders me. I pray for strength and guidance and perseverance. Please let nothing hold me back.
This is exactly what is happening is our church! Thank you for putting words on the situation and giving us a heart felt prayer to pray.
Amen and Amen! Come Lord Jesus!
“This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face — even Jacob.
Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!
Who is the King of glory?
The Lord strong and mighty,
The Lord mighty in battle.
Lift up your heads, O gates, and lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in!
Who is this King of glory?
the Lord of hosts,
HE IS THE KING OF GLORY.” (Psalm 24:6-10).
Standing with you in this heart cry!
Amen. I have been going to the altar for weeks and encouraging others to join me praying for just this.
Thank you for posting this and saying what my heart has been praying.
Thank you! Thank you for being so sensitive to the Lord’s leading! I live on the West Coast and am feeling the same burden here! My prayer this past month has been “Lord, shove me aside and you be glorified for all to see!!” Come Lord Jesus, Come!!!
Truly, only God can and does bring about lasting revivals which we all need, even at a time like this. Thanks for this wonderful post. Shalom.
Mel Ann Sullivan – Millry, AL For judgment is merciless to the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over judgment. What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith save him? James 2: 13-14 NLT
Come Holy Spirit, come.
Lead us not by our will, but by Yours.
Sustain and guide us, Lord, and we will follow.
Amen! Dang! So powerful!
Woke up this morning feeling the same way but not knowing how to say it out loud. Just knowing my soul was crying something and then I read this and how this echoed my heart dear Beth. If we crave and need revival may it begin with us. Tears today. Desperation. Lord Jesus come.
Beth, Thank you for this! This posting has so energized and excited my family to know that others are feeling this too! THERE IS MORE!!! We ache for it. We wait on it. We anticipate it. My family spent time together for the 4th this weekend and read your post as a devotion for our prayer time, and were so blessed by it. Thank you for sharing your heart and for praying for MORE.
Father, We need you more than we have ever needed you. We need the sorrow that leads to repentance that brings righteousness. We need your healing and restoration. We need revival. Whatever it takes…start with me and my family.
In Jesus Holy and powerful name,
Amen
Romans 8:5-6 ESV
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
THIS has been a common theme God has been IMPRESSING deeply on my heart this past month or so. I found myself holding back for the sake of my comfort when in fact i know that i will only find true comfort in knowing that the Holy Spirit is working in and through me and in the greater Body of Christ. My comfort resides in him, knowing that His will is being done.
Amen, Beth, thank you for sharing!
Amen, so be it! Waiting expectantly for the drenching rain to come from any and all directions. The One who called us to it is faithful and He IS… doing it. Praise the name of Sweet Jesus!
Amen and Amen. I have said your sweet prayer out loud with tears in my eyes, and a desire in my heart to see God move in a might way. Now. However. Thank you for this, sweet sister Beth.
God has placed His Word in the mouths of His people, and they shall declare His goodness in every city, every town, and every country. Wearing the full armor of God, His people will advance upon nations and kingdoms, uprooting wickedness and overthrowing any authority that attempts to circumvent God’s authority. God’s people will repair and rebuild cultures of holiness and righteousness. Prosperity will align with the fruit of the spirit. God’s people will fear no evil, for they are fortified through His blood, by His promise, and in His strength, for the joy of the Lord is our strength!
Thank You, oh Holy God, for people like Beth speaking up. We pray we, as Your People, hear Your voice, repent and obey. May You hear our repentance for our sinful behaviour, forgive us and heal our land. May we stop justifying and turn from our wicked ways so that You can move in our lives to bring revival and Glory to Christ.
Oh, Beth, I have been thinking the same thing–what this country and our churches need is *revival*. Our country is facing such dangers from the culture of death, and I can get so discouraged and see my fellow believers also becoming discouraged, but Priscilla’s study on Gideon is so inspiring–God’s ways are not our ways and look what can be done with a small number! We need to set aside our denominational differences–not deny them, but be open to God’s leading and come together as Christians for the sake of his glory and saving souls! Do you know that my return to the Lord began back in 2003, or perhaps earlier, when in one of your studies you challenged us to ask God, with Moses—“Show me Your Glory!” I took you up on that and things were never the same again! Revival–the kerygma–repentance and believing in Jesus. Trust and obey!
Can I share this with my prayer group and Facebook family?
Yes ma’am! Feel free to share the link.
I LIKE THIS SOOOO
lord i lift your name on high in all moment in the bad situation and in the good situation becouse you are holy and you can not be and do in mistake
holy spirit be my freind forever.touch me hoo lord do’nt forget me GOD.I’M PRAYING NOT FOR WHAT I AM BUT FOR THOSE KIDS WHOM BELIEVE NOW IN YOU IN ALL OF THE WORLD AND ALL VOLUNTEER LEADERS YOUNG LIFE AFRICA.
BE HERE LORD.
BE THE FIRST TO CAME AND DO THE MIRACLES IN YOUNG LIFE.
Over the rolling hills of the sweet land of West Virginia we have been praying for revival. We walk by faith that we are going to use the Tri-County Fair Grounds and bring together every domination. We walk by faith and not by sight in the Name Above All Names, In Jesus Christ we stand in WV proclaiming revival! Revival – Fire on the Alter.
Amen!
Come Lord Jesus! Revive our souls, purify us! Revive our land, our country. Save us from unbelief. Save us from ourselves. Open our eyes, our hearts, for the fields are ripe unto harvest here in our land. Come Lord Jesus! Work in and through us. Use us as You see fit for Your glory and for Your kingdom. In Jesus Name Amen!
Rend the heavens, LORD, and come!
Beth, I just have to tell you and all my siestas that there is an awesome song that fits your plea for revival. I don’t even know if it’s by a “Christian artist”. Check it out on iTunes (or google the lyrics) but you’ll want to dance to it too. It’s “Causin’ a Commotion” by Greg Sczebel. XO
just read this through my Life Today email. had me in tears. i want all christians to read this prayer. your words here truly cut to the core of my soul, both devastating me and birting a hope in me only Jesus the Resurrected Savior can. this is a prayer truly birthed by the intercession of Jesus alive within you. as i once have in the beginning of a very unanticiapted years long preparation period beginning in 2008, i again thank you for your truth, passion, and dedication, my beloved teacher. and i must sharew with you, to confort and to assert my faith, that this prayer WILL be abswered and it WILL take us all acting way out of our comfort zones. God’s way in this new awakening WILL astound us, for we have indeed passively demanded Him to work through only the ways we can imagine and in pnly the ways that keep us comfortable. we will be amazed by the ways of our King whose ways are NOT our ways, Whose thoughts are NOT our thoughts. AND IT IS COMING SOON! this is the awakening of LOVE. the greatest awakening, for LOVE IS THE GREATEST!!! God bless you for your transparency, honesty, and unashamed open head over heals love affair woth our precious Jesus. <3
my, this rang so true with my spirit! we are such selfish creatures to think we can tell the Creator and Master of the Universe how He must bring revival. We just finished studying Job in Sunday School and Chapters 37-41 have shown me the majesty, wonder and awesome nature of God. I cannot even conceive all of the details our Heavenly Father thought of at creation, much less now when the world is populated with crazy fools walking the Earth making demands of Him. But the chapters also outline the depths of His love for His people. I want His revival his way. Am I scared if it; if I’m honest, yes. But I want Him more than I want to hold onto a pseudo revival with no real substance and a relationship where it’s all on my terms. My finite imagination is a set up for failure I dare not risk on eternity with Jesus. Come, Lord Jesus. We need You more than ever.
Amen and crying out with you xx
Our church have felt the same, like He is weighing
Down on us but not fully letting rip. personally, I
Don’t think our church is ready, for so many reasons
You said above, we want his Holy Spirit but for many
It is for personal gain and a physical manifestation,
God sends His spirit where there is desperate need
And where it serves His purposes. Our church
Needs to get on its knees in repentance, prayer and in Full
Submission to God. I and many others have cried out
For revival but I feel like God is saying, Just wait
And see, it will be good, it will be big but it will be
According to my will and timing.
OMGOSH!!!! My body is completed filled with goosebumps, I have been feeling the same exact feelings you have for months now. I have been begging crying out to The Lord use me Jesus what is it that your people need to know!! I am here, send me! I know now that I am not alone and sisters and brothers are sharing this very feeling. I am so excited to see what Christ is preparing us for because I know this is no joke to Him. There is so much deadness not only in this world but in churches in the lives of believers so much dryness and I couldn’t stand there and be part of it any longer I stood up and I am fighting forward waking up those around me. I know Christ is preparing us and I am ready to serve his. To love him no longer with just words but with my actions !!
I am sitting crying on a balcony in the South of France on a holiday with friends who do not know our Lord. I have never denied or hidden my relationship with Christ but your words have struck at the heart of me. I am crying because even when I’m with them I can never dispel the sense of God but I am held back from absolute disclosure of His greatness by my fear of losing them and my dignity. God give me grace to tell me how much he loves them! Thank you!
WOAH!!!! Those last two lines get me every time – DO NOT PASS ME BY!! SO many truths written here – FEAR stops us and I believe stops the work of the HOLY SPIRIT. May our spirit yearn fo rmore of him and less of us! I pray that all believers burst forth from their fears, trust God more and join Him in the MIGHTY WORK he is doing!
Amen!!! This just really spoke to my heart.
“I’m just looking for anyone….”
i am one.
All of your heartfelt words have been stirring in my own heart…some I have recognized, while others I didn’t until I read your post. I’m at the beginning of a new job today that will take me all over the country. I pray that God will use me in my travels. Our own ministry, a cowboy church in South Texas, is on the brink of revival. They hunger for it…praying this and sharing with my husband. Thank you, Beth. I have been studying with you for many years and I thank God for bringing you into my life. Feel like I know you…lol!! We are kindred hearts in so many ways. Thank you again for your transparency – let revival rain down all around us and may we remove our hand of control and give it all to God.
I’ve been praying this! Thank you for sharing! This song has been my mantra for a few months now. 🙂
http://youtu.be/sbdJXKqVgtg
Forgive this nation of America Lord for it knows what it is doing. Forgive our leaders Lord for they know not what they are doing. Forgive our states Lord for they know not what they are doing. Forgive all of us Lord for we know not what you would have us do. Help us Lord who know you. Teach us Lord. Use us Lord. May we fall at your feet. In repentance. In revival. In revelation at what you are about to accomplish. +++
I love this Beth and it is so true! We have revival in our youth right now, because they are willing to receive, and be moved to tears and joy and dancing and hand raising. It is beautiful! Sadly our adults are missing it because of fear and pride and I certainly know because I have sat in that seat before, but how it grieves my heart that the Spirit contend more often NOT with those who don’t believe but those who “think” they do.
Beth, I am speechless. Thank you for sharing your heart. You walk your talk. You sing your song. You dance with abandonment. I am humbled to call you my sister…Thank you for you boldness and passion for the gospel!
Much Love~
LeAnne Parsons
Wow and thank you! We pastor at the Grand Canyon, we are in agreement with you. This is our heart as well! We thank God for you, your strength, and your courage to speak the truth! Praying and loving you!
Amen. May it be done in my life as well Father, only Your will. Amen.
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU!
Speechless
~ much love
Isela
I read this and saw a great truth – we are trying to fit God into our idea of how He should work, skipping over Scriptures, and not ashamed of our own unbelieving hearts. We may be tired of waiting, but, He is waiting for us to act on the faith He has placed in our hearts! He is mighty, mighty to save and deliver and He has done this for me when I came to the end of my foolish and sinful ways. He will do this for countless others.
Thank you for wirting this post. I pray that it catches fire all over Christendom and wakes everyone up to start allowing The Lord to work in His perfect ways.
Yes, this is my hearts’s cry, and the cry of many in our area. My heart agreed with everything you said. Lord, help us to let You do what You long to do.
I am afraid and yet I so want revival. It is like being sick and knowing to have a chance of being well I have to take the therapy that can cure me but may kill me or worse yet make me wish I were dead. Death is an easy out with heaven waiting, the process is what scares me. I know He is faithful but will I be?