If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Like Anu and Jay will explain in the video, in this verse, we see God instructing Solomon after the dedication of the Temple and telling them that a building will not create revival, only humility, prayer and turning from wicked ways will. For the last 20 days, we have been praying intently for revival. For God to heal, mend, transform, and create something new.
We have all heard of the major revivals of the yesteryear. The notable ones are the Azuza Street, Welsh Revival, Balokole, and the Chile Revival. Many of you reading this probably wonder how and when God will send revival again and how he can use us for it. Jason Landsel writes this beautiful article about a middle-aged businessman from Albany, NY named Jeremiah Lanphier. On September 23, 1857, he entered a hall he had reserved on Fulton Street in New York City belonging to the Old Dutch North Church. He went at noon, to use his lunch hour to pray. Jeremiah had been asking God for guidance and found himself recharged by simple prayer. He decided to place advertisements and give out a flier he’d had printed, inviting other businessmen to join him in prayer for as much time as they could afford.
The times certainly called for God’s intervention. The nation was torn apart by political discord and the evil of slavery; civil war seemed inevitable. People’s hearts were consumed by hatred. The economy had collapsed; banks had failed, spreading chaos and panic. Major businesses were going bankrupt, and unemployment had skyrocketed. Many people were starving.
Jeremiah spent the first half hour of the noon meeting alone. Jeremiah didn’t leave, he kept praying. Five other businessmen showed up for the last half hour of prayer. Just three weeks later, the prayer meetings had forty people in attendance and requests for daily gatherings. These meetings became known as the Fulton Street prayer meeting, or the Businessmen’s Awakening, since it was led and driven by working people from all backgrounds. Lawyers and doctors prayed alongside mechanics and messenger boys. Through fervent prayer, the sick were healed, the drunkards reformed, hardened men subdued and converted, family alienations healed, prodigals brought back, business embarrassments removed, bad tempers mellowed and the very appetite for rum and tobacco changed. Wow! Talk about God touching a community!
It didn’t take a pastor or a prophet or an evangelist. An ordinary layman’s movement evolved into the Third Great Awakening in America. This revival spread to the British Isles, Europe, and other parts of the world. It inspired the creation of faith-based social organizations such as the Evangelical Social Movement, the Bowery Mission in New York City, and in London, the founding of the Salvation Army. Why is God asking you to do in playing a part in the next big revival? What is God telling you to do at your workplace, school or business?
DL Moody, who over his preaching career is said to have addressed more than 100 million people, was birthed out of this movement. He once said “Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” So as together we face an uncertain future, may revived prayer guide our actions, and may we together look to God. [This excerpt is from Jason Landsel]
Listen to Jay and Anu as they talk to us about what true revival means.
Resources:
Download Prayer Guide
Pastor Ashish spoke about the importance of praying first. I strongly suggest that you go listen to it as it gives us the Biblical context of fasting. Let us resolve to always PRAY FIRST in everything we do. Listen to the message HERE
Here is a Worship Playlist you can listen to – 21-Day Fasting Playlist
