PRAYER FOR THE NATION – DECEMBER 2024

The Cost of Revival

Revival in Latin means ‘to live again’. This implies that something that was dying or was dead has been brought back to life. We read in the Bible how God responded to the intense cries of His people for His intervention into the affairs of man by sending deliverance and revival. History tells us that He showed up and unleashed His power that broke the shackles of sin and man was convicted of personal sins, repented and turned to God to be saved (the Hebrides Revival and the Welsh Revival). 

What does it cost us for God to do it again in our time?

  1. The cost of letting go of our self-sufficiency to be Holy Spirit-sufficient. 

Each of us needs to count the cost of

  • dying to self and be filled with the fullness of the Spirit. Dying to self is a painful process and it can cost us everything (John 12:24). Elisha gave up everything to follow Elijah after Elijah threw his mantle upon him (1Kings 19:19-21).
  • becoming Spirit-led, praying God’s will in every situation and not driven by our own agendas or needs (Ephesians 6:18).
  • persevering in fulfilling the call to pray for revival even if God tarries and others give up along the way (1Thessalonians 5:17). 
  • battling spiritual warfare and continuing to hold on to God’s promises (Ephesians 6:10-12).
  • being willing to obey God even at great cost (Stephen, Acts 7).

John 12:24  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.

  • The cost of not giving in to our pride and self-dependence in order to remain humble and contrite in spirit.     

Here, in a corporate setting, we need to count the cost of maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:3). Jesus calls us to be His witnesses, not stumbling blocks. When God moves, we (that is, our personalities) must move out of His way (see Acts 2). 

For revival to be sustained, we must not allow misunderstandings, miscommunications or any other barriers to be built up among us. Always take the higher road in relating to one another. Be faithful to our God-given assignment and humbly submit to one another as Paul aptly said in Philippians 3:12 AMP

“Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own.”   

So, are we willing to pay the cost of revival?

PRAYER:

Father God, I humbly come before You and ask that You begin with me – to revive me, fill me with Your love and passion so that I will be willing to constantly die to self and that Christ be formed in me. Possess me, O Lord, and give me strength to take hold of You that I might be Your agent of change. Help me be willing to count the cost of revival. Give me the tenacity to pray and pray and pray until Your glory and the knowledge of You fill the earth like the waters cover the sea. 

Revive Your work, O Lord in the midst of the years, for we need Your mercy and grace.

In Jesus’ Name, amen.

(Prayer based on John 12:24, Galatians 4:19, Philippians 3:12, Romans 12:12, Habakkuk 2:14 and Habakkuk 3)