Revival Prayer Pointers

1 through 10

Week 1: Revival almost always begins at the personal level.  Consider Psalm 139:23&24 as a beginning point this week.  During your RPI prayer time meditate on these verses.  Read them over several times.  Then focus your prayer time by asking God to search your heart.  We give God greater freedom to work in our lives as we confess and repent of our sins.

Week 2: The Psalms served as the Prayer Book for Hebrew People; for many it still does.  We can use that same prayer book to focus our thinking during the Revival Prayer Initiative.  Consider Psalm 85:6 during your RPI time this week.  Will you not revive us again, that Your people may rejoice in you?  Revival really is about renewing and building our relationship with our holy God.  It’s not so much about us and what we want.   It is much more about God, His glory and His desires for us.  Let’s ask for revival that we might rejoice in Him.

Week 3: Faith is crucial when praying for revival.  Jesus urged His disciples to believe strongly when they prayed.  Consider Mark 11:24 as you begin your RPI time this week.  If your faith is week, ask God to increase it.  As you pray for revival in your life and church and that it involves–faith, confession, repentance, renewal–believe that God will hear and answer!

Week 4: Revival is renewed conviction of sin and repentance, followed by an intense desire to live in obedience to God.  It is giving up one’s will to God in deep humility. (from Experiencing Revival by Charles Finney) As we pray this week, let’s think about the things listed in this brief excerpt renewed conviction of sin, a desire to live in obedience to God and yielding our will to God.  Talk to God about these three things and how they apply to your life.

Week 5: Take time this week to think on James 4:8-10. Revival involves a drawing near to God and a willingness to humble ourselves before God. When you get ready to pray this week, ask God to show you ways you can better draw near to Him. Allow God’s Spirit to show you in areas of your life where pride or arrogance need to be replaced with humility. When we draw near to Him, He draws near to us. When we humble ourselves, He lifts us up.

Week 6: Think about the story of the persistent widow in Luke 18:1-5. Her request was answered because she refused to give up. We’re more than a month into this new initiative. Our adversary would like nothing better than to see us get "weary in well-doing." Wait on God’s Spirit as you pray this week, trusting Him to strengthen you in prayer.

Week 7: We thought about the beatitudes in church this week, and they have a central part in how we pray for revival.  People who are hungry for revival understand that they are poor in spirit and need to hunger and thirst for righteousness.  They grieve over their sin to the point of repentance.  Ultimately they acknowledge their great need for God.  Allow “Beatitude Thinking” to guide your prayers this week.

Week 8: Let’s think this week about connecting our prayer initiative to the Advent season.  We’ll light the “Hope” candle this week that speaks to the anticipation people had for the coming of Messiah.  It also speaks of our hope for Jesus’ return.  When you pray this week, take a few moments to think about the hope of Jesus’ return and how we prepare for His coming.  Look for similarities in how you prepare for His coming and how you prepare your heart for revival.

Week 9: We’ll light the "Peace" Candle in the Advent wreath this morning. Isaiah says "You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Isa. 26:3) Revival and Renewal come when we pursue God and focus our lives on Him. Ask God for that kind of focus in your life while praying this week . . . and anticipate growing peace in your heart and mind as you "stay your mind on Him."

Week 10: Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of confession and repentance.  In that prayer, he asks God to “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.”  (vs. 12)  People who need revival and renewal do not know joy in its fullness.  People experiencing revival and renewal through repentance and confession discover new joy.  Let’s think about our “joy level” as we pray for revival this week.  It may serve as a good barometer of our need for revival.