When John Wesley and friends prayed earnestly for revival in England, God answered their prayers. Find out how you can be part of the next great revival in your nation.
Flames leapt from the roof of the pastor’s home in Epworth, England. Susanna and Samuel Wesley desperately rounded up their children and counted them, but one was missing. Little 5-year-old John was still in the burning house. Susanna broke into a loud sob. She had already lost 10 of her 19 children before they reached the age of 2, and she couldn’t bear to lose her beloved little John.
Just then a neighbor spotted the child, as the boy looked helplessly out the upstairs window. The house was about to burst into uncontrollable flames; but acting quickly, the neighbors made a chain, climbing on each other’s shoulders. Finally, the top man was able to reach out and gather the boy into his arms. Immediately, even as they lowered little John to safety, the whole house exploded into flames, shooting sparks into the midnight sky.
For the rest of his life, John Wesley referred to himself as “a brand plucked from the fire” (Zech. 3:2). Because of this near-death experience, he always believed that God had a special calling on his life—a destiny he must fulfill.
Inspired by Jonathan Edwards’ description of revival at Northampton just before America’s First Great Awakening, Wesley began to pray that God would bring revival to England as well. He began joining with his friends and praying earnestly for revival.
One night, as Wesley and 60 others prayed all night, suddenly the power of God swept in and broke over all of them. Many of them cried out and others were knocked to the floor by God’s power. Those proper Englishmen were undone by the presence of God; and from that time on, Wesley began seeing mighty manifestations of God’s power.
Like the apostle Paul, Wesley “was prepared to strip his message of all that was peripheral and to know nothing among his hearers except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” In fact, Wesley once said, “Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but God, hate nothing but sin and are determined to know nothing among men but Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and I will set the world on fire with them.”
This is what we need in America! Where are the preachers like John Wesley who will lift up the torch of the cross until their entire nation is ablaze? Where are those like the Moravians, who will cry, “May the Lamb who was slain receive the reward of His suffering!” until the gospel spreads around the world? Where are those like Evan Roberts, only 26 years old, who will preach, “Calvary’s love and love for Calvary” until an entire nation is changed as in Wales in 1905? Where are those like Jonathan Edwards, who will describe the Father’s cup with such intensity that people will groan for mercy and a Great Wakening will result?
We need prophets like John the Baptist who will cry, “Behold the Lamb of God!” until the church is “baptized in the Holy Spirit and fire” (John 1:29; Luke 3:16). We need preachers like Peter who will preach the gospel with such power that people are “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37). We need apostles like Paul, who will resolve to “preach Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23), until the whole world is turned upside-down. We need visionaries like John who will look into heaven until they see the slain Lamb on the throne (Rev. 5:6), then will reveal Him down on earth. We need men and women who burn and blaze for the gospel and will never give up preaching the blood of the Lamb.
At last the time has come for the Lamb to be glorified in this nation. Won’t you join us in this great cause? This is not just another charismatic bandwagon to jump on. This is not just one more stream in the body of Christ. We are talking about the Son of God—God’s eternal Lamb! He deserves the reward of His suffering.
We simply cannot give up until there’s a paradigm shift in the church—a reformation that is driven by a rediscovery of the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ, a resurrection of the cross that is founded on a revelation of the Lamb.
“But I’m not a preacher,” you say. “I can’t stand before people and speak.” Neither could Moses or Gideon, but God used them to lead a whole nation. You see, once God consumes your heart with a melting revelation of the Lamb, He will change you into a different person. Once the cross penetrates your soul and fills your heart, you will become pregnant with a message.
So I urge you, let the gospel go deep. Let it surge and seethe within you until it does a deep work in your soul. Let it crucify your heart until your selfish ambitions are nailed to the cross.
Once the gospel has done its crucifying work in your heart, “shout it from the rooftops” and be a voice for the Lamb to your generation. Let it come from a heart that’s been broken open and spilled out with love for the Lamb. And if the Spirit of God attends your words, people will be undone by a revelation of the Lamb. The Lamb of God was silent, but now it’s no longer time for silence!
PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 7/01/2013
This week fervently pray for revival in our nation. Ask the Lord to give you a revelation of the Lamb, and to ignite a hunger and passion for Him that results in powerful intercession to move spiritual mountains. Pray for His truth to penetrate the darkest realms, lift the veils of deception and break the chains off people bound and enslaved by the enemy through their sin and addictions. Pray for a love of souls and ask what you can do to extend His kingdom. Pray for a spirit of conviction and repentance to permeate our churches, communities and political arenas. Contend for the souls of men through your intercession and thank Him for sending more laborers into His harvest fields. Continue to pray for the persecuted church, Israel, and those in authority over us. John 1:29; Rev. 5:6; James 5:16-20
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