Revival Begins In Prayer

October 1, 2026

CORE ISSUE:

Intimacy with Jesus will require obedience, but it will also require getting instructions and directions on how to obey. Prayer is the avenue that not only brings you intimacy with God, but also direction from God.

KEY PASSAGE:

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you, Ps. 73:25.^[1]

As I reflect on the four essentials of discipleship, I believe we need the same spiritual renewal that Jesus proclaimed and as His followers experienced. Revival is already spreading around the world, and after watching The Jesus Revolution movie, I am more convinced than ever that we are entering a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit and a season of transformation. I believe movies are designed that way to make us remember, to make us pray, to make us see what God has done before.

Revival does not come through human effort, emotional fervor, or careful planning alone. It begins when people return to God in humility and repentance and embrace the four essentials of discipleship: persistent prayer, study of Scripture, fellowship with believers in Jesus Christ, and bold outreach to a world that desperately needs Him. Persistent prayer is the starting point; before renewal can spread through a family, church, city, or nation, it must first take root in individual hearts.

Revival Starts with Repentance

True repentance and persistent prayer prepare the way for revival. We cannot force spiritual freedom upon people who are unwilling to turn from sin and cry out to God. Effective ministry begins with discernment: Is the heart ready to surrender? Is there a genuine desire for change? God responds to humility, honesty, and a willingness to be transformed.

Israel’s Pattern of Deliverance

Throughout the Old Testament, Israel followed a recurring pattern. The people turned from God, fell into idolatry, suffered defeat and oppression, and eventually cried out for help. God heard the prayers of a faithful remnant and raised up deliverers. Nehemiah 9:27 recalls that when the people cried out in distress, God heard from heaven and, in His compassion, sent deliverers to rescue them from their oppressors.

This pattern still speaks to us. God’s work of renewal often begins with a remnant—people who recognize the need, repent, and pray with perseverance. James 5:16 reminds us that the earnest prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Revival Comes in God’s Time

Revival often takes longer than we expect. Waiting can test our faith, but delay does not mean that God is indifferent. In Exodus 3:7–8, God tells Moses that He has seen the affliction of His people, heard their cry, and knew their suffering. Then He declares that He has come down to deliver them.

Those who pray for revival must ask for the heart of God. Do we see the pain around us? Do we carry compassion for people facing grief, hopelessness, and despair? Revival prayer is not detached or condemning. It identifies with the needs of others and includes repentance for the sins that have affected our own lives, families, churches, and communities.

Gideon: An Ordinary Person Awakened by God

Judges 6 offers a powerful picture of national deliverance. When the angel of the Lord greeted Gideon as a “mighty warrior,” Gideon did not see himself that way. He felt weak, insignificant, and unqualified. Yet God saw what Gideon could become through divine strength.

Like Gideon, we may underestimate what God can do through a surrendered life. Our confidence is not in our natural ability but in the One who lives within us. 1John 4:4 declares that the One in us is greater than the one in the world. Jesus also sends His followers into the world in John 17:18. We go in His authority and depend on His strength.

Refuse to Be Ruled by Fear

God repeatedly told Gideon not to fear. After encountering the Lord, Gideon built an altar and named it “The Lord Is Peace” in Judges 6:24. Before confronting the enemy, he needed a settled revelation of God’s peace and presence.

We need that same foundation. We must know that we belong to God, understand our standing in Christ, and trust the authority He gives. We also need the whole armor of God described in Ephesians 6:13-20, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, readiness through the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Prayer and vigilance keep us alert, dependent, and ready to intercede for others.

Tear Down—and Build Again:

Before Gideon confronted the Midianites, God instructed him to tear down his father’s altar to Baal and build an altar to the Lord in its place (Judges 6:25–26). The order matters. Gideon first addressed compromise close to home, then stepped into a wider assignment.

Removing a stronghold is only part of the work; what is torn down must be replaced with something established in God. Fear must give way to faith. Bitterness must be replaced by love and forgiveness. Moral compromise must yield to purity. Disorder must give way to obedience. Lasting renewal does not leave the heart empty—it rebuilds life around worship, truth, and faithful practice.

Commit to Pray:

Revival begins when ordinary people seek God with extraordinary persistence. Let prayer start personally, but do not let it stop there. Pray for renewal:

·   in your own heart,

·   in your family,

·   in your church,

·   in your city, and

·   in your nation.

My mentors was Dr. Larry Lea, the pastor of Church on The Rock and associate Dean at Oral Roberts University taught us to use the Lord's prayer as an outline and gude. When praying for the will of God to be done on earth, as it is in heaven, begin with the following:

• Pray for yourself to be in and to do God's will.

• Then pray God's will for you are family, spouse, children and all other family members.

• Then pray for God's will, and all Churchs worldwide including your church, pastor, a leadership, faithfulness, and a harvest,

• Pray for revival in all of the nations, cities, states, and for political and spiritual leaders.

• Pray God's will for governments worldwide for specific nations in turmoil or in war. (1Tim. 1:1-2)

In the Lord's prayer, Jesus taught his disciples to seek the father's guidance and protection, and to pray, for God's will to be done on earth as in heaven. As Matthew 6:1–18 shows, he affirm religious practices about emphasizing that both are motives and our manner matter. In Matthew 28:18–20 Jesus gave his followers the Great Commission: make disciples who will make other disciples. Prayer is essential to discipleship. If you believe in Jesus Christ, you are called to be his loyal learning, faithful, teachable followers of Jesus Christ– praying for revival and making disciples.

Reflection:

In 2023, God gave me a dream in which He essentially said, “Go finish what I told you to do.” The assignment began with a prophetic word in 1982 that I would become a renowned world traveler sharing the gospel of discipleship, and in 1997 I completed my doctoral thesis on discipleship ready to go to the world and make disciples. Those dates unfolded in Chronos—human time—even though I had prayed and expected God to use me before 2023.

In essence, He did send me around the world by making me a professor at Oral Roberts University, one of the major university in America, teaching students from well over 150 different nations. They experienced my teaching of the big four, especially how to offer prayer for the Church. The seminary fellowship of students, home fellowship groups and wherever I was sent to the people of the world I offered a reflection of the biblical text and the revelation of our final destination in heaven around the throne of God.

After this, I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the lamb, cloth and white robes with palm branches in their hands and crying out with a loud voice, salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the lamb. (Revelation 7:9-10)

In times of revival, we must seek God in preparation for this fine destination. There are people that are not aware of what heaven is like. We need to paint that picture, but we need to start with revival in our heart, prayer with repentance, compassion, courage, and faith, persevering even when answers seem delayed.

We can trust that He sees, hears, and understands, He is bringing deliverance and renewal in His Kairos—His appointed time one of the greatest revivals that is happening worldwide. I believe people are crying out to God and He hears them. Just as He rescued the Israelites in His time, He remains faithful to deliver His people today.

On a scale of 1-10, rate yourself in the following areas: OK

·   I have committed my life to pray at least 3-5 times weekly. ___

·   I have involved myself in prayer for revival in the world. ___

·   I have replaced fear with prayer established in God’s Word. ___

·   I am committed to pray with others until something happens. ___

·   I replace strongholds with obedience, love, & forgiveness. ___

[1] Adapted and used by permission from: John Trent, ed. Go the Distance.  Promise Keepers (Focus on the Family, 1996); & Horner, Bob, Ron Ralston, & David Sundae. Promise Builders: Applying the Seven Promises. (Promise Keepers. Focus on the Family, 1996); & Al Janssen, & Larry K. Weeden, ed. Seven Promises of a Promise Keeper:(Promise Keepers. Focus on the Family, 1994), All rights reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.