At the beginning of the year, we released an article on Preparing in faith for revival, where we looked at four themes that help us to prepare and expect revival. They are humility, a broken, contrite and repentant heart; a fresh understanding of ‘the fear of the Lord’; a lifestyle that attracts the presence of God, and a renewed living and preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
As we have continued to pray each Wednesday morning during our revival prayer hour, we have been drawn to scriptures in the Bible that have encouraged us in the pursuit of His presence in us, in His church and across our nations.
The revival prayer hour on 12 February 2025, was no exception. Here’s a summary of the hour.
We started in worship and prayed for a continued and increased spiritual awakening in us, in the body of Christ, the Church across the British Isles, Ireland and beyond. As we prayed, we asked that God would lead us by His Spirit through His Word.
The book of Psalms is a wonderful record of people, both as individuals and as a nation, their failings and redemption, their cries for God’s help and their sublime worship of God. The Psalms are also a record of God’s justice, love, grace, mercy and forgiveness to the same people.
We shared together the wonderful Psalm 104, which speaks of the Greatness of God, the Power of God in creation, the Love of God for His world, the eternal Glory of God and the continual praises of His people around the world. Then we came to verse 15. ‘Wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine and bread that sustains their hearts’.
Wine that gladdens human hearts
When Jesus celebrated the last supper with His disciples, He took the cup of wine and said, “This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”.
As we pray for spiritual awakening, pray for an increased understanding of the power of the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from sin, to give us hearts that are gladdened and at peace because we are forgiven. To heal our bodies, to justify us before God and to make us more like Jesus.
Oil to make their faces shine
In the scripture 1 Samuel 16, it says that the prophet Samuel took a horn of oil and anointed David and from that day the spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. His demeanour, countenance and actions demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit at work in and through him.
So, we pray that in us and across the church there would be fresh anointing, an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and an increased understanding and acceptance of His power and work in and through us. That this will guide us, convict us, empower us, giving us wonderful gifts.
Bread that sustains the heart
In the New Testament, Jesus said to the people, “I am the bread of life, I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. The bread is my flesh, which I will give for the world. John 6. 48-51 (paraphrased).
The Psalmist talks of “Bread that sustains the heart.” We pray for an increased appetite for the Body of Christ to feed on Jesus. To know and spend time with Him, who alone is the way, the truth and the life. He who can sustain, comfort and strengthen our hearts and feed our souls in these uncertain and challenging times.
When we work, we work. When we pray, God works. By the Grace of God, as we begin to see the green shoots of spiritual awakening, not only in our communities but in many places around the world, we shall continue to pray and believe to see a great spiritual awakening that will see many thousands, if not millions, come to Jesus and the fulfilment of the Great Commission.
You can join our revival prayer hours every Wednesday from 9.30 – 10.30am. Visit our events page and revival prayer hour and to receive the Zoom details, register for our news update.
Ian Cole is the founder of the World Prayer Centre.
