When the early church longed for something, you would always find them doing the same thing. They would be together praying earnestly for God to intervene. They were in the Upper Room praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit that was promised to them by Jesus when the Spirit entered the room like flaming tongues. They were together praying in the middle of the night when Peter was miraculously let out of jail and came and knocked at their door. They desired to be light to their neighbors, so they met daily to study the Scriptures and pray. Then God worked miracles and their neighbors were at awe at what God was doing through them. The church was together in prayer when God called Barnabas and Saul to leave for their first missionary journey.
As I reflect on the revival that has come at Asbury College, I cannot help but read stories revealing that this is the result of God meeting with those who gathered for prayer. The sermon was not any greater than anything most hear on a Sunday. The music was average. What seems to have shifted was the preacher inviting those who wanted to pray with him to join him at the end of the service. It was in that time of prayer (not even seen as important enough to keep the cameras rolling) that God’s Spirit began to work in the hearts of those students. His presence was manifested, and they did not want to leave. I even read of a man who had been praying for years for revival to return to the campus as it had in 1970. I can only imagine the joy in his heart right now.
There are a couple of take-aways that I see in looking at Acts and what is happening at Asbury College. One is when the church wants something bad enough it comes together and prays earnestly for it. The second is that revival is not about great music and great preaching. It is about prayer. Maybe the reason that most churches do not see such revivals is that they are trying to manufacture it with the emotions of great music and preaching. Though great music and preaching is important to the health of a local congregation it is not what is going to bring revival. Too many Christians flock to great music and preaching and run from corporate prayer meetings.
I have been asked why we keep having our Wednesday Prayer and Praise when so few show up. Why ask more of our praise team? Why make an already busy evening busier? The only answer I can give is that I truly believe that we are only going to be as powerful as our corporate prayer. We are only going to see the power of God if we are a church that prays together. I believe that God is hearing the prayers of our faithful prayer warriors that come together at an inconvenient time without a lot of entertainment praying for the spiritual needs of our community. To give up on our corporate prayer service is to quit on revival.
Do you want to see revival in our church and a great harvest from our community? Join us Wednesday evenings at 6:00 in the worship center. We worship together, meditate on God’s Word, and pray for the spiritual and physical needs of our church. It is the most important 30 minutes in our facility all week.