Chapter 22
Methods of Praying for Revival
—Robert Murray McCheyne “It should be our rule never to see the face of men before first seeing the face of God. The morning watch anchors the soul so that it will not very readily drift far away from God during the day; the morning is the gate of the day and it should be well guarded with prayer. He who rushes from his bed to his business without first spending time with God is as foolish as though he had not washed or dressed, and as unwise as one dashing to battle without arms or armour.” —Charles H. Spurgeon “If I fail to spend at least two hours in prayer each morning, the Devil gets the victory through the day.” —Martin Luther
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he most important request the pastor will make is for prayer. Prayer must accompany and follow every move. Every idea and plan must be brought before God in prayer. Every unsaved person and every prospect for church membership should be lifted to God in prayer. Northwest Baptist Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin prepared for a harvest crusade by setting aside a time to pray for the lost in their community. Forty eight people organized themselves in groups of three, gathered the names of lost friends, and for the six weeks prior to the crusade diligently prayed for their salvation. In a demonstration of the power of prayer, the crusade yielded 59 professions of faith, fifty of which were ones specifically prayed for by the prayer teams of Northwest Baptist Church! Though responsibilities will be shared with many groups throughout the church, the pastor must be a person of prayer—in tune with God—as an example to the church. The depth and commitment of a pastor’s prayer life will influence the depth and compassion of the people in the church. There are a variety of ways which a church can pray to God for the unchurched in its community.
A Campaign for Revival, Renewal, and Evangelism
“I feel it is far better to begin with God—to see His face first, to get my soul near Him before it is near another. I ought to spend the best hours in communion with God. This is my noblest and most fruitful employment and is not to be thrust into a corner.”
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