DAY 13 : COMMIT TO THE PROCESS

The Process of PURITY

No study of revival is complete without a discussion of purity, for it features prominently in history’s accounts. Unfortunately though, the word ‘purity’ is one that is accompanied by much ‘baggage’ including judgment and self-condemnation. It is therefore important to re-appropriate the word ‘purity.’

‘Purity’- the noun used to name something that has the characteristic of being pure – is obviously not a word that as sinners, we use to describe ourselves. As sinners saved by grace though, it is a good name for the character development in us that occurs when we accept Christ’s work on the cross and submit to the Holy Spirit’s work within us.

One of the most encouraging findings of studying revivals such as the Holiness Revival (go ahead and google it!) is that purity is clearly not due to human effort but rather the result of people falling in love with a Holy God and being genuinely changed in character.
That said, God’s development of purity within us is a process, not an event. It is not generally characterised by lightning bolts and miraculous character change, although it can be and has been. Usually, God develops purity in us through the process of time.

And hence there is really only one thing for us to do, as we begin to consider ‘purity’ in the light of revival: commit to the process.

CREATE IN ME A PURE HEART, O GOD, AND RENEW A STEADFAST SPIRIT WITHIN ME.
Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

DAY 12 : SACRIFICE

The Conversation of PRAYER

To ‘fast’ is to abstain from something specific for a particular reason. When we fast as Christians, we often do it to develop depth in our relationship with God. By denying our flesh something it craves, we can allow communion with God to satisfy us instead.

Legalism around fasting is pointless, as fasting is never an end to itself but an opportunity for us to put our God of grace first. Nonetheless, fasting can be a great tool for us to use to seek Him, and to set aside something that may be becoming a distraction to our time spent with God in prayer.

In the early church, we see that they fasted and prayed to hear from God and to intercede for Barnabas and Saul (Paul).

It is told that William J. Seymour, leader of the Azusa Street Revival in California in 1906, gathered with a small group of believers regularly to pray and fast to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. A few days into the fast and after praying all night, William began to speak in tongues. News of this spread and attracted people from everywhere.

Fasting looks different for each person, with the Holy Spirit at different times asking us to give up different things for a period of time. This could be social media, TV, movies, coffee, sugar etc. Fasting something is humbly saying no to the flesh and yes to the spirit. It should put our focus on God and not the thing we are giving up.

Allow God to prompt you regarding whether He would like you to fast from something for a while. Determine to use the extra time in prayer and in His presence, as we believe for people to come to know Him.

SO AFTER THEY HAD FASTED AND PRAYED, THEY PLACED THEIR HANDS ON THEM AND SENT THEM OFF.
Acts 13:3 (NIV)

DAY 11 : HOW OFTEN SHOULD WE PRAY?

In Acts 1 Jesus has just ascended to heaven and left the disciples with the instruction to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit. While waiting for Jesus’ promise, they prayed; they prayed together and they prayed constantly. The disciples knew that they were living in pivotal times and sought God through prayer for what He was about to do.

Meeting in the same place, at the same time with a shared love for God, they were united in belief and their prayers were also. These were a people passionate about spreading the Gospel and they grew quickly in number.

Paul’s letters to the early church also upholds the importance of persevering in prayer, with him instructing the church in Thessalonica to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5.17) and again encouraging those in Rome to be ‘faithful in prayer’.

As we consider Paul’s instructions on prayer today, it would be inconsistent with what he writes about the unmerited nature of God’s grace, for us to take them too legalistically. Rather, let us allow Paul’s words to encourage us to develop an attitude of prayerfulness that is characterised by persistence and consistency, and that comes from pursuing a personal relationship with God and being in His presence throughout the day.

THEY ALL JOINED TOGETHER CONSTANTLY IN PRAYER, ALONG WITH THE WOMEN AND MARY THE MOTHER OF JESUS, AND WITH HIS BROTHERS.

Acts 1:14 (NIV)

BE JOYFUL IN HOPE, PATIENT IN AFFLICTION, FAITHFUL IN PRAYER.

Romans 12:12 (NIV)

DAY 10 : WHEN TO PRAY

All of history’s great revivals have one attribute in common – people fervently prayed for them. In November 1949 in the Hebrides Islands, two elderly women in their 80’s were troubled at the state of their parish – not one young person attended church. These two women were moved to action and decided to pray about it. They met twice a week and prayed from 10pm – 3am. The women invited the church leaders and elders to pray with them. A few weeks later Scottish preacher Duncan Campbell visited the island to preach. During his time on Lewis Island, revival broke out and hundreds of people came to know Christ. On the first day of the revival, 122 young people were saved.

Around the time of our Hillsong album recording last year, our Creative Team made a commitment to pray for the recording every time they brushed their teeth. It wasn’t a rule but just something fun the team decided to do to help them remember to pray every day (hopefully twice a day!). Since then, the team has done it for every event in the life of our church.

Is there a daily activity you could use to remind you to pray? Together, let us resolve to pray regularly for God to move in our nation!

AND PRAY IN THE SPIRIT ON ALL OCCASIONS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS AND REQUESTS. WITH THIS IN MIND, BE ALERT AND ALWAYS KEEP ON PRAYING FOR ALL THE LORD’S PEOPLE.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)

DAY 9 : WHY PRAY?

Many people have debated why it is that we pray when God is in absolute control. Whilst these questions are worthwhile, they can over-complicate and overshadow the simple truth that God’s Word continually instructs us to pray with faith to God for whom nothing is impossible.

Are there specific things in your life which you are believing God to move miraculously in? Why not make a stand this week that says you believe there is great power in prayer, by gathering two or more of your friends or family to pray with you?

JESUS REPLIED, “TRULY I TELL YOU, IF YOU HAVE FAITH AND DO NOT DOUBT… YOU CAN SAY TO THIS MOUNTAIN, “GO THROW YOURSELF INTO THE SEA,” AND IT WILL BE DONE. IF YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL RECEIVE WHATEVER YOU ASK FOR IN PRAYER.”

Matthew 21:21-22 (NIV)

IS ANYONE AMONG YOU IN TROUBLE? LET THEM PRAY. IS ANYONE HAPPY? LET THEM SING SONGS OF PRAISE. IS ANYONE AMONG YOU SICK? LET THEM CALL THE ELDERS OF THE CHURCH TO PRAY OVER THEM AND ANOINT THEM WITH OIL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD. AND THE PRAYER OFFERED IN FAITH WILL MAKE THE SICK PERSON WELL; THE LORD WILL RAISE THEM UP. IF THEY HAVE SINNED, THEY WILL BE FORGIVEN. THEREFORE CONFESS YOUR SINS TO EACH OTHER AND PRAY FOR EACH OTHER SO THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED. THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS PERSON IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE.
James 5:13-16 (NIV)

DAY 8 : WHAT CAN WE PRAY FOR?

It is obviously a great privilege for us to pray, bringing our needs and requests before an omnipotent God. Yet amazingly, Jesus has made it possible for us to approach God with confidence and to come before Him boldly. God hears us when we pray and it is His will that prayer would allow us to know Him more and receive His grace.

Perhaps you haven’t always prayed with the confidence that 1 John 5:14-15 and Ephesians 3:12 speak of. Consider why that is and allow the truth of God’s Word to replace the old mindsets you may have had about prayer.

During this time as we seek God to see a change in our lives and the world around us, let’s be united in prayer for:

1. Salvations – for loved ones in our world who are yet to know Jesus.
2. Our city and nation – let’s believe for our leaders and authorities to lead with Godly wisdom and counsel.
3. Revival – let’s believe together for people to awaken to the things of God and for Him to move mightily across the earth.

THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE WE HAVE IN APPROACHING GOD: THAT IF WE ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, HE HEARS US. AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEARS US—WHATEVER WE ASK—WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE ASKED OF HIM.

1 John 5:14-15 (NIV)

IN HIM AND THROUGH FAITH IN HIM WE MAY APPROACH GOD WITH FREEDOM AND CONFIDENCE.

DAY 7 : HOW TO PRAY

People often feel overwhelmed when it comes to prayer wondering what to say or pray for. However, there is no formula to prayer. Prayer is simply conversation with God.

As we become more comfortable, we find it easier to speak to God from the depths of our hearts. This ‘dailiness’ of talking to God can often be consumed with our personal world, but it may also touch on the needs of our larger world – for healing, salvation and justice.
In ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ (Matthew 6) Jesus taught us how to pray, providing a good example for anyone who is starting to build the habit of talking to God daily. It begins with the earnest request that Heaven be established on earth, according to God’s will.

During this season, as we pray for God to move miraculously as He has done in the great revivals of history, let us determine to make Jesus’ example of prayer our ‘true north’- that our prayers reflect heaven’s priorities, and that we might be ever submitted to our Father’s will.

THIS, THEN, IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY:

‘OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE YOUR NAME, YOUR KINGDOM COME, YOUR WILL BE DONE, ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.GIVE US TODAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE.’
Matthew 6:9-13 (NIV)

DAY 6 : PRAYER – REVIVAL’S PARTNER

There is power in prayer.

Christine Caine, founder of the anti-human trafficking campaign A21, describes how she prayed for hours whilst they were building the stadiums for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, “I used to sit on the edge where the deep holes were dug to pour in the foundations and my tears would drip into the cement”.

Then the Director for Youth Alive in Sydney, Christine prayed that God’s glory would be revealed through the gathering of His people in one place, under one accord, with one heart singing praises to His Name. This site is now Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, where thousands gather every year under the name of Jesus in Australia’s largest annual conference, Hillsong Conference.

In 1904, Wales saw more than 100,000 people come to know Christ in under six months in a revival characterised by prayer, praise, joy, victory and the re-discovery of the Holy Spirit. The leader of this Revival, Evan Roberts, was a man known for his intense, fervent prayer who had believed for over 10 years to see the people of Wales come to know Jesus.

As we continue this study, let’s allow God to awaken us to the conversation of prayer. With the example of the early church and great leaders like Evan Roberts inspiring us, let us intercede for our families and friends and believe for the salvation of those who do not yet know Christ.

AFTER THEY PRAYED, THE PLACE WHERE THEY WERE MEETING WAS SHAKEN. AND THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPOKE THE WORD OF GOD BOLDLY.
Acts 4:31 (NIV)

DAY 5 : PRESENT IN THE CHURCH

PRESENT IN THE CHURCH

The local church is a place where God’s majesty is displayed and His purpose is outworked. We therefore all need to guard against familiarity regarding being present and planted in His House.

That said, there is something breathtaking about God’s unified global Church. Just as a present individual believer strengthens a local church, so too a present local church that has embraced its unique calling, strengthens the unified global Church.

When we think of revival – thanking God for what we see already and believing God for more – our focus often rests on the local sphere of our church, families, friends and neighbours. So it should, for
God has entrusted them to us.

Yet by lifting our eyes to also perceive what God is doing and can do globally, we too can be wholly present in the global Church.

Write down what you see God doing, and what you long to see Him do, in your life at home, your local church and in the Church at large.

CONSEQUENTLY, YOU ARE NO LONGER FOREIGNERS AND STRANGERS, BUT FELLOW CITIZENS WITH GOD’S PEOPLE AND ALSO MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD, BUILT ON THE FOUNDATION OF THE APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, WITH CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF AS THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE. IN HIM THE WHOLE BUILDING IS JOINED TOGETHER AND RISES TO BECOME A HOLY TEMPLE IN THE LORD. AND IN HIM YOU TOO ARE BEING BUILT TOGETHER TO BECOME A DWELLING IN WHICH GOD LIVES BY HIS SPIRIT.
Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)

DAY 4 : PRESENT IN YOUR PLACE

The body! Isn’t it a wonderful image that Paul used, writing to the Corinthian church all those years ago? It really gets the point across – we each have a unique, God-given purpose and part to play in the ‘body’ of His community. Makes you wonder what ‘body part’ you might be, doesn’t it?

Paul describes how ridiculous it would be if one body part decided it wanted to do the role of another, also noting how the whole body suffers when not all the ‘parts’ are present. The church operates best when all the parts of its ‘makeup’ are present and working.

One of the best things about taking your place in the community of God’s people is the journey of discovering your unique purpose. Unified by a cause so much greater than ourselves – the cause of Christ – provides us with an opportunity to use what God has placed in our hand for His glory and to be a blessing to others.

Take a moment today to write down your gifts and passions. Talk to God about how you can develop them and use them to bless others and build His church. Ask Him to help you find the right ‘place’ in His community so that you are not just present, but present in your ‘place.’

BUT IN FACT GOD HAS PLACED THE PARTS IN THE BODY, EVERY ONE OF THEM, JUST AS HE WANTED THEM TO BE. IF THEY WERE ALL ONE PART, WHERE WOULD THE BODY BE? AS IT IS, THERE ARE MANY PARTS, BUT ONE BODY.
1 Corinthians 12:18-19 (NIV)