I wrote the following in 2021 and I still remain in firm belief that it is true today – as it gives the reasons why I press for personal and church revival to impact the masses:
What is the difference between the early New Testament church and the church today, on the average? Let me say this first, and then I’ll elaborate: “Hunger and anticipation.”
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He told the disciples, and the others (about 120), to gather together and wait for power to come through the Holy Spirit’s coming. They immediately went to the upper room and stayed and prayed, and stayed and waited, and stayed and prayed! You see, they had a promise of power and they had expectancy!
They prayed until the promised answer came! Today, we are less hungry, and accordingly, less powerful.
Even in the throes of what our modern world faces, we approach God and prayer differently. We don’t like to wait and we like to schedule. (Waiting before the LORD is not always filled with words; perhaps groaning, but not so many words. Some of my best times with the LORD were in complete silence!)
Our routine today seems to be that we plan a day, perhaps months in advance, to meet together in modern day PC repentance. Our hope seems to be that God will notice all of our planning, advertising costs, high caliber preachers and praise bands, and have pity on us and send revival.
My feeling is, in spite of the thousands of dollars spent on such gatherings, it’s like trying to buy cheap grace. What God truly wants of us has a much higher value in His heart.
What does God want? Hunger, expectancy, waiting – salted heavily with brokenness and repentance.
I wonder what might happen if God’s people just made a few calls to one another saying “meet me at the church. We must pray. We must have Jesus!” And then waited, and prayed, and wept, night and day, together, until power came? Come on beloved church – Pray On!”
Beloved, even today when we call for a prayer gathering there are those who closely watch the clock, not wanting to sacrifice time in prayer for convenience’s sake. No one today would likely spend 10 days in expectant prayer for the promised power.
