40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 10: The Conversation of PRAYER - 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!

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 8: The Conversation of PRAYER - 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. Salvation - 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.

40 Days of Revival: Lent Day 5:The Art Of Being PRESENT - 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.