A Prescription for Revival
I can give you a prescription that will bring a revival to any church or community or any city. Here is the prescription as follows:
First, let a few Chrsitians (they need not be many) get thoroughly right with God themselves. This is the prime essential! If this is not done, the rest that I am to say will come to nothing.
Second, let them bind themselves together to pray for revival until God opens the heavens and comes down.
Third, let them put themselves at the disposal of God for Him to use as He sees fit in winning others to Christ.
That is all!
This is a sure way to bring revival to any church or community. I have given this prescription around the world. It has been taken by many churches and many communities, and in no instance has it ever failed; it cannot fail!
~ R. A. Torrey
How to Practically Prepare for Revival Services :
Habakkuk 3:1-3 shows us the need for revival. We all need revival. Revival is a personal thing that starts with . . . ME. When Isaiah saw God high and lifted up in chapter 6 he then saw himself for the worm that he was. At this point God was able to work in Isaiah's life.
God wants revival for each of us and there are some things as women that we can practically do to prepare for revival:
1. Spend extra time in the bible and prayer.
Pray and ask God to prepare you. Set aside a specific time every day before revival services and during revival services to talk to God and let Him talk to you.
Pray for visitors to come and for God to give you the boldness to invite them.
Pray for the preacher and his wife. Pray for his children. Satan is going to attack your preacher's life this week.
Pray for the guest speaker. Pray for his family. Pray for his protection and guidance. Pray that he will be Spirit filled.
Pray for the people who will be sitting in the pews. Pray they will be spirit filled and will move at His every impulse, responding as He speaks to them.
Pray God will speak to you.
2. Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23, 24)
Ask God to make you moldable. Ask God to reveal areas of sin and areas of pride and areas of character flaws and areas of strife between you and other christians. Confess those sins and character flaws and get it right with your brother/sister in Christ.
3. Say Yes to God! BEFORE he speaks to you! Say yes no matter when He speaks to you, whether it be at home, at the service, at work, at the store, etc. Say Yes.
Determine now that whatever God speaks to you you are going to respond with a great big YES! and act on that YES!
4. Obey God: RIGHT AWAY! All the way! and with a good attitude! This is the only way you have true obedience, is if all three of these things are present.
5. Plan to attend every service (Hebrews 10:25)
The service you miss will be the service God had something special for you! Cancel anything that would hinder you from coming. Don't let anything get in the way.
It's only a week. If the dishes don't get done this week out of the whole year it's gonna be ok.
Don't plan doctor's or other kinds of appointments on this week.
Make revival services a priority.
Take your tired kids, who knows if God doesn't want to call them into full time christian service and you missed it because they were tired and whiney. Use the nursery for your little ones. It will give them a break and you a break.
6. Get to church early and stay late. Some of the best times have been at midnight after a great service just sitting and talking with people. Yes I was exhausted. Yes I could have slept but I am so glad I didn't. Those are times when lasting friendships are forged.
7. Greet people.
Don't just come in and sit down. Go around and socialize. Ask people how they are doing. Ask about specifics in their life, their family, their pets, their health, etc.
8. Stay for the times of fellowship, whether it be a meal or a snack.
Sure they may not cook how you do but stay for the fellowship. Enjoy breaking bread with other believers. While you are eating tell the person how God has specifically spoken to you and what you plan on doing about it. Then ask that person how God has spoken to them. When they tell you, kindly ask them what steps they are going to take to accomplish what God has given them. Offer to keep each other accountable. Too much time, effort, and money has gone into a week of revival services to waste it on not doing anything for God because of the services.
9. Plan to be weary (Galatians 6:7-9)
God can use that weariness. When we are emotionally and physically tired we don't have the strength to fight God spiritually. Don't miss because you are tired. That will be the best time to hear from God and respond!
10. Prepare before revival services
Know what you and each person of your family is going to wear every day of the services. Lay the clothes out. Have all your laundry done, folded, and put away. Have the clothes for revival put in a special easily accessible spot. Wear your "church clothes" all day. When people ask you why you are so dressed up tell them you're going to revival services and invite them. Wear your church clothes. We are going to CHURCH. So dress up.
Plan your meals for the week. Plan easy quick meals. Have convenience food available. It is only one week. It won't kill you!
Purchase disposable plates, cups, and silverware.
11. Remember the most important part of the service is the preparation and the follow-up.
Come into the service calm. Don't rush in. Get there early and talk with people. Don't rust out. Stay for the fellowship. Walk slowly through the crowds. Take time to notice people and talk with them.
After God speaks to you follow-up on it and make a decision and carry that decision out. Decide what you are going to do to accomplish what God has spoken to you about.
12. Guard your "Gates".
Ear Gate: Don't listen to rock n roll, country music, or even christian rock. Listen to godly Christ honoring music! Choose to let God minister to you through godly music.
Eye Gate: Don't look at things you shouldn't. Don't read books that dishonor God. Don't watch things on tv that is wicked and grieves the Holy Spirit that lives in your heart. If you could not turn it on if Jesus were sitting there remember that Jesus is with you, so don't turn it on!
13. Consider a technology fast from tv, social networking, internet, etc.
14. Come to encourage others not to be encouraged.
Look for ways to be a blessing.
Volunteer to work in the nursery. Volunteer to make a meal for the preacher and his family and the evangelist.
Have a willing spirit to do whatever needs to be done.
Volunteer to clean up during the day.
15. Invite people to the services.
Nothing makes a service more exciting that anticipating someone coming that you invited. You then have a vested interest in the service. You want it to go well, so they will come back so you pray more for the service. Invite your co-workes, friends, family, neighbors, the cash register lady, etc.
If you have ever done any kind of party like Pampered Chef you know that they give you a big page with 40 to 50 blanks to fill in with names of people to invite because they realize that if if you ask 50 you might get 5. Do the same. Make a list of 50 names. Call them, write them a letter, facebook or email them and then follow-up the day before the services start and get commitments out of the people. If they come bring them a home baked good the next day and tell them how happy you are that they came and that you hope they come back the next night!
What you put into a service is what you will get out of it! Give everything you have and you will see eternal rewards for years to come!
