It was in the midst of the Welsh revival in the generation past that a visiting minister stopped Evans Roberts and asked him what the secret of this great revival was. Instantly, Roberts replied “There is no secret! Ask and you shall receive!’ Could it be that he meant a greater and more intense moment with the Lord? A sort of very deep prayer of yearning for God’s touch. A prayer that cries out for a fresh yearning of the Holy Spirit’s breathes upon our lives and our city? A holy persistent prayer that keeps knocking, seeking and asking. The kind of prayer that opens the floodgates and the wrestling prayer that was Jacob’s and which Paul mentions in Romans 15:30.

I have sensed a great move of God that is about to be unleashed in our city and I know this to be true for godly pastors all across the city have sensed the same. This sovereign move is to be brought forth by travailing prayers.  And this is exactly what is happening. In fact this spirit of prayer that has come upon Gods servants and upon his people here in our city is an indication of the birth pangs of revival.

 

We are in the midst of heavy bombing. The power of darkness has fired some of its heaviest attack against this city. The homes, marriages, the youths and even our children have not been spared. Our streets, our economy, educational system, legislation, environmental and even our very safety are affected. People have been turning to the church and asking “What can the church do?” I have often been asked why am I not getting our members to be actively involved in some political, civic or even one moral campaign or another. As your pastor I trust that you are doing your part as a good Christian citizen. But I am more concerned about your spiritual responsibility to your family, your city and you church. It is of no concern to me weather you are a Republican or a Democrat, rich or poor, owns a house or not, highly lettered and privileged or not.

 

Before any of these things came into being- there was one who said “I am“. And I am more concerned that you be vitally connected to him more than any other!  The Christians in our city have greater responsibility than anyone else. But so many Christians are bewildered “It is an impossible situation. There’s nothing I can do“. We can do many things. But we must do one very important thing, even as great as our lord did … we must pray! Prayer is the most devastating weapon that God has given in the hands of his people. A weapon that is able to tear through all of the strongholds of darkness. We can do something about our children, our neighborhood, our community and our city. We can pray.  We can cover them under the wings of intercession and see them through from all fiery missiles from hell and take them right into the throne of our Father. We are the only intercessors that God has here on this planet earth and that in it self is a great and an awesome responsibility.

 

What could we expect if Highland Church and churches all across this city returned to one of its greatest task. We could expect the same thing that the early church experienced in Acts chapter 2, 4, and 12. A great might shaking revival! The power of prayer as Gods spirit opens the windows of heaven and pours out a mighty torrential rain of God’s grace and blessing. We can see Jesus Christ being lifted up, the salvation and deliverance of souls, homes and marriages restored, righteousness and peace on every side, justice, truth and love prevailing and God’s people coming together as one and making a difference in the city. To this end I am persuaded that we need to accelerate our efforts on bended knees. I want to encourage the church to set aside Wednesdays as a day of fast (and for those who will find difficult for one reason or another, to miss one meal at least) and be in prayer before we come to the house of the God for the mid week service. We also need to set aside the last Friday of the month as a night of church wide prayer that begins from 8:00p.m. till such a time as the Lord leads. All this in addition to our regular noon and evening prayer here at Highland.

 

Finally, and more importantly, we need to begin an early morning vigil and awaken the dawn. Too many of us, this is the most intimate moment of our day and I do want to take us away from our personal devotion. Nevertheless, only because I feel the strong tug of the Lord about this and believing God promised he will do…  we plan in opening the highland church beginning in February every Friday morning from 6:00am to 8:00am for powerful times of intimate and intense prayer.  I believe with all my heart that this early morning moment with the lord will not only impact and revolutionize your own personal walk with the Lord but also our church, community and our city. I encourage every one of the ministry leaders congregation to participate in this great task of being in the presence of the Lord. We can do something about what is happening around us. We must and we should pray. Pray in our closet, pray with our spouses, pray with our little ones and as a family and pray as a church! And pray we must!