Prayer and the Great Movements of God

“Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure.” – D. L. Moody

D.L. Moody makes the astounding claim that if we trace every great outpouring of the Spirit and revival and awakening, every great move of God, back to its origin, we will find someone kneeling in prayer. This is not hyperbole. Israel was spared because Moses spent forty days in prayer to God. The prophets of Baal were judged and people turned back to Yahweh because Elijah prayed. The Spirit was poured out on Pentecost as the first believers were united in prayer. The Spirit shook the meeting place and the early disciples were filled with the Spirit again and the word went forth in spite of persecution. Jonathan Edwards called for united prayer and the First Great Awakening was poured out. This truth has been repeated over and over again throughout the history of God’s people. True revival in the church, awakening among the lost, and reformation throughout society are birthed and sustained by prayer.

This has been a deep motivation behind prayer in the life and worship of BRCC for years. We may pray concerning many things, but at the root of it all, we long to see revival, awakening, and reformation in our own time and place. And if we truly want to see God move in this way, we will be found on our knees. We desperately need a Third Great Awakening – but it will only come if we pray!

I hope this encourages you to persevere in your own life of prayer. Don’t grow weary in your labors in prayer! Let’s keep crying out to God until we see a great move and work of His Spirit in our city!

In Christ,

Bret