Have you ever heard a preacher say something like, “Revival in America won’t start in the White House, it will start in the Church House”?
I have. Several times. However good this statement may sound, it’s not true. At least not fully true.
Revival means an improvement in the condition or strength of something, an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again — a new production of an old play or similar work, a reawakening of religious fervor, a restoration to bodily or mental vigor, to life or consciousness, or to sporting success.
Did you know that revival doesn’t actually start externally at all? Every instance of “religious” or “Christian” revival in the history of the world didn’t fundamentally start because of an eloquent preacher or nice church. It started because God changed someone’s HEART.
Every instance of revival began with one or two people yielding themselves, their hearts, to God. Revival is internal, not external. The White House can’t change America’s heart.
Only God can change America’s heart.
He might work through the Church House, but He alone is America’s savior.
We, as Christians are encouraged to pray for our country. Second Chronicles 7:14 says:
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. In fact, we are commanded to pray.
First Timothy 2: 1-4 adds:
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
I have decided to set aside a day this year that I will spend in fasting and prayer for our country. Because of our country’s great need for change.
For prayer.
For God to change us.
I will pray for revival in my heart. I will pray that revival will spread from me to my family, to my friends, to their friends, and so on and so on, until everyone in America has at least had the opportunity to change. To let God change them.
If you want revival in America, will you join me in a day of fasting and prayer on September 11th, this year?
Will you pray that you personally will have revival in your heart? Will you pray that your revival will spread through our country and the world?
And will you help me spread the word of this mission of prayer to every Christian in our country?
Revival starts in the heart. Will it start in yours?
Share Your Thoughts in the Comment Section!
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This is an awesome idea Grace! I will defiantly join you in prayer and fasting on September 11. It’s pretty awesome that it lands on a Sunday. My Dad has been trying to encourage our church to pray for our country too. I’ll tell our small congregation about it when I see them on Wednesday. Maybe I can get them to join us too. I don’t pray for America enough and I should. Thanks for encouraging me to do so.
This is an amazing idea, Grace. I very much want to join. This country is in need of prayer. And if all us Rebelutionaries join in, I believe we can make a difference.
My sister told me about a group that constantly prayed during (I think it was) WWII. It wasn’t only the men fighting, but it was the prayers of people that made a difference.
Thank you!
PS I live outside of Tulsa, OK!
Wow, prayer can really make a big difference. I am excited to be able to participate in fasting and prayer with you on September 11. Thanks for sharing your heart for our country!
What a wonderful idea! I will definitely join you all in prayer and fasting on September 11!
This is great Grace! I really appreciate your patriotism and biblical perspective.
America won’t change until the individuals IN America change. And that starts with letting God do a work in our hearts personally.
I think you would love an online ministry I just started. The goal is to educate and encourage young conservatives to stand for freedom. We publish an article (like the one you just wrote) from a different young person each week. I’d love to have you contribute. If you’re interested, please contact me at [email protected].
You can check out the site here. http://www.freedomists.us/
If nothing else, we’d love to have you join the community.
Thanks again for sharing what God has given you.
God bless.
I would love to do this! But how do you fast? Do you not eat or drink anything like in the Bible? Should I give up something important to me like my music?
Yeah, drink lots of water, but fasting from meals and devoting more time to God in prayer!
Agreed Grace and well said!
I told my church about it last night! They were all really positive and they want to do it too! My church is small but we have a strong prayer group (; I’ll be lifting my prayers on September 11th
What @christos_makridis:disqus said is true, drink lots of water because it is very important to stay hydrated, especially when you’re not eating. Some people do fast by giving up something important to them for a certain period of time, but for the purpose of this project, I would prefer that people fast by giving up food.
The point of “fasting and praying” is to demonstrate to God our dependence on Him, our commitment to Him, and that we are willing to do anything to get what we desire if it’s in His will. Because of the great need in our Country for Revival, the kind of “fasting” I am requesting people to do is to give up eating for one day (food is a necessity, everybody must eat to live, so by giving food up for one day and praying for our Country instead, it shows God and others who may see us what we are willing to sacrifice for the sake of our Country) and pray for our Country instead. By the way, besides giving up food for that day, I also plan to avoid the computer, internet, social media, sports, etc. so I won’t get distracted from the main goal of the day, fasting and praying. Thanks for your question, Julia!
Thanks for making it clear! 🙂
You’re welcome!
This is a good thing, but would it really do anything? If God wants the end times to happen, what could we possibly do?
@Jesse, This is a very good question. To be honest, I don’t know if it would effect anything right now, or even in the next week, month, or year, but in the end, I believe fasting and praying for our Country can’t hurt. Yes, the end times will happen and we don’t know when, but you know what? Something that is not taught in most History material, is that in the early 1700’s, like between 1700 and 1730, the Colonies were in much the same moral and spiritual condition as our nation is in today, but in the 1730’s there was a revival in America, it was during that time that many of our founding father’s were born, including George Washington, John Adams, Patrick Henry, and Ben Franklin. Even if our fasting and prayer does little or even no good from an earthly perspective, don’t you think it is worth it to spend a day focused on the one who gave us our freedom in the first place, and praying that He would let us spend at least a few more years in freedom and perhaps live to see at least one last great revival in our nation? Remember how I said we don’t know when the end times will happen? What if it’s another 300 years? What if the only hope the Christians (and future Christians) in our Country have of not spending the majority of those 300 years in fear of the government is us? What if our choice to (or not to) fast and pray tomorrow effects millions or even billions of lives? What if there is a revival as a result of our fasting and prayer? Wouldn’t it be more than worth it? What if there’s not, what if it seems our efforts are in vain? You know what? The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 15:58 ~ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. This verse promises that our labor, our sacrifice is NEVER in vain. So, what if the end times happen without another revival? Does it really matter? The point is, we ought to do whatever we can to make a difference, in a small way, or a big way, it doesn’t matter. This is one of the ways I am trying to make a difference, in both a small way and a large way. So it’s up to you, will you at least try to make a difference?
P.S. I’m sorry this is so long and if I rambled a bit… I’m tired.
I didn’t think of it that way, thanks for answering.