July 24, 2018 marked one year of seeking the One Thing. As I think back over this year I am blown away by all that the Lord has done in our church and in my life. I started this year with no expectation other than to pray, but I end it with great expectation of all that He will unleash over this region in direct answer to His call.
I remember how I felt when my pastor issued the call for us to join him at 6am prayer for 21 days. I believed in the power of prayer. I’d done a lot of prayer initiatives over the years. But this seemed like such a daunting task……a 21 day commitment to 6am prayer. Weekdays…..weekends….21 days. The week before God spoke to me about serving my pastor however he needed. With that in mind, I knew what God was asking of me – to commit to being there for ALL of those 21 days. Duty called. So I committed and went those first few days.
It didn’t take long until it wasn’t duty any more. I didn’t want to miss! These were days of repentance. Days of weeping. Days of intercession. Days of joy. Days of breakthrough. Days of victory! Days of worship! We had one mission, one Psalm and one song: Psalm 27:4 – Seeking the One Thing.
After months of going nearly every day, we started to learn that rest was okay too! Even God rested after creation. My day off from the prayer room was Tuesday. Yet, the days I missed I knew I was the one missing out! I loved how God showed up in the prayer room! I didn’t want to miss His appearing. I needed that time with Him each and every day. There was a marked difference in my day when I didn’t have that hour with Him to start my day.
For the last month, we’ve changed things up a bit. We are still praying six days a week, but not always at 6am. The change has allowed for some much needed rest and some new avenues for connecting in prayer. But, honestly, there are days I miss that 6am call to corporate prayer. I love how I have gotten to know God and heard His voice over and over and over again. I love how I have gotten to know the hearts of those that I’ve prayed with. I love seeing what God has done in each of their lives.
Knowing that Tuesday was the anniversary, I thought about how I wanted to celebrate that occasion. I’m so grateful to God for what He has done in my life as well as in my church and region. I am not the same girl as one year ago! Our church is not the same!
So on Tuesday morning I could think of no better way to celebrate the day than by taking some time early that morning to pray and reflect on the last year. This time it wasn’t out of duty or obligation. It was out of sheer love for the One who had become our One Thing. It wasn’t a chore to get up. It was a delight to thank Him and praise Him for all that He has done.
We hit a milestone. But that is all it is. A marker in time. A place to pause and thank God for all He has done.
But today, we were back on the wall of intercession again. Not backing down. Not stopping. Not “been there, done that.” No – we are pressing – pressing in and pressing on.
We are digging a well called revival. We are going to see the full manifestation of it in our day and in our region.
Arthur Wallis in his book, In The Day of Thy Power, stated, ” the infallible sign of impending revival is a spirit of prayer for it. When you see this in evidence among the people of God, you may be sure “it is time to seek the Lord, till He come and rain righteousness upon you” (Hosea 10:12) It has been well said that “Satan laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray”. Therefore we may be confident that where a true spirit of prayer for revival exists, it does not proceed from the Devil. Such a spirit of prayer leads to humbling before God; to confession of sin, coldness, and unbelief; and to the consecration of oneself to the Lord: therefore we may be certain it has not issued from the flesh. Therefore it has come from God; and if God has created and maintained in the hearts of His children that spirit of prayer for revival, however few and feeble they may be, there can be but one logical explanation – He intends to send revival”
Get ready, friends! The Lord intends to send revival! It is coming to a home near you. It is coming to a church near you. It is coming to a city near you. I believe He intends to send revival – He has set His church to praying!
See you in the prayer room!
