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©2003 Canadian Revival Fellowship Inc. |
Prayer Ministry
Canadian Revival Fellowship continues to have a strong commitment to mobilizing God's People,who together as they pray, have an impact in their churches to see God do a work in personal and corporate revival. We do this by holding prayer advances in Canada and the United States for men, and ladies, youth and seniors. HOW TO CONDUCT A PRAYER MEETING FOR REVIVAL All true revival begins as a result of prayer. To this end it is absolutely essential that churches everywhere convene prayer meetings for revival. In considering and calling such a prayer meeting, the following aspects should be kept in mind. THE AIM OF A REVIVAL PRAYER MEETING A prayer meeting for revival is not primarily to pray for missions or for Christian work in general. Its aim is to place the desirability of revival before the minds of God's people in order that they might pray definitely for the working of the Lord in their midst. The believing heart will be able to vary this request to suit the needs and the circumstances of its own fellowship of believers. THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A REVIVAL PRAYER MEETING It is wise for such a prayer meeting to be announced to the whole church, rather than for information about it to be circulated among a few people. In this way each member of the church is given an opportunity to sort out his or her priorities. If pastors or Christian leaders in an area can agree together to call such a prayer meeting, it then can be announced as an "inter - church" prayer meeting for revival. This should not discourage those who do desire to have definite intercession on an inter - church basis. THE ARRANGEMENT OF A REVIVAL PRAYER MEETING Someone should be selected prior to the prayer meeting to lead the service. Either this leader or someone else should be prepared to bring a message on revival, selecting a Bible passage that has as its content some aspect of the reviving of God's people- its need, its conditions, or its results. This message should be divided into two or three parts to be given at regular intervals during the service. It is not desirable to have a forty or fifty minute message and then to have prayer. The leader should have some report of a reviving work of God in progress somewhere in the world, because nothing wets the appetite more than to hear of what God is doing elsewhere. The music that is used would be "revival" hymns and songs that zero in on the needs of God's people and the superabundant provision of God. J. Edwin Orr's hymn, "Search me, O God", is still an ideal hymn for God's people who desire revival. Leaders will probably not want to announce an all - night prayer meeting for revival. Rather, they should let it be known that the meeting will go on as the Spirit leads. If there is definitely a spirit of prayer and supplication, the leaders will want to continue the meeting. If not, they should terminate it when it becomes apparent that there is no continuing spirit of intercession. If the meetings begin at 8:00 p.m. there should be a break at regular two - hour intervals when light refreshments are served, preferably just tea, coffee, or water. Much depends upon the spiritual insight and leadership of those in charge of the prayer meeting. Periodic exhortations are acceptable, but no leader should berate the people of God. Leaders should not be surprised if proportionately only a small number gather for such meetings. Praying is work, and prayer can never be made attractive to the carnal heart. But, once started, such prayer meetings should not be lightly discontinued. Let God's people persevere in prayer and maintain the testimony for God that has been begun. Those in attendance may be invited to kneel for the prayer times, but consideration should be had for the elderly and the infirm. It is not the posture that we assume in prayer that is important to God. Many, however, find that kneeling helps them to concentrate on the aim of the meeting. Beginning a prayer meeting for revival is, in itself, an act of faith. Some Christians will smile; others will heap scorn on the whole idea; but the testimony of history is that nearly every revival in the past has been the result of definite prayer on the part of some group of God's people. There is no substitute for prayer for revival. |
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