Our Desperate Need for Revival
Theme Introduction
The U.S. Park Service in Washington, D.C., issued their order: Shut it down.
I was part of a team hosting a major event at the Washington Monument. Some 400,000 people had gathered to worship, pray, and ask God to “reset” our lives and nation—a younger-generation term for “revival.”
After two years of planning, we did not factor in record temperatures that overwhelmed many people with heat exhaustion. The medical tents filled up, with no relief in sight. Plus, a storm was bearing down on us with threatening lightning and strong winds. We had to tear down and evacuate quickly. That included the seven prayer tents under my direction.
Most of the intercessors helped to quickly stack chairs, take down tables, and pack up boxes of materials in their tents. Except for one tent.
That tent was staffed by a group of women called the “wailing women.” They were from a church in the D.C. area—and based on their language and colorful dresses, I assumed many of them were native to Africa.
The heat had not bothered them one bit. They continued fervently crying out to God. The sight of storm clouds moving in quickly was of no concern to them. They passionately “wailed” for repentance on behalf of the U.S.
I was terrified to enter in their space and ask them to stop. It felt like marching into the throne room of God and announcing that I was there to bring an end to all the intercession that was moving heaven and earth.
Instead, I packed up the boxes around them but stopped short of pulling chairs out from underneath them.
Event staff came to tear down the tent as the winds were now swirling forcefully around us. The rain was not far behind. Finally, their leader realized it was time to reluctantly seek shelter.
They were desperate and undeterred in their prayer. If revival does saturate our nation, these “wailing women” will be at the forefront of ushering it in!
In This Issue
We have published several articles on revival and spiritual awakening in the 12-year history of Prayer Connect. But we are still in desperate need of a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit across our nation. We cannot cry out to God enough!
Bob Bakke has written extensively on the history of revival and awakening in our nation. He was witness to the Asbury revival and compares it to how God has touched our nation in the past. He focuses on patterns of prayer that are expectant, united, and sustained.
Nathan Lino knows the desperation of a pastor who simply cannot go on unless God moves supernaturally among His people. Nathan shares his story of his own brokenness, feeling the lack of the presence of God, and calling his congregation to fervent prayer.
And even as we “cry out” in desperation, we must also “cry up” vertically to God, according to Byron Paulus. He writes about the power of praying Scripture with biblical patterns for revival. He challenges Prayer Connect readers to unite in an upward cry of Isaiah 64.
The storm clouds of disaster continue to swirl around our nation as we move further and further from God. In these drastic days, may we not be discouraged or intimidated as evil threatens to scorch and flood our land. We need that fresh outpouring that comes from desperate—and even wailing—hearts!
CAROL MADISON is editor of Prayer Connect and author of Prayer That’s Caught and Taught.
