By David Bryant
Death Valley is an expansive desert in California, known as the lowest, driest, and hottest location in all North America. It is a barren, desolate place that holds the record for the highest recorded temperature in the Western Hemisphere—a mere 134 degrees Fahrenheit!
“Death” is obviously a fitting description. Not much survives in Death Valley, whether vegetation or any human life exposed to the elements. But that doesn’t necessarily mean life is not possible.
In 2005, a rare torrential downpour deposited six inches of rain into the cracks of the rock-hard valley floor. Suddenly this lifeless desert blossomed with abundant and gorgeous flowers that had not been seen in 20 years! Dormant seeds, sitting underneath the soil for years and barely hanging on to life, were suddenly awakened when saturated with life-giving rain. The desert was alive, much like the promise of Isaiah 44:3–4:
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.”
This is a picture of revival—when the Spirit saturates a church with God’s Word about God’s Son so that God’s people come alive to His glory in whole new ways.
Revival is more than just an event in a church calendar. When God reenergizes a community of Christians, He intends Kingdom results that last many years. Scholars’ research verifies that, following each one of the four so-called “Great Awakenings” in American history (early 1700s, late 1700s, mid 1800s, early 1900s), decades of documented transformations took place both in churches and in society.
God gave His people “fresh winds,” not simply to fire up enthusiasm for spiritual things, but also to extend further the reign of His Son within communities and nations through His Church.
Prayer Points:
- Praise God for His heart to pour out water on a dry and thirsty land! Ask Him to do it again with refreshing waters of revival in our day.
- Identify places in your own life, your family, and your church that need an outpouring of God’s Spirit—and invite Him to send a torrential downpour!
- Pray for your church to be saturated with God’s Word about God’s Son—and for your congregation to come alive to the glory of Christ.
- Pray for a Christ awakening that changes both your church and society.
- Pray for fresh winds of the Spirit to extend the reign of Christ to your community and nation.
David Bryant directs Proclaim Hope and is former chairman of America’s National Prayer Committee.
Article is taken from Do It Again, Lord!: 30 Days of Hope-Filled Prayer for Revival (PrayerShop Publishing 2023)
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