The Missing Ingredient to Revival
By Dr. Mark Denison
Del Fehsenfeld, Jr., founder of Life Action Ministries, asks this probing question: “If revival in this land depended on your prayers, your faith, and your obedience, would we ever experience revival?” That is an appropriate question for any Christ-follower to confront.
Psalm 80 states God’s intentions for America – and every other place – very clearly. Three times the Psalmist prays, “O God, restore us and cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved” (80:3, 7, 19). Revival is dependent on prayer. But not just any prayer.
The missing ingredient to revival is not prayer. The missing ingredient is fervent prayer.
So if fervent prayer is the key to revival, and we all believe in prayer, why don’t we really engage in fervent prayer? I see three reasons.
1. We aren’t desperate.
We do what matters most to us. Not what we say matters, but what really matters. Psalm 80 is filled with desperation. God’s servant is crying out to Him. God’s people have been put to scorn (80:6) and plundered (80:12). They are like a vine burned with fire and cut down (80:16). In their depravity they became desperate. Unfortunately, that’s usually what it takes. God may well need to bring America down a little lower in order to raise her up. We must become desperate.
2. We think we can do it ourselves.
We will pray more fervently when we realize that only God can produce genuine revival. Revival is not worked up; it is prayed down. In the 1830s, Charles Finney popularized the public response that is still used today. He would address two issues at the close of every sermon: we need transformation, and only God can bring transformation. In his exposition on Psalms, H. C. Leupold wrote, “So potent is God’s good pleasure that, as soon as it becomes operative, deliverance sets in.”
3. We aren’t consumed with God’s glory.
The psalmist began, “Oh, give ear, Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who are enthroned above the cherubim, shine forth!” (80:1). God said, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor me” (Psalm 50:15). That is the function of life – to glorify God. Until we are consumed with bringing glory to God, we will not pray fervently for revival.