Dear Friend,
    
Was it a terrorist strike? A blunder by the authorities? A random act of nature?

When the I-35 bridge collapsed in Minneapolis this past summer, taking 60 cars with it toward the Mississippi River, rumors of the cause and blame started almost immediately.

But the problem didn't come from without; it came from within, slowly, over time. The bridge buckled because of structural problems that were not readily apparent. Due to prolonged heavy traffic, the metal became "fatigued." And even though the bridge was listed as deficient by government inspectors, the real work of overhaul didn't happen.

Experts tell us that preventative measures would have required shutting down the highway, re-routing traffic for months, and literally taking time to "lift" the structure in order to get beneath the surface. It was simply deemed too difficult. Too time consuming. Too costly. No one made the space to do what was necessary to avoid disaster.

I wonder if our churches today are in just as shaky a condition; but since business as usual continues, no one takes the time to examine the danger. Or, as in Minneapolis, the danger has been duly noted, but no one makes the space necessary to lift up the heart of the church and inspect its spiritual moorings. No one calls for absolute overhaul because no one feels the pressing need. It doesn't fit in our schedules. It's too inconvenient. It won't be popular.
   
For the past 36 years, Life Action has been coming alongside churches of all types and sizes to help strengthen their spiritual underpinnings. Though we are encouraged with certain aspects of modern church life, we are gravely concerned about others.

Of deep concern is the eroding spirit of prayer. Without a spirit of prayer in our churches, there is little hope for the future of our nation. Leonard Ravenhill said, "If weak in prayer, we are weak everywhere." A lack of prayer among God's people in God's house is undoubtedly a "structural deficiency." Will it take some sort of collapse to wake us up?

What Do We Need?

"You wouldn't believe what's happening in our prayer meetings right now!"

That's one statement I haven't heard lately. I'd like to hear it. But I haven't. In fact, it's increasingly rare to hear of churches even having any kind of regular prayer meetings.

Yet all of us would agree (I presume) that prayer is the key to revival and spiritual awakening. Prayer is the essential ingredient in life-change, nation-change, and even world-change. We've heard it before: "There have been revivals without much preaching, but there has never been a revival without much praying."

As the leader of a national revival ministry, I feel the need to act. The funny thing is, everyone would agree with me. Any clear-minded Christian knows that communicating with God is vital; most would even testify that prayer is the answer to every need the church or the nation might have. But belief in the power of prayer doesn't translate into people actually praying. Why not? And what can be done to awaken a spirit of prayer?

It's Happened Before

Many of you will recall the famous Fulton Street prayer meeting of 1857, when a lone businessman sparked a national awakening with a simple, faith-filled, noontime prayer meeting. A financial collapse in the markets drove people to their knees; soon, in New York City alone, some 10,000 businessmen were gathering daily for prayer. The fires of revival burned brightly across the nation; one million people were converted, and millions of others were impacted. Ultimately, much of the world was aflame for God.

Unfortunately, the need is even greater today than it was in 1857. Most Christians have never seen God answer prayer in a powerful and definite way. Many have no concept of what fervent prayer means. Some have never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit while praying with other believers.

Even as a reader of Revival Report, you may find yourself nodding in knowing agreement. The church has a desperate prayer problem. As a result, we have a power problem. No power translates into no spiritual transformation of our culture.

"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you" (Hosea 10:12).

Fallow ground is soil that was plowed (signifying conversion) but subsequently left dormant, never tilled or seeded, never given an opportunity for a harvest. It's a picture of starting on a journey but then becoming distracted and never fulfilling God's purposes. It's the space in all of our lives that gets monopolized with good things . . . but things that don't have great significance for eternity.

But fallow ground has potential to be productive. It needs to be cultivated. It needs to be planted. It needs attention.

In truth, while we speak of "making space" for God, that space is already there. We just have to use it for the right purposes. Seeking Him is an excellent place to start. He will richly reward those who seek Him. He will send the rain!

Such is the promise of Hosea 10:12. And it gives us specific instructions on how to seek the Lord in order to reap the harvest: We must seek God urgently, exclusively, continually, expectantly.

There Is Good News

Prayer is not extinct in America. There are some who even now are committed to daily prayer for revival and spiritual awakening. I believe they are the ones who hold up the structure of the church. They make space
for God.

I just returned from a commemorative prayer gathering at Fulton Street in New York, one focused on praying for a fresh spiritual wind in our nation. We weren't focused on personal needs, personal desires, or personal wants. Our aim in prayer was to see God manifest His glory across the United States and beyond.

What stops prayer meetings like that from being scheduled in every Bible-based church in America?

A church in Charleston, South Carolina, has decided to make space this fall for prayer and spiritual revitalization. They've reorganized all of their programs around Life Action's Seeking Him workbook. For three months, over 700 people will be meeting in small groups to seek God, and each week the pastor will be preaching on personal renewal. They're encouraging their people to listen to Nancy DeMoss' Revive Our Hearts radio broadcast daily, the content of which correlates with the Seeking Him material. And the pastor desires the leadership to model what he longs for God to do in the congregation, so he is meeting with them every week to go deeper in the truths of revival.

Now, it's not convenient or even popular to hijack all the plans and programs of a large church in the name of God-seeking. But sometimes it's necessary. Whether you use our material or your own, or just get on your face before God-the point is to make the space. Take the time. Seek!

What Should I Do?

You might be asking, "How can I put my desire to seek God's face into action?" One of the simplest ways to begin is to pray at noon every day for spiritual awakening and revival. There are already hundreds across America participating in this simple daily discipline. Joining them is a great first step.

Many of our own staff have affixed a simple sticker to their watch or cell phone that reminds them to pray for revival at 12 p.m. It simply reads "12 PRAY." It's amazing how this small step has helped us remember to pray for revival daily on our lunch break. Perhaps you would join us? I've enclosed a few stickers for your personal use and to share with others. Visit www.LifeAction.org/12pray and let us know that you're praying.

Other ideas for making prayer for revival a priority might include:

• hosting a prayer meeting with a few friends
• joining the Seeking Him National Prayer Meeting for Revival, which is airing weekly across our nation (visit www.SeekingHim.com for details)
• attending existing church prayer meetings and encouraging revival prayer
• reading a book on revival praying
• encouraging your church's leadership to focus future messages on revival
• praying nightly with your spouse for family and church reviva
• lpraying through Isaiah 64 every day for one month

We can't leave this task up to the "experts." Rebuilding the foundation of our churches and our nation is a task for you. It's a task for me. The good news is that fervent, effective prayer is only one decision away. God is listening. I only hope that, rather than just nod in agreement, we act.


Praying for revival with you,

Byron Paulus
Executive Director