The wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing. Asbury College experienced weeks of 24-7 worship, prayer and confession led by Generation Z students. Now other places in the USA are experiencing the same thing.

I have experienced and taken part in genuine revival in three continents: Pensacola, USA in 1997, Brazil 1999-2004 and in the UK, a local revival in 2002. So what can we do to see this spread in my nation?

1. DEVOTE OURSELVES TO PRAYER

Before Acts 2 and the pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost came, the 120 disciples were all praying together in unity (Acts 1:14). We can invite praying friends to our homes to pray or to organize prayer events to go deeper with the Lord and to ask Him to pour out His Spirit where you are.

I combined with a local Presbyterian Church recently to lead a prayer event to do just this and to pray for God’s way forward. We heard from the Lord about strengthening the youth work.

2. PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER

The history of revival is that prayer for God to visit my region can take many months until He responds. In the Chile revival, prayer began daily in a local Methodist church for revival in January 1909 with just five people.  By April 1909 the revival had come and spread to the whole nation.

After a three year drought, when Elijah saw a rain cloud the size of a fist, he didn’t just wait for the rain, but got down on his knees and prayed 7 times until the rain came in abundance.

But many who have seen what God has been doing at Asbury, are just simply waiting for it to arrive where they are instead of looking for the way forward. This is not Scriptural. We mustn’t be passive.

3. FAITH IN PRAYER

Prayer in itself doesn’t bring the spiritual rain but THE PRAYER OF FAITH (Jam 5:15). We must cry out to God with faith that revival will indeed come to my area. Reading accounts of revivals in the past can really help us to pray with faith for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit.

4. INVEST IN THE NEXT GENERATION

God is particularly highlighting the next generation: children and Generation Z. Generation Z is known for suffering from mental health problems like anxiety attacks, self-harm, depression and even suicidal thoughts. God has heard their cries and wants to heal this generation and to raise up their children to be powerful revivalists.

King Hezekiah, during his last 15 years of his life, became complacent and proud. During this time he gave birth to his son Manasseh, who he didn’t invest in. Judah was to pay a high price for this lack of investment and foresight. After Hezekiah came to the throne, Manasseh did not walk with the Lord and his reign was so bad that God decided to judge Judah and to destroy Jerusalem. So it’s crucial that we invest in the next generation!

5. GET READY TO PREACH THE GOSPEL

Revivals spread and are maintained through prayer AND preaching, not one or the other. Before the Chile revival, the church building was destroyed by an earthquake. This proved to be the providence of the Lord, as the church members met locally in small groups and many had to learn to preach now. So when the revival came, they lost all their fears and preached the Gospel everywhere in the city and then in other cities with work, while still maintaining daily prayer. So the revival spread.

WHAT NOW?

Let’s do all we can to fan into flames revival where we are. Let’s join together with other believers in our church and other churches to promote what the Holy Spirit is already doing. And God will do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.