It has been shown in the past that only a purified, revived Church, preaching the holiness, the law, the anger of God against sinners, His unavoidable judgment on all, and His amazing mercy seen in the perfect Son of God bearing the punishment for our sins, preached with earnestness, passion and tears by the anointing of the Spirit, so that sinners are convicted of their sins, brought to genuine repentance, and set free from sin to live a life of holiness; only this has been shown to be adequate to bring a nation back from the brink of moral and spiritual collapse.

Some people, however, think that the situation in Britain is so bad that it is too late to do anything about it. The righteous remnant of the Church must just seek to be faithful. Others pray for revival, but with no confidence, for they believe that God may send revival if and when He chooses to do so, and not according to our praying. But such thinking presents a fatalistic God more akin to the god of Islam than to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown Himself to be a promise keeping and covenant keeping God, who answers the prayers of His people, and who is waiting for us to meet the conditions. (2Chron.7:14, Jer.33:3, Mal.3:10, Lk.11:9-10, etc.)

God never changes, (Mal.3:6), therefore anything He has ever done, He can do now. His arm never shortens, (Is. 59:1), He still desires all men to be saved, (1Tim.2:4). He is still able to do far more than we can ask or imagine, (Eph.3:20). The Son of God told us to go on praying and not give up, (Lk.18:1-8), to ask in prayer, expecting to receive, (Mt.21:22). Righteousness still exalts a nation, and sin is still a reproach to any people, (Prov.14:34), therefore God wants Britain to be righteous.

The only thing that can alter these good purposes of God for a people or nation is when He has decreed judgment upon them, and they have not turned back to Him, as in the case of Jerusalem before the exile. Yet even in that case, we are told that God sought for a man to stand in the breach before Him so that He would be able to avert his judgment and not destroy it. The tragedy was that He found no one, so His indignation was poured out on the city.(Ez. 22:30-31)

Therefore, even though God is angry with this nation, for our rejection of His standards, our disobedience, our moral pollution, our impotent, complacent Church are all crying out for His judgment and condemnation, yet God is still looking for a man who will stand in the gap before Him like Moses, (Ps. 106:23), and plead for God`s mercy on this land. I am, therefore, asking you to stand in the gap with me, and beseech God to hold back His hand of judgment, and pour out his Spirit and revive His work in the midst of these years, (Hab.3:2), knowing that God is not willing that any should perish, and His patience demonstrates His desire to save.(2Pet.3:9-15)

This task, however, is not to be undertaken lightly. The history of revivals shows that there is a cost to pay, a battle to be fought, a cross before the crown. There needs to be repentance for personal sin, and for the sins of the Church and the nation; and an acknowledgment that the reason we haven’t seen revival is our fault, as God hasn’t changed. We haven’t declared the truth of God, especially the law of God; so people do not know what sin is. (Rom.7:7). We haven’t warned them about the consequences of their sins, (Ez.3:17-21, Acts 20:31), so the nation has gone further away from God and His ways. We haven’t been humble and contrite before Him, (Is.66:2), nor prayed enough in faith, (1Thess.5:17, Jas.5:8). We haven’t been earnest enough, nor prayed with tears, (Js.5:17, Ps.42:3, Ps.126:5). We haven’t wrestled with God for blessing, nor prayed back the promises of God with boldness, (Gen.22:24-30, Ex.32:7-14, Ps.27:7-9, Is.41:17-20, Is.44:3-5,etc.) We haven’t fasted enough, nor been persistent enough, (Ezra8:23, Neh.1:4, Dan.9:3, Mt.6:17-18, Lk.11:5-10, Lk.18:1-8, Lk.18:35-43, etc.). If Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God "offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears, and was heard because of his reverent submission", (Heb.5:7), how much more do we sinners need to do so?

Yet, in spite of all our failings, God is faithful and gracious to us, is willing to forgive us, grant us a fresh start, and is still waiting to hear and answer our prayers. But our prayers do need to be specific.

1. We need to pray for personal revival, for that humility, that brokenness, that openness to the Holy Spirit, and that obedience to Him that we need to have. (Is.57:15,Ps.139:23,Ps.51:10-13 etc.)

2. We need to pray for the revival of the churches in Britain. We need to understand that revival does not mean a shallow, hyped up carnal enthusiasm, endorsing people’s selfishness and pride, but a genuine work of the Holy Spirit bringing brokenness, repentance, cleansing, restitution and empowering. "When the Holy Spirit comes," said Jesus, "He will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment" (Jn.16:8); and the world is in the Church, so that when He comes in revival, there is great conviction of sin, and brokenness in the Church. Most of the churches in Britain today are worldly, shallow, and inward looking, full of complacency and pride. They are disobedient to the word of God, and so compromised with the world that they need to repent and turn from their wicked ways, and be turned inside out, so that they become concerned about the things that God is concerned about; evangelism, holiness, righteousness and walking in the fear of God and in the light of eternity.(1 Pet.4:17, Ps.79:1-13, Ps.74:9-23, Ps.80:1-19, Ps.85:1-13, Joel 2:12-17, 2Chron.7:14, Mic.6:8, Mt.28:19-20, Tit.2:11-14,etc.)

3. We need to pray for God to raise up preachers of righteousness; holy humble, passionate men of God, who will boldly proclaim the truths of God`s word, fearlessly denouncing all forms of sin and disobedience, warning people of the consequences of their sins, (Jer.7:14-22, Ez.33:1-9, Mic.3:8, Acts 20:27-31, 2Tim.4:1-5, 2Thess.1:6-9, Rev.20:11-15) All deep, word based revivals have come about through the anointed preaching of men of God, who have used the word of God as the sword of the Spirit, as a fire and a hammer(Heb.4:12-13, Jer.23:29).

4. We need to pray for a spiritual awakening in Britain. A revival is the breaking down and rousing up of those who have spiritual life; but unbelievers cannot be revived, for they are spiritually dead. They need to be awakened to new life. An awakening is when the heavens are rent, and God comes down upon an area, so that the whole atmosphere becomes charged with the awareness of the presence of a holy God, people are convicted of their sin; and the issues of eternity, of heaven and hell, are made real and inescapable. As people cry out to God, they find His mercy in Christ, their lives are changed, and society is transformed. (Is.2:11-21, Is.41:17-20, Is.44:3-5, Is.45:8, Is.64:1-5, Acts 2:37, Acts 16:29-30 )

5. We need to pray at least once a day. We are to be the Lord’s watchmen who will never hold their peace, day or night, (Is.62:6). Nehemiah prayed for the people of God day and night. (Neh.1:4-6) Jesus tells us that God will speedily avenge His elect who call to Him day and night, (Lk.18:7-8). We are told to pray without ceasing, and to go on asking, seeking and knocking. (1Thess.5:17, Lk.11:5-10)

6. We need to pray and not give up until He answers, telling Him that we will not let go until He blesses us, and fulfils His promises. We need to pray God’s promises back to Him with holy boldness. We should take no rest and give God no rest until He restores the Church, and makes it a praise in the earth. (Is.62:1&7) We need to show the persistence and shamelessness of the man who went on knocking at the door of his friend’s house at midnight until he got what he wanted. (Lk.11:5-8) We need to commit ourselves to praying until the Spirit is poured out, and God’s glory is seen in our land. (Ps.85:9) .

My study has led me to believe that these six points are all necessary, and, as far as I know, no other prayer network incorporates them all, especially the last two. I realize that praying for revival involves attitudes of heart, mind and spirit that you may feel you do not have; but if you have the commitment and openness to the Holy Spirit, He can lead you on. I am, therefore, asking you to commit yourself, and covenant with God, (as they did in Lewis in 1949, giving themselves the propulsion of a sacred vow), to pray at least once a day for the first four points above, until the Lord answers.

I invite all who read this to complete the form below, copy and paste it, and send it back to me by email, or send it as an attachment, or print it and send it back to me by post.

May the Lord bless you and lead you in His way.

Alec Dunn

Covenant Form To Pray For Revival