Zechariah 12.10 10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
This is what happened in the revival days of Whitefield and Wesley in England, of Finney of Jonathan Edwards. They all were confronted with God’s holiness. They like Salomon, Ezekiel and Daniel were able to see the GLORY of the Lord.
Every notable revival or spiritual awakening in the history of the Church has come about because of either a major crisis that has touched the culture and society or a prayer movement that has cried out to God to bring changes to a society
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there forever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. 2 Chr. 7.14-16
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sack clothes, and earth upon them. 2And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers. 3And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God. [1] Nehemiah 9.1-3
Nehemiah 9, Ezra 9, Daniel 9 and Jeremiah 9 all of these have to do with IDENTIFICATIONAL REPENTANCE, In all these cases the prophets identify with the sins of the people and ask forgiveness by standing on the gap.
The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. 30And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. [2] Ezekiel 22.29-30
There must come upon the Church a realization that we as a Church have not come together or risen up as a voice in the desert to say ENOUGH.
16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. [3] Hebrews 4.16
There must be a revival of prayer for the city, the region and the nation, Persistent, prophetic, fervent prayer that will reach the throne of God to release God’s outpouring of His Spirit. Prayer with passion and fervor with informed intercession. This, along with a spirit of repentance on an individual and a corporate basis will release God’s visitation.
Psalm 141.2 reads “Let my prayers be brought before you as incense and the lifting of my hands (Intercession) as the evening sacrifice.
Finally, we must seek for God’s perfect timing as we battle to possess the land and establish God’s kingdom in it.
Jesus said, “I will build My Church”
The scripture says, “Unless the Lord builds the Church, they labor in vain that do it”.
As we pray to the ancient of days, judgment and captivity are bound and God gives favor to His saints.
1Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: Amos 8.11
Lift ye up a banner upon the high mountain, exalt the voice unto them, shake the hand that they may go into the gates of the nobles. 3I have commanded my sanctified ones, I have also called my mighty ones for mine anger, even them that rejoice in my highness. 4The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle. Isaiah 13.2-4
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 6.16b
If we want revival and transformation we MUST be willing to pay the price, If we want to go to new levels we must be willing to make changes. My question to the church is the same that we read in Joshua 18.3;
Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you?
Pray
And I prayed to the Lord my God, and made confession, and said, “O Lord, great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him, and with those who keep His commandments, 5 we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments. 6 Neither have we heeded Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings and our princes, to our fathers and all the people of the land. 7 O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, as it is this day—to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off in all the countries to which You have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.
8 “O Lord, to us belongs shame of face, to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. 10 We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets. 11 Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him. Daniel 9.4-11
“O Lord, according to all Your righteousness, I pray, let Your anger and Your fury be turned away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people are a reproach to all those around us. 17 Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. 18 O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. 19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name Daniel 9. 16-19