Running and Revival

To update, I ran 3 miles on the treadmill on Saturday the 24th. The weather was cold, windy and rainy all day long. On Monday though, I was able to get in 4 miles outside. The weather was sunny and the temperature was almost in the mid 40's. It was a good run.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about revival. There have been several things that have triggered my thoughts on this particular subject. I've been experiencing a personal revival in the area of my own prayer life. How interesting that it seems to be connected with a weekly 24 hour fast I added to my life about a month ago. I have been getting up at night, not intentionally, but I believe by a prompting of the Holy Spirit and I find myself led to pray. Many things will be on my heart and my mind and so I pray. Then there has been prayer - intense and heartfelt - at various meetings where believers have gathered. People I've been in community with for years and who I've never heard pray before are praying aloud in the assembly.

God has put four specific things on my heart to pray for His people, in my local church and the church in my community and even in the nation. They are prayers for repentance, unity, revival and Holy Spirit empowerment. I cannot seem to get these things off my mind and heart. I am desiring to see the saints pray as they never prayed before. I'm desiring to see the sanctuary of my local church become a sanctuary of prayer where folks just come in to pray at any time of the day even if its just for a few moments to pray for these things.

The other thing that I have noticed lately is a new awakening to the authorities God has placed in my life. As I ran on Monday, I saw three police cars that were dealing with an accident up the road. They were giving direction and advice to keep people safe which is one of the reasons God places authority in our life in the first place. Whether it is my husband, my pastor, a civil magistrate - these are all placed in my life to offer protection and to bring a certain sense of security that makes peace and joy abound. I want to be under these spheres of authority and welcome their guidance and counsel in my life. I don't want to be independent apart from them. I believe God works through them to guide people into His will as long as it does not go against the written authority of His Word.

The word revival means a reawakening of religious fervour and a restoration to bodily or mental life or consciousness. The word revive means to come to or bring back to consciousness, life, existence, vigour, notice, activity, and validity. While I do not care for the word religious, I understand what is being implied. It is the aspect of faith in a higher being, which for the Christian is Jesus Christ - the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. The faith is heightened to a grander summit and the desire to walk in His ways and to live in a costant communion of sorts with Him preempts all else. Yes, this is revival and may it fall on me and all who love the Lord Jesus! How I want to run in this thing called revival - run to its very fullness!