GREAT PRAYER WARRIORS

"' I will not let you go unless you bless me." (Gen v.26)

-- For reading & meditation: Genesis 32:22-31

We look now at the second characteristic of "revival praying" -
tenacity and persistence. Read the record of revivals and you will
find that this quality is also present. In the days prior to revival
people not only pray zealously but they pray persistently. For over a
period of thirteen years Evan Roberts prayed for revival to come to
Wales. "There was never a day," he says, "when I didn't fling myself
before God and cry out for Him to send the Holy Spirit to my native
land." Dafydd Owen also prayed every day for over ten years for a
great outpouring to come to the Principality. And concerning David
Morgan it was recorded "that for ten years before 1858 a petition for
the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was never absent from his prayers".
We must recognise that often this persistence was not something that
was natural but was given by the Holy Spirit. It was said of Evan
Roberts that when he was a boy, "he hardly ever saw anything through
and would give up a task most easily". Listen to what Jonathan
Edwards, another great revivalist, had to say about the importance of
persistence and perseverance: "It is very apparent from the Word of
God that the Lord is wont often to try the faith and patience of His
people, when crying to Him for some great and important mercy, by
withholding the mercy sought for a season; and not only so but at
first to cause an increase of dark appearances. And yet He, without
fail, at last succeeds those who continue instant in prayer with all
perseverance and will 'not let Him go except He blesses'."
PRAYER:
O Father, search my heart today and see if there is any hidden thing
in me that holds me back from persistent and perservering prayer.
Bring it to the light so that I can deal with it. I ask this in
Jesus' Name. Amen.