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God in all ages has
carried on revival ministries in the assemblies
of His saints through an undefeatable praying
minority. The praying "twos and
threes" again and again have prevailed with God
and thus reversed what otherwise, were hopeless
situations. Numerous examples of this fact are
found in both Testaments. These
intercessors "stood in the gap" and turned the
tide in favor of the people of God.
Thus did Daniel, Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego. Through
prayer, they "subdued kingdoms, wrought
righteousness…stopped the mouths of lions,
quenched the violence of fire (Hebrews
11). Outnumbered seven million to
one, the godly remnant prevailed.
Unexpected blessing descended upon the people of
God through their utter dependence upon the God
of all grace.
Isaiah, Hezekiah and their
praying companions succeeded in the face of
overwhelming odds. In answer to
their united cry, God saved them with a
miraculous deliverance. One hundred eighty-five
thousand of Sennacherib's army fell in a night
under a stroke of God. Thus God
interposed when all hope seemed lost.
Ezra and his
praying companions at the river Ahava secured
God's special favor for the whole
nation. Their boast in God was amply
sustained. God gave them more
protection than a regiment of royal soldiers
would have assured. They abundantly
approved the assertion made to the king, viz:
"The hand of our God is upon all them for good
that seek Him : but His power and His wrath is
against all them that forsake Him" (Ezra 8:22).
Postexilic saints under the
leadership of Haggai and Zechariah, by their
prayerful devotion to God, obtained the
completion of the second temple and the revival
of the nation. In answer to their
united supplications, "The Lord stirred up the
spirit of Zerubbabel…and the spirit of
Joshua…and the spirit of all the remnant of the
people; and they came and did work in the house
of the Lord of host, their God" (Haggai 1:14).
The New
Testament abounds with numerous examples of how
praying minorities repeatedly called down
blessing from God, turned defeats into
victories, and barrenness into astounding
fruitfulness. The disciples at Pentecost
obtained blessings for a sin-hardened nation.
Had we taken the religious
census of Judah and Jerusalem we would have
reported as follows: "Unbelievers, 3,000,000;
people of faith, approximately 500" (1 Cor.
15:6). Yet the praying minority in
one day wrested 3,000 precious souls from the
domination of false religious leaders.
Later thousands more believed.
Paul and his friends, by prayer: opened
cities and countries to the Gospel. God is the
same today. Praying minorities count
upon God's faithfulness even when conditions
seem desperate and hope is at the lowest ebb!
Moses secured God's favor
on a "peradventure" (Ex. 32:30).
Jonathan and his armor-bearer prevailed on an
"it may be" (1 Samuel 14:6). The
king of Nineveh turned God's wrath from His
people on an "Who can tell?" (Jonah
3:8-10). The great triumphs are all
trophies of prayer. Our ever
faithful God still loves to honor
intercession. Pray for a
revival! "Stand in the
gap!" Plead! Plead the
victory of the cross, the blood of Christ, the
unfailing promises, the names of the Lord Jesus.
By spiritual weapons, pull
down the strongholds of Satan (2 Cor. 10:3-5),
bring about the confession and forsaking of sin,
renewal of faith, and the removal of
worldliness. Back of the "professing
church" is the mighty power of the risen
Lord. Pray, and get others to pray with
you for revival! The revival of the
church always has been by prayer!
Evangelization of the world must be by
prayer.
The praying
minority, through the power of the Holy Spirit,
is
undefeatable!
