从天上赐下的复兴
复兴将要来临

经文
以弗所书六10-20
10我还有末了的话:你们要靠着主,倚赖他的大能大力作刚强的人。
11要穿戴神所赐的全副军装,就能抵挡魔鬼的诡计。
12因我们并不是与属血气的争战(原文作摔跤;下同),乃是与那些执政的、掌权的、管辖这幽暗世界的,以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战。
13所以,要拿起神所赐的全副军装,好在磨难的日子抵挡仇敌,并且成就了一切,还能站立得住。
14所以要站稳了,用真理当作带子束腰,用公义当作护心镜遮胸,
15又用平安的福音当作预备走路的鞋穿在脚上。
16此外,又拿着信德当作藤牌,可以灭尽那恶者一切的火箭;
17并戴上救恩的头盔,拿着圣灵的宝剑,就是神的道;
18靠着圣灵,随时多方祷告祈求;并要在此儆醒不倦,为众圣徒祈求,
19也为我祈求,使我得着口才,能以放胆开口讲明福音的奥秘,
20我为这福音的奥秘作了带锁链的使者,并使我照着当尽的本分放胆讲论。
信息分享
让我们来继续思考这个题目:「复兴祷告」的特点是坚持与持续。在复兴以前,哪怕是天生不是那么有毅力的人,他们的祷告也有这些特点。很明显的,这是超自然的力量正在工作。
当有关美国1857年大复兴的消息传到英国时,很多教会(特别是在北爱尔兰和威尔斯的教会)都渴望看到同样的事情在英国发生。詹金斯(William Jenkins)是威尔斯山谷一间教会的牧者,他在1858年曾说:「自从圣灵向美国教会倾注的消息传到我们的国家以后,我渴望和祈求主以祂无限的怜悯、降临在可怜的威尔斯。我当时把这个课题带到教会去,诚恳的劝告人们『寻求主』,我讲述了所知道的每一个事实以及每一件发生过的事件……目的是让会众的心能产生同样的渴求。有些会友祷告,并以我从未听过的方式持续祷告,他们心里似乎领受了一种新的负担,变得坚持,几近沉溺。在复兴来临前,教会在大约六个月内增加了超过85个会友。」
有关神的百姓在复兴以前,被圣灵紧抓著作持续不断祷告的例子实在多不胜数,他们在历史中已经留下抹不去的印记,以致那些见证者可以充满信心地说:「复兴将要来临了。」
「神所赐的坚持是复兴的记号」
进深研究
罗八22-28;太二十六41;约十六24
1. 我们在祷告中得到甚么帮助?
2. 门徒发现甚么?
祈祷
天父,我内心禁不住要响应您的门徒的话:「主啊,教导我们祷告。」我承认在这方面我是软弱的,但求您帮助我明白,在您里面我甚么事都能做,所以我要脱下我的软弱,穿上您的完全。阿们。
Heaven-Sent Revival
"A revival is on the way"

Bible reading:
Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.
19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel,
20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Message
We continue looking at the quality of tenacity or persistence as a component of "revival praying". Prior to a revival this characteristic is seen even in those who were not naturally persistent or tenacious people, and this is fairly clear evidence (so I believe) that something supernatural is at work.
When the news of the American 1857 revival reached the shores of Great Britain many churches (especially those in Northern Ireland and Wales) became gripped with a desire to see the same thing happen here. William Jenkins, the minister of a church in one of the Welsh valleys, said in 1858: "Ever since the news of the outpouring of the Spirit upon the American churches reached our country I longed and prayed that the Lord would, in His infinite mercy, visit poor Wales. I immediately brought the subject before the church and earnestly exhorted them to 'seek the Lord'. I related every fact and incident I could glean...in order to produce in the minds of my people the desire for a similar visitation. Some of our members prayed and continued to pray as I have never heard them pray before. A new burden seemed to press upon their hearts. They became persistent almost to the point of being obsessed. Even before revival came there were no less than eighty-five added to the church in about six months" (italics mine).
Examples of persistent and tenacious praying gripping the people of God prior to a revival can be multiplied. They have made such an indelible mark in history that those who observe their occurrence are able to say with confidence: "A revival is on the way."
"God-given persistence is a sign of revival"
Prayer
O Father, I cannot help but echo the words of Your disciples: "Lord, teach us to pray." In this area I confess I am weak, but help me see that in You I am able for anything. So I shed my weakness and take Your completeness. Amen.
Further study
Romans 8:22-28
Matthew 26:41
John 16:24
1. What help do we get in prayer?
2. What did the disciples find?
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