我们昨天在结束时提到，神喜爱祂的儿女可以共同参与实现祂的旨意；同时，神亦不会忽视祂自己在宇宙间所设立的关于祷告的大原则。我也许有点唠叨，但是请让我重提这个要点：虽然复兴是始于神的主权意愿，但它却是通过信心祷告的门槛而来的。

华莱士（John Wallace）是我出来事奉前所就读的神学院的院长，他常说：「在领受祝福前，必须先背负重担。」他常常如此诠释：「在以色列人被拯救出埃及前，摩西须背负重担。在耶路撒冷兴建圣殿前，所罗门被蒙召背负重担。在世界的罪被除去前，基督须背负重担。我们在领受祝福前，必须先背负重担。」

从创世记到启示录整本圣经中，我们都可以找到这个原则；同样的，在所有宗教历史上的复兴，我们也可看到这个原则。在神从天上赐下超然的作为前，祂会先将复兴的重担放在祂百姓的心里，神会选择谁去背负这重担呢？我可以肯定的说，必定是那些被引领去祷告，并明白祷告的大能和潜力人。那么我在想，你会是其中的一个吗？

We ended yesterday by saying that God loves His children to be involved with Him in bringing about His purposes, and that it is not in God's nature to ignore the great principle of prayer which He Himself has established in the universe. At the risk of being tedious, let me make the point again: although revival begins in the sovereign purposes of God, it comes into the world through the doorway of believing prayer.

John Wallace, principal of the Bible college I attended prior to entering the ministry, used to say: "Before somebody can experience a blessing, somebody has to bear a burden." He used to illustrate the point in this way: "Before deliverance came to the nation of Israel when they were in Egypt, Moses had to bear a burden. Before the great Temple of God could be built in Jerusalem, Solomon was called to bear a burden. Before the sins of the world could be removed Christ had to bear a burden. Before somebody can experience a blessing, somebody has to bear a burden."

This is a principle that can be traced throughout the whole of the Bible - from Genesis to Revelation. It can be seen at work, too, in the history of all religious revivals. Before God comes from heaven to work in extraordinary ways He places the burden of revival on the hearts of His people. And who does He choose to carry this burden? You can be sure that they will be men and women who are drawn to prayer and understand something of its power and potential. Would you, I wonder, be one?