I seem to see we are in desperate need in our land. We are in desperate need in the church. As I talk to other Christians, I don’t find a sense of desperation. “It’s not good but we seem to be content with it.” My question is, can we have revival if we are not really desperate for it? Can I pray that God would make me desperate? Your thoughts, John.

Thanks,
Charlie

Hello Charlie,

Thanks for your thought-provoking question.

Surely, the need is desperate in both our country and the church. The sheer population increase being far greater than the increase of new believers reveals a desperate need in regard to the gospel, and thus the need for a great awakening in the land. The decreasing numbers in many churches, the worldliness, the breakdown in marriages and family relationships, the ineffectiveness in reaching the lost…all these point to a desperate need in the church for a great revival.

Yet, many are not desperate. Perhaps we are desensitized or dull. We do not “get it.” But yes, we can ask God to enable us with the appropriate perspective. We can and ought to cry out to God to give us eyes to see the real need. Since Christ lives in us, we can ask God to bring our heartbeat in line with His, and then we will be appropriately desperate—not in a fleshly striving way, but understanding that the need is desperate and the burden should be commensurate to the need. Also, our “desperation” should be marked with the confidence and hope that God is more than enough to meet the need.

The prayer of Isaiah is an example of a desperate heart-cry for revival (Is. 64:1-2).

John

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