Is your heart ablaze or a cold flannel when it comes to revival? A few weeks ago I heard a message that stirred something fresh within me about revival. It was from John Wilthew, and his personal story of rediscovering a heart for revival resonated powerfully with where many of us find ourselves today.

A Personal Journey

John began by sharing vulnerably about his own journey. "Seven years ago, I couldn't have preached this message," he admitted. "I'd lived through several false dawns where people had promised revival around the corner which had never happened. My heart was cold - it was flat." The turning point came at a prayer meeting where someone declared, "My heart is full for revival." John realized, with painful clarity, that he couldn't say the same.

What happened next fascinated me. John explained how he uses a 'prayer house' metaphor to keep his prayer life fresh - different rooms mapped out in a house in his prayer book which east host a different type of prayer. The 'adoration' room, the 'exercise' room etc. Each room has its own set of scriptures that help him pray in that room. In that moment at the prayer meeting, God spoke to him specifically about the revival prayer room in the loft of his prayer house - a space he hadn't visited in a long time. When he returned there, God restored his heart for revival.

Prophets and Presence

John reminded us of a profound truth: prophets only have something to say when they come from the presence of God. It's not just about pouring out our hearts in prayer - it's about listening to what God has to say.

The prophet Habakkuk understood this when he prayed: "Lord I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work. In our own time revive it. In our own time make it known; in wrath remember mercy." God's response? "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of God."

Finding Your Church Tower

John shared the story of Howell Harris, who in 1735 had an encounter that changed everything: "I felt suddenly my heart melting within me like wax before the fire with love to God my Saviour. There was a cry in my soul which I was totally unacquainted with before - 'Abba father'. I suddenly could not help calling God my Father! I knew that I was his child and that he loved and heard me."

Harris began spending hours praying in his church tower. Despite facing violent opposition - being beaten and stoned by mobs - within five years, he was seeing hundreds, then thousands, come to Christ. Along with Wesley and Whitfield, he became part of the revival that transformed 18th century England.

The Power of Persistent Prayer

He reminded us of the story of two sisters in their 80s in the Hebrides. One was blind and the other suffered from arthritis. Yet they launched a revival prayer meeting that ran from 10pm to 3am two nights a week. One sister had a vision of churches filled with young people calling on God. Through their persistent prayer and obedience, they saw an incredible move of God that drew thousands to Christ, including many young people who were supernaturally drawn by God's presence.

He told us of the East African Revival, which began when Simeon Nsibambu and Joe Church met "by accident" in Uganda when they were both going to pray at a local cathedral. Simeon was distressed about the state of the nation and the church. After two days of seeking God together, he was so transformed that he quit his job to share his faith. People thought he was mad - until they started seeing lives changed one by one. This became the catalyst for a revival that swept through Uganda, Rwanda, and the whole of East Africa.

Your Turn to Respond

As I reflect on these stories, I'm challenged to ask:

- What would it look like to develop a fresh heart for revival?
- How can I, like Habakkuk, stand in awe of God's work while boldly asking Him to "revive it in our time"?

Maybe it's time for us to find our own prayer rooms, our own church towers, where we can catch God's heart for revival. Because history shows us that revival often begins with just one or two people who dare to believe that God can do it again.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. What stirred you as you read these stories? How are you sensing God calling you to pray for revival in your context?