A Call to Pray for Revival and Awakening

Revival and spiritual awakening are two things a Christian should always pray for. It is something that Christians should include as they make prayers, supplications, and intercessions for all people. 

1 Timothy 2:1

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

What is the difference between a revival and an awakening?

When it comes to a “revival,” that is something that you pray for people who are already believers. You pray for revival for believers who became lukewarm or cold in their Christian walk with God and do not obey Christ’s command to make disciples. It’s like they are hibernating when they are supposed to be out there ministering to people and living life with the desire to grow in holiness, Christlikeness, and knowledge of God (Revelation 2:4–5). That is why we pray for revival for such believers, that their desire to minister, preach the Gospel, live in righteousness, know more about God’s Word, and fear the LORD shall be revived.

Here is a prayer that you can pray as you pray to God for revival to happen in your church:

Holy Spirit, I pray that You would move in the hearts of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who are in slumber and that You would cause revival in them. Revive the desire in them to live a holy life, make disciples, and be the salt and light to the world. Revive their passion for Your Word, LORD, so that they shall obey the things You have commanded us. Give them the grace to repent, Father. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Another thing that you could pray for Christians as you pray for revival is that they shall always pursue living a holy life. Here is one of the ways you can pray for this:

Heavenly Father, I thank You because Your grace has appeared; not just to bring salvation but to train us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions—enabling us to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. Help us, Father, to always put to death whatever is earthly in us. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

On the other hand, awakening is something that we pray for non-believers—the people who need to be brought to Christ. We pray for awakening for spiritually dead people because of their sin. Only when they awaken or are made alive from being dead in their trespasses can they come to Christ, believe the Gospel, and repent from their life of sin. That is why other people don’t see the truth of the Gospel, and they reject it no matter how much you preach it to them. It is because they are spiritually dead. Their hearts are hardened, and their spiritual eyes are blinded. Only when the Holy Spirit gives life to those who are spiritually dead and are born again in the Spirit can they see the kingdom of God. That is why, if you see evil prospering everywhere in your city, what you should pray for is awakening in your city so the Holy Spirit will work and awaken those people from spiritual death.

A good example of this is the story of the man born blind and the Pharisees. The Pharisees were experts in knowledge about God and the things of Him, yet they missed out on Christ, Who was right in front of them. The blind man, on the other hand, was blind but his spiritual eyes, not just the physical ones, were opened. He saw his need for Jesus. 

Ephesians 2:1-10

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 5:12

Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

2 Corinthians 4:4

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

John 3:3–8

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Titus 3:5

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

John 9:25

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

You can pray this prayer as you pray for awakening to happen in your town or city:

Holy Spirit, I pray for awakening to happen in my town/city. Work in the people’s hearts and give life to those who are spiritually dead. I rebuke the blindness that the devil imposes on them. Open their spiritually blinded eyes, Holy Spirit, so that they may see their need for Jesus. Turn their hearts of stone into hearts of flesh that they may receive the Gospel. Give them the grace and mercy to repent from their sins and believe in the person and work of Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

You can also pray for an awakening in your nation as a whole:

Heavenly Father, I pray for awakening to happen in my nation. I pray that my nation shall not despise You, Father, but instead, it shall honor You. I pray, Holy Spirit, that my nation shall not be closed to the Gospel nor hostile to it, but its people shall be open to it and receive it. Work in the hearts of every citizen, Holy Spirit, that they may receive the Gospel and surrender their lives to Christ. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Whether revival or awakening, it is all God’s grace. If a believer was revived and is now back to living their life the way God wants them to live, it is only because of God’s grace and mercy in the life of that believer. The same thing for a non-believer who becomes a Christian. It is because of God’s grace at work that they believe the Gospel and repent. Salvation is from the LORD and of the LORD. There isn’t anything to credit to us. That is why we can never boast about anything, because apart from God’s grace and mercy, we are nothing. We would be helpless if not for God’s divine help. That is why salvation is a gift. We didn’t do anything to earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9) (Romans 11:6) (Titus 2:11-12).