A Call to Prayer for World Revival

We strongly urge that extraordinary prayer be made for the ten days between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost. (Declaration of Dependence)

We urge all churches and all Christians around the world unite in seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, persistently asking our Father to send revival to the Church and spiritual awakening to the world so that Christ’s Great Commission might be fulfilled worldwide.


In 2010 Ascension Day is May 13 - and Pentecost May 23.

I just finished re-reading The Power of Extraordinary Prayer by Robert O. Bakke, and was deeply moved by stories about the power of prayer in God’s people. The concerted effort of prayer led to Great Awakenings where churches were revived and a fervor for world missions was awakened. Could the Lord God Almighty bring another Great Awakening in the 21st century? Let us call all of God’s people to pray for a world-wide Great Awakening. This, I believe, is the way world missions will move forward.

One of the founders of SIM (through merger with the Africa Evangelical Fellowship) was Andrew Murray. For ten days each year, Andrew Murray challenged churches in South Africa to pray for revival. He took his model from the ten days between the Ascension of Jesus and Pentecost when the disciples “all joined together constantly in prayer.” (Acts 1:14) The Lord often blessed the concerted prayer of God’s people by sending revival.

In 2010, Ascension Day is May 13 and Pentecost Sunday is May 23. What might happen if each of us were to personally set aside extra time during these 10 days to pray for the renewal of the church around the world and for an awakening of fervor for world evangelization? What might happen if every mission challenged missionaries and churches to concerted prayer for the Holy Spirit to be poured down on our ministries and our churches?

Could individuals, churches and mission agencies unite in ten days of prayer? What if every mission organization and every mission-minded church would join together in pouring out our hearts to the Lord? For ten days, millions of God’s children would flood the throne of grace pleading for a world-wide spiritual awakening.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Pray with vision. Picture in your mind the impact of your prayers on mission agencies, on churches, and on the world. Picture the impact and pray that this vision might come true. Pray with eyes of faith.

2. Confess sin. Confess and forsake all known sin. Spiritual awakening must begin with those who are praying for the world-wide awakening.

3. Pray from Scripture. Paraphrase Daniel 9 or Ezekiel 36 or Nehemiah 9 or any other promises from the Word. Great awakenings in the Bible often took place when leaders prayed from the promises of the Word.

4. Pray together. After Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples went to the upper room to pray for the promised power of the Holy Spirit. They “joined together constantly in prayer.” I’m not suggesting that we should have a single world-wide prayer meeting. Instead, I picture tens of thousands of small groups on their knees pleading for personal and worldwide awakening during the 10 Days of Prayer.

To paraphrase the Declaration of Dependence:

We strongly urge all churches and all Christians around the world to unite in seeking the face of God through prayer and fasting, persistently asking our Father to send revival to the Church and spiritual awakening to the world so that Christ’s Great Commission might be fulfilled worldwide. We strongly urge that extraordinary prayer be made for the ten days between the Ascension of Christ and Pentecost. (Ascension Day May 13 to Pentecost May 23 2010).