Revival Pt. 10 Revival is the Fruit of Travailing Prayers,

 A "Good Morning" to all of our Readers scattered across many nations and continents. 

Our world continues to be filled with turmoil, troubles and illness while many people are experiencing heartache and sorrows. We can be thankful that we have a sure word from God to guide us as we navigate these difficult times. 

Our studies about revival have many facets to think about and today I want to look at the connection between prayer and revival.

Revival Needs Travailing Prayer

Galatians 4:19-20  My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, 20) I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you. 

Paul had to combat false teachings propagated by Judaizers that spread into churches within the province of Galatia. He rebuked the errors, taught them sound doctrine and passionately exhorted the people to follow hard after Jesus Christ. 

He prayed with a fiery zeal for God's truth, a love for God's people and a passion for them to return to the gospel of Christ. Paul had doubts about the salvation of those who regressed from simple faith in Christ to keeping the law. They were following another gospel which was a false one. 

 He was travailing in prayer like a mother about to give birth. He was impacted by their spiritual defection from Christ and it caused Paul to have much grief and sorrow in his heart as he prayed. 

Travailing prayer is when a believer experiences to some degree the grief and sorrow God experiences when His children fall into error or when they stray from faith in Christ. Travailing prayer is most often intercessory prayer for the needs of others around us. 

The Spirit helps us in travailing prayer.

Romans 8:26-27 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27) And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 

In this text Paul tells us that we need help when we pray because we often do not know what God wants us to pray for. We have our own infirmities that we struggle with like short attention spans, weariness of soul and body or problems that press in upon us from every side. 

God knows our frame and remembers that we are only creatures made from the dust of the earth and He sends His Spirit to live in each believer's heart when we are born again. Thus, Paul is helping us see that the Spirit provides assistance when we pray and gives us direction for how we should pray. 

The Spirit groans as He sees the sins, the burdens of life and the often great difficulties faced by God's people. He groans when He sees that we are not responsive when He seeks to lead us into a closer walk with Christ (See Galatians 5:16-26; Romans 8:1-4; 14).

Travailing Prayer Brings Repentance.

2 Corinthians 7:9-11  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11) For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 

Paul had many travailing prayers for the churches under his care. The church at Corinth was particularly plagued by sexual sins, sensual living, strife, envy, petty jealousies and a host of other issues. Paul prayed with great travail in his heart for those people. 

Passionate prayer from the apostle's heavy and troubled heart was used of God to turn the Corinthians back to the righteous paths. Paul's travailing prayers led to godly sorrow in the hearts of the Corinthians and this caused the people to repent.

Travailing Prayer involves Sorrow and Joy.

Psalm 126:5-6  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 6) He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him. 

The Psalmist shows us a picture of travailing prayer. The idea of sowing in tears is the idea of travailing in prayer. It is agonizing, soul wrenching prayer seeking to lead the lost to Christ for salvation. Each one of us probably knows someone in our family who are unsaved and headed for Hell when they die. This is the kind of travailing prayer we need to pour out as we sow the seed. The idea of sowing seed takes us right back to Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Seed and the Sower. The precious seed that we sow in tears is the Word of God and our prayer is that the seed takes root and bears fruit in that loved one's life. 

The Psalmist does not discount the pain or sorrows in our souls as we travail in prayer but he does remind us that joy and a harvest comes after the travail of prayer and sowing the precious seed. 

Jehovah knows who is travailing in prayer because of people who dishonor God by living in sin. 

So much evil and sin is in the world today that many believers are travailing in prayer over this,because God is dishonored and the Devil seems to be having his way. Yet, the travail in prayer is what He calls us to do, interceding and seeking salvation for the lost as we pour out our hearts to the Lord. 

Travailing Prayer involves humbling repentance and earnest seeking.

2 Chronicles 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

King Solomon teaches us that we need travailing prayer and then he described it for us. When the people of God, individually and collectively humble themselves and confess their sins and turn from their wicked ways in order to urgently seek God, He promises to hear such prayers and to do His restoring work. 

Travailing Prayer Goes to the Throne seeking Grace, Mercy and Help.

James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. 

Travailing in prayer includes sharing our troubles and burdens with another believer to seek their intercessory prayer. It is praying for one another's needs. Effectual and fervent prayer is prayer that is travailing before the throne of grace. It is prayer that seeks mercy, grace and help in the time of our need (Hebrews 4:14-16).  

Thoughts to Ponder...

We see that travailing prayer begins at the individual level. I must confess my sins and failures to the Father and seeking the forgiveness that He promises to give. I must put my sins under the cleansing blood of Jesus. 

We see that travailing prayer is something that happens when we are grieved and sorrowed by the same things that cause God to be grieved or sorrowed. 

We see that the Comforter, the Spirit of God comes along beside us in prayer and assists us with groaning that cannot be uttered. He wants to lead us in travailing intercessory prayer. 

We see that travailing prayer is intimately connected to any revival the people of God may experience. 

We see that travailing prayer is coming boldly to the throne of grace to obtain the mercy and help that we need. 

We see that travailing prayer has fruits of repentance and salvation in people's lives.

The question for us is are we willing to engage in travailing prayer? Are we willing to enter our prayer closet and pour out our hearts to our Father? Do we see people as God sees them, lost sheep without a shepherd? Are we grieved by the same things that grieve God?

I only know my own heart and I know how I fall short so many times. Yet, I truly want to pray the way that God wants me to and I suspect that you also want a travailing prayer life. 

May God show us where we need to confess, forsake and repent of sin. I pray He will help us see the world as He sees it and that we will be passionate about the same things He is. I pray that God will speak to each of us as individuals and that He will raise up people who will pray fervently and effectively. 

Bob