Do it again, Lord, and begin with us
September 12, 2019
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A little over one hundred years ago, a spiritual fervor swept across the country of Wales and ignited a passion for God in the hearts of over a hundred thousand people.
It was called the Welsh Revival, and while it was not the most well known revival of its time, it was one of the most dramatic and long-lasting and triggered revivals in several other countries.
And it all began in prayer. A young man named Evan Roberts cried out to the Lord in a prayer meeting, “Bend me! Bend me!” and God did. He and his friends asked God for 100,000 souls to come to salvation. On the night of Monday, October 31, 1904, Roberts brought this four-point message to his home church at Loughor, Wales:
- Is there any sin in your past that you have not confessed to God? On your knees at once. Your past must be put away, and yourself cleansed.
- Is there anything in your life that is doubtful—anything that you cannot decide whether it is good or evil? Away with it. There must not be a cloud between you and God.
- Do what the Holy Spirit prompts you to do. Obey promptly, implicitly, and with unquestioning submission to God’s Spirit.
- Publicly profess Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Roberts’ cry became, “Bend the church and save the world.” Once again, God answered his prayer. As a matter of public record, in 1904 sinful habits began to wane in Wales. Taverns closed, gambling businesses lost their trade, and brothels locked their doors. Families were reunited, broken friendships reconciled, profanity ceased, old debts were paid, stolen goods returned, forgiveness for past offenses flowed. Divisions in churches were healed, denominational and class barriers were broken down, feuds were forgotten, discord and enmity were replaced by peace and harmony and unity.
On that first night of Evan Roberts’ preaching ministry, sixteen young people confessed Christ. The next night seven turned to Christ, and the third night, twenty people received Jesus Christ as Lord. Attendance at meetings began to grow and spread to other towns and villages. Names of converts were sent to the newspapers. Ultimately 100,000 confessed faith in Jesus Christ. God used this young man to change the spiritual course of an entire generation in the country of Wales.
Today as we pray for the country of Wales, ask the Lord to do it again—and to begin with us.