Pray Like Jesus: A Call to Revival

Cornerstone is called to expect a fresh move of God that is both biblical and practical. The congregation is invited to carry the fast’s momentum beyond a season: not merely an emotional high but a sustained pattern modeled throughout Scripture and church history. Revival is described as a repeatable pattern—hunger for God, intensified prayer, Scripture confronting sin, widespread repentance, transformed society, humility in leadership, and an overflow into mission. Examples from Josiah, Hezekiah, Ezra and Nehemiah, Jonah, and Jehoshaphat illustrate how God used corporate repentance, public reading of the Word, and top-down and bottom-up leadership to restore worship, holiness, and generosity. Modern awakenings—the Welsh revival, Azusa Street, the Moravians—underscore that extraordinary and sustained prayer precedes breakthrough, and that revival endures only when it produces lasting obedience rather than transient emotion.

Practical applications anchor the theological appeal: give sacrificially to feed children in Cambodia and India through the One Day to Feed the World offering, keep praying beyond the twenty-one-day fast, and cultivate a personal “circle” of prayer and repentance where revival can begin. Revival requires leaders and congregations who will welcome conviction, embrace holiness, and resist the spotlight that kills genuine work of God. Humility, Christ-centered preaching, and an uncompromised focus on Jesus rather than manifestations are essential. Ultimately, revival’s purpose is outward: to expand the kingdom through evangelism and missions so that transformed worship leads to transformed communities. The invitation is urgent and hopeful—prepare for God to move, begin in one small place, and expect that obedience and persistent prayer will produce a harvest that reshapes lives, churches, and nations.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Hunger precedes God's work Hungry devotion is not about acquiring experiences but about wanting more of Christ’s presence and knowledge. When the soul pursues God with persistent longing, decisions and structures shift from convenience to obedience; ministries reorient around intimacy with God rather than programs. That hunger creates a posture that is teachable, repentant, and ready for sustained transformation. [37:32]
• 2. Sustained extraordinary prayer life Revival rarely arrives as a one-off emotion; it grows out of relentless, united, and desperate prayer. Continuous petition and vigilant intercession wear down spiritual resistance and align a people’s heart with God’s agenda. Prayer becomes the engine that carries conviction into corporate action rather than remaining private sentiment. [51:43]
• 3. Confronting sin through God's Word True awakenings are precipitated when Scripture is read plainly and applied directly, exposing sin that worship alone cannot touch. Public, explained engagement with the Word produces corporate confession and repentance that reshapes patterns of life. The Word’s authority is the pivot from sentimentalism to substantive change. [38:25]
• 4. Holiness and humble leadership God resists pride and honors humility; revival demands leaders who submit, not seek spotlight or programs. A renewed fear of the Lord and a reverence for His holiness recalibrate ministry goals from self-promotion to obedience. When leaders model brokenness and dependence, communities are freed to act in faith rather than ego. [55:28]
• 5. Revival overflows into missions Authentic moves of God do not self-contain; they spill outward into evangelism, mercy, and global mission. When repentance and power combine, the natural fruit is urgency to reach the lost and steward resources for kingdom impact. Revival that stays local misses the biblical mandate to make disciples across all nations. [63:02]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [30:35] - One Day to Feed the World
• [31:25] - How to Give
• [32:53] - Opening Prayer and Readiness
• [33:23] - Growing Hunger for God
• [34:03] - Following the New Testament Pattern
• [37:32] - Seven Signs of Revival
• [40:12] - Josiah: Word Restored
• [42:41] - Hezekiah: Worship & Generosity
• [44:46] - Ezra & Nehemiah: Word Explained
• [47:17] - Jonah: God's Reach to Nations
• [51:43] - Prayer: Extraordinary & Sustained
• [55:28] - Holiness, Humility, and Mission

1. In the story of King Josiah, what was discovered in the temple, and what was the king’s immediate, physical reaction when he heard it read? [41:00]
2. A pattern for a move of God was described with seven signs. What are the first three signs that usually precede a move of God? [37:32]
3. When Jehoshaphat and the nation of Judah faced a vast army, what two things did he admit in his prayer to God? [50:54]
4. What was Isaiah’s response after the angel touched his lips and his guilt was taken away? [56:07]

1. Jehoshaphat prayed, “We don’t know what to do, but our eyes, Lord, are on you.” [50:54] What does it mean to have our eyes on God when we feel powerless and overwhelmed by the problems in our nation or our personal lives? How does this posture differ from simply trying to figure out a solution on our own?
2. The Word of God was read publicly and explained, leading to corporate confession and repentance in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. [45:57] Why is the public reading and explanation of Scripture so crucial for a genuine move of God, as opposed to just private Bible reading?
3. Pride is said to stop revival faster than any persecution. [01:00:42] Why is humility in both leaders and the congregation so essential for God to move? In what ways can a desire for the “spotlight” kill a genuine work of God?
4. A true move of God doesn’t stay contained within the church but overflows into evangelism and missions. [01:02:00] Why is this outward focus the natural and necessary fruit of genuine revival? What does it say about a “revival” that remains self-focused?

1. We talked about how hunger for God precedes His work. It's not about getting experiences, but about knowing Him more. [37:32] On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your spiritual hunger right now? What practical steps could you take this week to move from convenience to obedience in your pursuit of God?
2. The fast may be over, but the call to sustained, extraordinary prayer continues. Revival dies when prayer becomes optional again. [53:25] What is one specific thing you can do to ensure prayer doesn't become optional in your life? How can our group support one another in making prayer a constant priority, not just a seasonal activity?
3. We were challenged to draw a circle, step inside, and pray, “God, send revival and let it start in this circle.” [01:05:25] What specific areas within your “circle”—your own heart, attitudes, or secret sins—need to be surrendered to God for revival to begin in you?
4. Generosity was a key mark of revival in Hezekiah's day. [43:24] We have the opportunity to be generous through "One Day to Feed the World." Beyond this offering, how can we cultivate a lifestyle of hilarious generosity that reflects a heart revived by God?
5. A move of God must transform things beyond the walls of any building. [39:34] Where in your daily life—your workplace, neighborhood, or family—can you be a catalyst for God's transforming power? What would it look like for revival to break out there?
6. We were reminded that God uses weak and flawed people, like Jonah, to accomplish His purposes. [47:55] Do you ever feel disqualified from being used by God because of your weaknesses? How does the truth of God’s sovereignty encourage you to step out in obedience, even when you feel reluctant or unworthy?