Haldor Lillenas, (1885 – 1959) a prolific hymn writer, pastor, and evangelist, wrote these words:

                I have found a deep peace that I never had known, And a joy this world could not afford

                Since I yielded control of my body and soul, To my wonderful , wonderful Lord

                I desire that my life shall be ordered by Thee, That my will be in perfect accord

                With Thine own sovereign will, Thy desires to fulfill, My wonderful, wonderful Lord

                All the talents I have I have laid at thy feet, Thy approval shall be my reward

                Be my store great or small, I surrender it all, To my wonderful, wonderful Lord

                Thy are fairer to me than the fairest on earth, Thou omnipotent life giving Word

                O Thou Ancient of Days, Thou art worthy all praise, My wonderful, wonderful Lord

Haldor Lillenas’ words inspire us toward complete submission to our Lord.   This is the realm where our pride must melt away and our self thoughts are burnt off like the morning dew as the light and heat of the sun [son] bears down.  

These thoughts also remind us of a phrase from perhaps a more familiar hymn: “O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, All because we do not carry, Everything to God in prayer.”

Philippians 4:6-7

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

There is much in our culture these days to cause believers to be anxious.   Our enemy has taken much territory belonging to the Lord.   The Church of Jesus Christ [each of us ] has for the most part stood by or worse in some cases invited this tragic territorial turnover of God’s rightful property into the hands of the enemy of our souls.

Where is the power to reverse this trend?  What is our plan?  How can we participate with God in the reclamation of His rightful glory in our land?    Is it not primarily by prayer?

Isaiah 40:3-5
³ The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
⁴ Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:
⁵ And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Wesley Duewel states in his book, Touch the World Through Prayer in reference to the above passage:

 “If we want to see great harvest and spiritual revival, our greatest need is for great praying.  This is the message of the Lord for today:  “Prepare the way of the Lord.” 

Prayer may not be the only means of preparation for spiritual revival.   But without passionate persistent praying, how can we expect God to “Rend the heavens and come down?”   He has clearly communicated His requirements:  We must humble ourselves and pray and seek His face and turn from our wicked ways!   It is then that we can receive His promise, to hear from heaven, to forgive our sins, and to heal our land.

Let us covenant to humbly pray.