God Comes Where He is Wanted

This past weekend, I had the joy of attending Passion, which is a conference of young adults ages 18-25 uniting in worship, prayer, and Biblical teaching. Throughout the weekend, I watched 20,000 young adults worship and praise the Lord, likeminded in their love and adoration for Him. We sat under the Biblical teachings of spiritual leaders such as Louie Giglio, Jon Tyson, Jonathan Pokluda, Christine Caine, and Sadie Robertson. I was moved to the point of tears multiple times throughout the conference, so encouraged by the love that I saw in my peers for their King.

Every message we heard was so special, but the one I keep thinking about is Jon Tyson’s, which was a powerful message about revival. The key point of Tyson’s message was this: God comes where He is wanted. He talked about a “revival tour” that he took his family on, where they traveled to places all around the world where the Lord had made His presence known, and where revival had broken out.

During a visit to a tiny church in a tiny town in a small cluster of islands off the coast of Scotland called the Hebrides, he learned about two sisters who began begging the Lord to show up and bring revival to their town, and He answered in mighty ways. The Tysons also visited a church in Wales where, during a time that the country was full of non-believers and those who scoffed at the Lord, a 16 year old girl stood up and said “I love Jesus with all of my heart.” She prayed continually and with boldness for revival, and revival came. The common thread in each of the places that Tyson visited was this; there was always someone who wanted God to show up, and boldly approached the throne in prayer asking God to do so. Tyson asked God, “Why did you show up in this tiny town in Scotland? Why not New York or England?” and the Lord’s reply was, “This is where I was wanted”. 

The Psalms (I know I reference them often when I write these emails, but they are just SO GOOD) are full of examples of David and others crying out to God and begging Him to move.

Psalm 102:1-2

“Hear my prayer, O Lord, let my cry come to you! Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! Incline your ear to me; answer me speedily in the day when I call!”

Psalm 107:6

“Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress”

Psalm 108:5-6

“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! That your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by your right hand and answer me!”

David is crying out to the Lord for widespread deliverance, for freedom, that His Name would be proclaimed and that He would deliver His beloved children. In my own life, it has been far too easy to grow discouraged and complacent in the way I pray and the things I pray for. I fall into the trap of believing that I am just one person, who am I to pray for the Lord to do something great like a widespread revival? Or even revival in the smaller communities I am a part of! But we see it in the Psalms and we see it in the move of God all over the world, He shows up where He is wanted!

We live in a time where people are desperate for truth and for life, what better time to get on our knees and pray that God would deliver those things? My encouragement to you this week is this; pray like David. Pray like the sisters in Scotland, like the 16 year old girl in Wales, like countless others all around the world who have invited God to move in their communities. Be bold in your prayers. Cry out to God to save the lost and to make His presence known and tangible. Pray that people would be touched by His love in a way that changes the trajectory of their lives forever. Hebrews 4:15-16 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Because of the sacrifice of God’s perfect Son, Jesus Christ, we each have the ability and freedom to approach the throne of the most high God with CONFIDENCE! So do it! Approach Him with confidence!

Pray boldly for the things that sit heavily on your heart. Ask the Lord to burden your heart with the things that burden His heart, and pray boldlyl. He is a kind God who loves to listen and who loves to show up where He is wanted.

Prayer points: 

• Lord, would You bring revival and new life to Your people? “That Your beloved ones may be delivered, give salvation by Your right hand and answer me!”

• Father, burden my heart for the things that burden Your heart.

• Lord, I want You here. Touch my heart and touch the hearts of those around me in such a way that they have no choice but to acknowledge Your goodness and Your overwhelming love.

Precious Father,

We thank You for the confidence we have in the sacrifice of Your Son, confidence to approach Your throne boldly and pray big prayers on behalf of all of Your children. God, bring revival to this nation, to this world. Pour Your love out on us and make Yourself known. You are wanted here, we want You here, I want You here.

In Jesus’ holy Name, 

Amen.

Through Christ alone,

Rachel Crites