Gospel With JD GreearSample

Gospel Faith

In September 1857 a movement known as the Layman’s Prayer Revival began that would spark revival across the United States. A man named Jeremiah Lanphier began a prayer meeting for New York City businessmen that would meet every day at noon. Only six people attended the first meeting, but by spring more daily prayer meetings had formed across the city, and attendance swelled to ten thousand. God began saving every type of person in a movement that captivated the entire country. These men began this prayer meeting hoping for a moral recovery of America, but a full-scale salvation movement ensued among people of every class in every major city. It’s believed that more than one million people were saved during this time. A group of simple laymen believed God was willing and able to send revival, and they asked God on behalf of a city in desperate need.

This same pattern takes place throughout the Book of Acts. Acts is the story of a group of disciples who believed that Jesus loves sinners as much as the gospel shows that He does. God uses the prayers of believers to unleash His power in the world. When we begin to see the gospel for everything it is, we recognize God’s great compassion for humankind and His power to act on its behalf. The gospel changes the way we pray. Sometimes skepticism makes us think God doesn’t do miracles anymore. Yet God is and has always been both willing and able to act for our good and His glory. He most clearly demonstrated this truth in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

As we pray, we measure God’s compassion by the cross and His power by the resurrection. The gospel transforms the way we pray. Instead of settling for a mediocre prayer life, this session will open our eyes to the dynamic prayer life that awaits us as we tap into the stream of God’s mercy.