1 00:00:00,580 --> 00:00:03,960 I believe the main reason we are not 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:07,560 seeing revival in our land today is a 3 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:09,040 lack of fervent prayer. 4 00:00:09,500 --> 00:00:12,660 I believe that our pulpits are powerless and 5 00:00:12,660 --> 00:00:17,080 without influence because there is no influential prayer 6 00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:18,620 life behind them. 7 00:00:18,940 --> 00:00:21,160 I believe a man is only as tall 8 00:00:21,160 --> 00:00:24,200 in the pulpit as he is long on 9 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,620 his knees in continued prayer. 10 00:00:26,620 --> 00:00:30,060 The spirit of Antichrist is in the land 11 00:00:30,060 --> 00:00:33,200 and society crumbles all around us and the 12 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,480 church seems powerless to do anything about it. 13 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,440 And I believe the answer can be traced 14 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,900 back to the day that the American church 15 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:45,820 threw the weekly prayer meeting out the window 16 00:00:45,820 --> 00:00:49,500 and replaced it with programs and entertainment. 17 00:00:49,500 --> 00:00:53,100 The powerhouse of the church is the engine 18 00:00:53,100 --> 00:00:55,760 of prayer and I'm afraid today that too 19 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,680 many of us have run out of gas. 20 00:00:58,340 --> 00:01:02,480 My message today, friends, is entitled, Hell-Shaken 21 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:05,320 Prayer, for I believe in my heart that 22 00:01:05,320 --> 00:01:07,820 if the people of God got on fire 23 00:01:07,820 --> 00:01:10,800 for God and laid hold of Him in 24 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,360 nights of desperate and prevailing prayer, we could 25 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:16,980 push back the powers of darkness in our 26 00:01:16,980 --> 00:01:20,380 communities and usher in a Holy Ghost revival 27 00:01:20,380 --> 00:01:23,580 that would shake this nation from coast to 28 00:01:23,580 --> 00:01:26,000 coast with its Hell-Shaken Prayer. 29 00:01:26,740 --> 00:01:29,360 My Bible says in the book of James, 30 00:01:29,860 --> 00:01:33,660 the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man 31 00:01:33,660 --> 00:01:35,220 availeth much. 32 00:01:35,220 --> 00:01:39,060 The key word in that sentence is righteous 33 00:01:39,060 --> 00:01:39,680 man. 34 00:01:40,300 --> 00:01:43,080 Too few today pursue a life of holiness 35 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:44,460 unto the Lord. 36 00:01:44,860 --> 00:01:48,020 Too few today give up their sports and 37 00:01:48,020 --> 00:01:51,640 entertainments and devote that time to prayer. 38 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:55,080 I was standing in line at the dry 39 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,780 cleaners the other day and the man ahead 40 00:01:57,780 --> 00:02:00,320 of me was all excited about our local 41 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:01,580 basketball team. 42 00:02:01,580 --> 00:02:04,140 And as he talked about it, he knew 43 00:02:04,140 --> 00:02:06,920 all the names of all the players and 44 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:08,220 what shots they made. 45 00:02:08,620 --> 00:02:11,340 And he almost leaped off his feet as 46 00:02:11,340 --> 00:02:13,380 he described it with such excitement. 47 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:17,220 I bet the average church member today could 48 00:02:17,220 --> 00:02:19,700 tell you all about their favorite sports team 49 00:02:19,700 --> 00:02:23,480 or favorite television program, but they couldn't name 50 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:26,640 the Ten Commandments or name more than five 51 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:30,120 of the twelve disciples of Christ, much less 52 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,560 quote large portions of scripture to you. 53 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:33,480 Why? 54 00:02:34,060 --> 00:02:37,320 We today in the church in North America 55 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,960 are consumed with our idols and care little 56 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:43,460 about the perishing world around us. 57 00:02:43,460 --> 00:02:46,220 And the proof of this is the time 58 00:02:46,220 --> 00:02:50,760 spent on indulging our pastimes and passions as 59 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,240 opposed to the time spent on our knees 60 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:54,940 and in our Bibles. 61 00:02:55,860 --> 00:02:59,640 It's been said that your average pastor only 62 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:01,740 spends ten minutes a day in prayer. 63 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:04,060 I bet he spends more time than that 64 00:03:04,060 --> 00:03:06,220 at the practice range at the golf course 65 00:03:06,220 --> 00:03:08,940 working on his handicap when he should be 66 00:03:08,940 --> 00:03:10,460 working on his sanctification. 67 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:14,260 But a desperate life of prayer costs something. 68 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,320 There is a price to be paid, and 69 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:18,820 few want to pay it. 70 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:21,820 When Jacob wrestled with the angel of God 71 00:03:21,820 --> 00:03:24,780 all night, it cost him physically for the 72 00:03:24,780 --> 00:03:25,840 rest of his life. 73 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,980 Because he walked with a limp, every step 74 00:03:28,980 --> 00:03:31,440 he took made him wince in pain. 75 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,600 But because of that desperate night of prayer, 76 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,820 God changed his name, changed Jacob's name from 77 00:03:38,820 --> 00:03:41,140 supplanter to prince with God. 78 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:45,720 I believe Leonard Ravenhill's heart attack was due 79 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:47,500 to a night of desperate prayer. 80 00:03:47,880 --> 00:03:49,940 He even said so himself. 81 00:03:50,460 --> 00:03:51,520 Listen, friends. 82 00:03:51,520 --> 00:03:54,640 What cost counts and what counts costs? 83 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:57,460 If we desire to have prayer lives which 84 00:03:57,460 --> 00:04:00,340 move mountains of resistance and shake the gates 85 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:02,540 of hell, then we must stay on our 86 00:04:02,540 --> 00:04:07,360 knees in brokenness and importunity until the answer 87 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:08,140 is gained. 88 00:04:09,180 --> 00:04:11,840 Jude speaks of praying in the Holy Ghost. 89 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,740 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your 90 00:04:16,740 --> 00:04:20,459 most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. 91 00:04:21,740 --> 00:04:24,640 To pray in the Holy Ghost means that 92 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:27,000 you first must be anointed by the Holy 93 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,160 Ghost, filled with the Holy Ghost, and sensitive 94 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:31,440 to the Holy Ghost. 95 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:33,600 For to pray in the power of the 96 00:04:33,600 --> 00:04:38,640 Spirit means unobstructed access to the Almighty, influence 97 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:41,420 to gain His attention, and power to attain 98 00:04:41,420 --> 00:04:44,220 answers to our pleading petitions. 99 00:04:44,220 --> 00:04:48,000 For praying in the Holy Ghost storms the 100 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,620 portals of heaven with violence, shuts up the 101 00:04:50,620 --> 00:04:53,820 heavens from rain, and makes fire fall upon 102 00:04:53,820 --> 00:04:56,520 the drenched altar of sacrifice. 103 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,760 It makes kings tremble and kingdoms shake. 104 00:05:00,340 --> 00:05:03,400 For a man praying in the power of 105 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:06,400 the Holy Ghost has the ability to shake 106 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,440 strong cities off their foundations, and the potential 107 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,920 to send mountains tumbling into the sea, to 108 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,880 startle the very angels of heaven and rattle 109 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:18,760 the red-hot gates of hell. 110 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,540 A man full of the Spirit and anointed 111 00:05:22,540 --> 00:05:25,120 with the Spirit, and praying in the Spirit 112 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:29,600 knows no resistance, has no opposition, fears no 113 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:33,640 earthly mortal, and conquers all unearthly enemies. 114 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,460 For praying in the power of the Holy 115 00:05:36,460 --> 00:05:40,260 Ghost is the essence that makes prayer effectual 116 00:05:40,260 --> 00:05:41,340 and fervent. 117 00:05:41,660 --> 00:05:45,560 As the Apostle declares, the effectual fervent prayer 118 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,140 of a righteous man availeth much. 119 00:05:48,940 --> 00:05:51,320 For a righteous man to be praying with 120 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,660 fervency and heat in the Holy Ghost is 121 00:05:54,660 --> 00:05:58,380 to have great influence upon one's generation and 122 00:05:58,380 --> 00:06:00,620 avail much for eternity. 123 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,860 Listen to this story that a pastor shared 124 00:06:04,860 --> 00:06:07,040 with me one day while I was having 125 00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:07,960 lunch with him. 126 00:06:08,380 --> 00:06:12,000 He was a pastor from Glasgow, Scotland, and 127 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:13,920 he told me that he and some other 128 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:17,620 pastors in his city grew concerned over the 129 00:06:17,620 --> 00:06:20,060 growing evil in their community. 130 00:06:20,780 --> 00:06:23,620 Drug use was on the rise, crime had 131 00:06:23,620 --> 00:06:28,340 increased, and out-of-wedlock pregnancies among teenage 132 00:06:28,340 --> 00:06:30,600 girls had literally skyrocketed. 133 00:06:30,840 --> 00:06:32,940 He told me that there used to be 134 00:06:32,940 --> 00:06:36,820 a city banner that was prominently displayed throughout 135 00:06:36,820 --> 00:06:40,680 the city of Glasgow which read, Let Glasgow 136 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,140 Flourish in the Name of the Lord. 137 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:47,880 But some godless civic leaders decided to change 138 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,000 the city's model to Let Glasgow Flourish, leaving 139 00:06:52,000 --> 00:06:53,360 out the name of the Lord. 140 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,460 They took God out of the sentence. 141 00:06:56,460 --> 00:06:59,700 When that happened, the city began to fall 142 00:06:59,700 --> 00:07:04,860 into a moral tailspin, and evil increased daily. 143 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,940 Well, this pastor and his minister friends decided 144 00:07:08,940 --> 00:07:11,560 to do something about it, so they decided 145 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:14,380 to meet on a weekly basis to pray 146 00:07:14,380 --> 00:07:17,320 for their city, for their city of Glasgow. 147 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,700 They gave up their social lives to commit 148 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:23,600 this time to prayer, pleading with God to 149 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,280 make a difference in their community. 150 00:07:26,060 --> 00:07:29,700 After some months of desperate prayer by these 151 00:07:29,700 --> 00:07:33,260 dedicated men, they began to see a difference 152 00:07:33,260 --> 00:07:35,040 in the life of their city. 153 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:39,380 Crime decreased, drug use decreased, and out-of 154 00:07:39,380 --> 00:07:41,580 -wedlock pregnancies decreased. 155 00:07:41,580 --> 00:07:44,820 This little band of men laid hold of 156 00:07:44,820 --> 00:07:47,980 God in such prevailing prayer that eventually they 157 00:07:47,980 --> 00:07:50,720 pushed back the powers of darkness in their 158 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:51,340 community. 159 00:07:52,380 --> 00:07:54,760 You see, friends, when the light of the 160 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,980 gospel grows dim through watered-down preaching and 161 00:07:58,980 --> 00:08:01,900 lack of prayer, then a vacuum is created, 162 00:08:02,380 --> 00:08:05,260 and that vacuum is soon filled with darkness. 163 00:08:05,260 --> 00:08:09,600 Why can't you, in your city, in your 164 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,760 community, band together with some other believers and 165 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:16,980 commit to one another and God that you 166 00:08:16,980 --> 00:08:20,420 will give up your social lives, your entertainments 167 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:24,200 to desperate prayer until you see God move 168 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:25,220 in a mighty way? 169 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,400 Listen, friends, if we can make a difference 170 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:30,900 for God in our city, and if enough 171 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:34,260 prayer warriors emerge in other cities, this entire 172 00:08:34,260 --> 00:08:36,080 nation could be moved for God. 173 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:39,760 The result would be that there would be 174 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:42,299 so much hell-shaking prayer going on that 175 00:08:42,299 --> 00:08:45,120 this very nation would begin to tremble under 176 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:47,700 the influence of God and His Holy Spirit. 177 00:08:48,300 --> 00:08:49,800 This is the way to revival. 178 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,600 But, oh friends, a desperate life of prayer 179 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:56,540 is a sacrifice, and you must be prepared 180 00:08:56,540 --> 00:08:57,120 for it. 181 00:08:57,120 --> 00:08:59,480 God may have you in a trial right 182 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:02,600 now to turn it into a vital place 183 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,140 of influential prayer for Him. 184 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,740 You see, friends, when God allows us to 185 00:09:08,740 --> 00:09:12,040 go through a trial or storm, He has 186 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:13,700 a larger purpose in view. 187 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:17,480 He often brings us to places of brokenness 188 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:21,360 where we become like the broken alabaster box, 189 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,000 for to be broken alabaster boxes means to 190 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:28,340 have a fragrant life pleasing to the Lord. 191 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,460 We become better prayer warriors through trials, and 192 00:09:32,460 --> 00:09:35,440 our faith is tested and increased through these 193 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:36,420 tribulations. 194 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,800 For a prayer life that grips the attention 195 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:43,920 of the heavenly throne room is not built 196 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:47,760 beneath calm sunny skies, but shaped during dark 197 00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:49,580 sorrow-filled nights. 198 00:09:49,940 --> 00:09:53,180 A serious prayer life is hammered out on 199 00:09:53,180 --> 00:09:56,960 the anvil of pain and anguish, desperation and 200 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,480 despair, when hope hangs on a tattered thread 201 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:02,780 and all human resources are gone. 202 00:10:03,200 --> 00:10:06,840 There and only there does the answer to 203 00:10:06,840 --> 00:10:07,960 the request come. 204 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:10,700 Here is where the vital prayer life commences, 205 00:10:10,700 --> 00:10:13,900 which gains the cupped ear of the Almighty 206 00:10:13,900 --> 00:10:17,360 as He leans over to listen more intently 207 00:10:17,360 --> 00:10:21,300 to the pathetic sobs and anguished heart cries, 208 00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,060 which in desperation reach out for His robe 209 00:10:25,060 --> 00:10:28,060 of righteousness to grab hold of and not 210 00:10:28,060 --> 00:10:30,460 let go till the answer is attained. 211 00:10:31,260 --> 00:10:33,860 To become a person of prayer is to 212 00:10:33,860 --> 00:10:37,660 be a shrill holy note which continually rings 213 00:10:37,660 --> 00:10:40,360 the ears of angels and rattles the gates 214 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:41,020 of glory. 215 00:10:41,380 --> 00:10:44,640 Listen friends, a true prayer life is not 216 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:48,080 born out of comforts and prosperity, but through 217 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:49,500 trials and adversity. 218 00:10:50,460 --> 00:10:53,320 In your leanness, you will learn to lean 219 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:54,280 upon Him. 220 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,900 Through your rolling on stormy seas, you will 221 00:10:58,900 --> 00:11:02,780 learn how to effectively storm heaven's portals for 222 00:11:02,780 --> 00:11:03,620 deliverance. 223 00:11:03,620 --> 00:11:09,440 When friends fail, disappoint, and desert you, you 224 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,500 will seek and find favor with your faithful 225 00:11:12,500 --> 00:11:13,900 friend, Jesus. 226 00:11:14,620 --> 00:11:17,540 A desperate life of prayer shakes the gates 227 00:11:17,540 --> 00:11:21,020 of hell and influences our generation all for 228 00:11:21,020 --> 00:11:22,140 the glory of God. 229 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:23,660 Do you believe that? 230 00:11:24,140 --> 00:11:24,720 I do. 231 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:27,680 A strong prayer life will make you fear 232 00:11:27,680 --> 00:11:29,480 God and not man. 233 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:33,520 John Wesley said the following, Give me one 234 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:36,860 hundred men who fear nothing but God and 235 00:11:36,860 --> 00:11:39,280 hate nothing but sin, and I will shake 236 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:40,360 the gates of hell. 237 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:42,340 And he did just that. 238 00:11:42,740 --> 00:11:44,280 We can do it too, friends. 239 00:11:44,600 --> 00:11:47,180 Wesley was just a man and a short 240 00:11:47,180 --> 00:11:49,440 one at that, but he was long on 241 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:51,780 prayer and he stood tall in the pulpit 242 00:11:51,780 --> 00:11:53,760 because of his mighty prayer life. 243 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,920 Oh friend, I beg you to fall to 244 00:11:57,920 --> 00:12:00,660 your knees and confess your lack of prayer 245 00:12:00,660 --> 00:12:01,300 to God. 246 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:04,840 Be honest with Him and ask Him to 247 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,060 help you redeem the time in your generation 248 00:12:08,060 --> 00:12:10,880 to show you the foolishness of your favorite 249 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,740 pastimes and the wasted time consumed on them. 250 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:17,440 It is time to put away our idols 251 00:12:17,440 --> 00:12:19,920 and lay hold of God for this lost 252 00:12:19,920 --> 00:12:24,300 and perishing generation of hellbound sinners and hellbound 253 00:12:24,300 --> 00:12:26,100 unconverted church members. 254 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,760 Dear brother pastor, if you want power with 255 00:12:29,760 --> 00:12:33,500 God and influence over man, go to your 256 00:12:33,500 --> 00:12:35,280 knees and stay there. 257 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,460 Ask God to make your very bones a 258 00:12:38,460 --> 00:12:40,920 fire for Him to where you can ignite 259 00:12:40,920 --> 00:12:44,180 others with your holy life of prayer and 260 00:12:44,180 --> 00:12:45,180 powerful preaching. 261 00:12:45,660 --> 00:12:48,100 This is a call to the pulpits in 262 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:50,560 our land to take back this land for 263 00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:53,380 God and for our children and our grandchildren. 264 00:12:53,860 --> 00:12:55,240 Go to your knees, church. 265 00:12:55,580 --> 00:12:56,760 Fall on your face. 266 00:12:57,180 --> 00:12:59,900 Beg God to bow heaven and earth on 267 00:12:59,900 --> 00:13:03,120 our behalf and pour water upon this dry, 268 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,520 thirsty land of ours today. 269 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:07,600 Let me pray. 270 00:13:09,280 --> 00:13:13,080 Oh great God, you are the Ancient of 271 00:13:13,080 --> 00:13:13,580 Days. 272 00:13:14,020 --> 00:13:17,240 You are holy and you are worthy to 273 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,020 be praised. 274 00:13:18,020 --> 00:13:22,000 Give us the grace, oh Lord, to seek 275 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,960 thy face in desperate and prevailing prayer. 276 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,200 Give us the power of your Holy Spirit 277 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,160 to pray in the Spirit so that kingdoms 278 00:13:32,160 --> 00:13:33,660 will be shaken for thee. 279 00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:37,500 Oh great God, forgive us for our selfish 280 00:13:37,500 --> 00:13:42,660 enterprises, our wasted time spent on useless things, 281 00:13:43,260 --> 00:13:46,840 things that don't matter, things that you see 282 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:49,700 as dust in light of eternity. 283 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:53,500 Help us, Lord Jesus, to be persons of 284 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:57,460 prayer, mighty persons of prayer that you empower 285 00:13:57,460 --> 00:13:59,720 to perform your purpose. 286 00:14:00,500 --> 00:14:03,100 Help us to shake the very gates of 287 00:14:03,100 --> 00:14:05,800 hell with such power that we push back 288 00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:09,220 the darkness in our communities and usher in 289 00:14:09,220 --> 00:14:12,560 your presence in a Holy Ghost revival that 290 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:16,920 will grip this nation with the awful solemnity 291 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:18,760 of your presence. 292 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:23,520 Come, oh Lord, and take the field in 293 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,960 a great revival of religion, I pray. 294 00:14:26,620 --> 00:14:30,180 Come pour your Spirit upon this dry and 295 00:14:30,180 --> 00:14:31,240 wasted land. 296 00:14:31,820 --> 00:14:33,100 Come save our children. 297 00:14:33,780 --> 00:14:35,180 Come save our grandchildren. 298 00:14:36,180 --> 00:14:40,820 Come, Lord Jesus, and once again permeate our 299 00:14:40,820 --> 00:14:45,960 sanctuaries with your presence and your preeminence, I 300 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,980 pray in the strong name of Jesus Christ 301 00:14:49,980 --> 00:14:50,740 our Lord. 302 00:14:51,180 --> 00:14:51,720 Amen.