Prayer prepares you for what God has prepared for you. Prayer does not just prepare an answer; it prepares us for an answer. When you pray for revival, God is not just preparing the revival but He is preparing the church for the revival. Judges 16:26-30

Comparisons between Samson and the church:

Samson was born anointed. He did not get his anointing later on in life. The church in the book of Acts did not start without the anointing; it was born on the day of Pentecost. Samson went against the gates – the gates of hell could not prevail against the church. When you are anointed, your biggest war is not going to be against another church but the spiritual gates and strongholds of the enemy, (Matthew 16:18).

When Samson was anointed, he sent foxes into the enemy fields, the early church did the same thing and the anointed church does the same thing today; we empower ‘foxes,’ young believers, revivalists and ministers. Samson killed with a jawbone – the early church advanced the call of Jesus through the jawbone. They preached the gospel and 3000 people were saved on Pentecost. Till this day, God wants to use your mouth. 

Samson compromised and lost his anointing – the church went through the dark ages. Today’s compromise becomes tomorrow’s chain. Yesterday’s complacency is today’s compromise. We are called not to conform to this world if we want to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. God never called us to be popular; He called us to be powerful. 

Samson was bound, blinded and went in circles – the dark ages church was without vision, power or purpose. Samson was led to his last victory by a child. The youth will play a role in the last days revival. There is a quickening taking place, in which God is raising up teenagers and young leaders. The passion of the young and wisdom of the old will march the church into the greatest revival it has ever seen.

Samson had the greatest victory at the end of his life. I believe the church will have the greatest impact on the world in the last days (Matthew 24:14). Samson lost his life in the victory – the church will also face its greatest persecution with the greatest revival. The Philistines did not take Samson’s life, he gave his life away. That will be the price for the greatest revival: your life

Lord, prepare me for revival and prepare this revival for me. I want to be used for revival in Your Kingdom in Jesus’ name.

[Blog post is written by Edward Gardiner; Sermon by Vladimir Savchuk]