Revival is breaking out in areas such as Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Fort Jackson in South Carolina. Why? God is faithful and answers our prayers.

More than 20 years ago, a group of young army chaplains gathered to humble themselves before the Lord and pray for revival and spiritual awakening among the men and women serving in the U.S. military. Even now, one Southern Baptist chaplain has been praying for revival within military communities for more than 40 years.

Today, God is beginning to answer those prayers in wonderful ways as troops are increasingly hungry for spiritual truth. Over the past few years, Southern Baptist military chaplains have recorded more than 35,000 professions of faith. That’s what can happen when God’s people unite in faithful prayer toward revival and spiritual awakening.

For the eighth consecutive year, the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s (BSCNC) Office of Prayer has developed a devotional prayer guide for a 30-day prayer emphasis in October for revival and spiritual awakening. The prayer emphasis is held the month prior to the BSCNC’s Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for Nov. 11-12.

This year’s devotional — titled “God’s Great Work” in connection with the Annual Meeting theme — is based primarily on James 4, which illustrates how God’s people can return to the Lord through genuine repentance and experience revival God’s way. James 4:1-17 reminds believers of three basic realities concerning revival and spiritual awakening:

1. God’s people are often hindered in their vital spiritual life and ability to experience God in revival because of unconfessed sins such as worldliness, prayerlessness, lustful desires and disunity (James 4:1-4).

2. God’s Holy Spirit jealously pursues and convicts believers concerning their need to repent and experience the grace of God through His forgiveness (James 4:5-6).

3. God invites His people to experience a renewed relationship and revived life His way — through genuine repentance and humble submission to God’s will through holiness and fruitful service.

When God’s people return to Him in a restored vital spiritual life, they are once again in a position to fan the flames of God’s great work in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

When God’s people return to Him in a restored vital spiritual life, they are once again in a position to fan the flames of God’s great work in the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.

The “God’s Great Work” devotional includes a daily Scripture and devotional reading with accompanying prayer prompts and points of application. Questions are also included for deeper reflection, as well as space for journaling and links to corresponding videos for sections of the guide.

Each N.C. Baptist church will receive a printed copy of the prayer guide by mail. Churches may also order additional printed copies by calling the Office of Prayer at (919) 459-5513 or by visiting prayfor30days.org.

The resource is also available as a free download at prayfor30days.org. At the site, individuals may also register to receive daily prayer prompts throughout October via text messaging. Prayer prompts in English are available by texting the phrase “pray30days” to 313131. Participants may sign up to receive daily devotionals sent to them via email each day in October.

The prayer guide and email devotionals are also available in Spanish by visiting orepor30dias.org. Prayer prompts can be received via text in Spanish by texting the phrase “ore30dias” to 313131.

Those who received prayer prompts via text messages last year will be automatically enrolled to receive them again this year.

Although the 30-day prayer emphasis is planned for October, the desire is that believers would pray for revival and spiritual awakening on a consistent basis. Because of this, each prayer guide is undated so they can be used at any time throughout the year.

Additional prayer resources, including downloadable copies of previous year’s prayer guides, are available online at PrayNC.org or prayfor30days.org.

Join us Nov. 11-12 for our Annual Meeting.

Email [email protected] or call (800) 395-5102