The Hour Is Late, But It’s Revival Time!

This article recounts the incredible 1857 revival sparked by Jeremiah Lanphier’s simple prayer meeting in New York—and how it swept the nation with spiritual renewal. It reminds us that the hour is late, but it’s revival time, calling readers to believe that God can ignite a fresh awakening today just as He did then. Through prayer and surrender, a weary world can still encounter peace, power, and purpose.

In 1857 a businessman named Jeremiah Lanphier felt led by God to start a weekly prayer meeting for business people in downtown New York City. He found a place and opened it up to anyone who wanted to pray, whether for a few minutes or an hour. Little did Lanphier know he was about to change the country.

The prayer meetings started on September 23. Lanphier prayed alone for half an hour, and eventually a few other men joined him. By early October there were 40 people in attendance.

Lanphier then decided to meet daily, and in one week there were over 100 people present. Some were unsaved and received salvation. Others gained a burning desire for prayer and a new love for people.

Soon some pastors started opening their churches for morning prayer. Newspapers started reporting that the Spirit of God was remarkably evident in these gatherings, and “prayer meeting fever” began to spread to homes across the country.

God heard these prayers. As thousands gathered daily in fervent prayer, it’s estimated that 50,000 people a week were being converted!

Today we desperately need this kind of spiritual awakening in the United States, the United Kingdom, and other nations. Lord, revive us again!

The hour is late, but I believe there’s still time for God to shake the nations with a mighty spiritual awakening. As He did in the days of Jeremiah Lanphier, He wants to bring revival in our day as well.

We live in a world that is absolutely desperate—not for more money, new inventions, or more technology—but for peace, hope, love, and joy. It’s time for people’s mundane religious life to be replaced by a true relationship with the living God. And we urgently need a new move of God’s Spirit to break out among our young people—especially those who’ve been taken captive by the gods of idolatry, drugs, pornography, homosexuality, and materialism.

Apart from Jesus, people will be doomed to hopelessness, both in this life and in eternity. But through the power of Jesus Christ, lives will be changed and people will know God’s love and the peace that surpasses all understanding. No matter what may happen in this present world, they will lay their head down at night with perfect peace that He is working all things together for their good.

…

In a world starving for peace and purpose, the 1857 revival reminds us that the hour is late, but it’s revival time—will you join in?