Even as we pray for national deliverance from the dark forces aligned against us, we must also consider the cost of maintaining our victory. Many are praying for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit to permeate our land so that a fear of the Lord will awaken hearts and bring the lost to salvation, but there is a cost to such a breakthrough. We must prepare our hearts and our lives for the needed changes and shifts that will be required to steward such an outpouring of His presence.

Salvation comes freely and God’s grace is unmerited. However, preparing a place for a holy God to come and put things in order is something else. The visitations of past decades have been powerful preludes of what is to come, but the Church needs to consider the price tag of the pervasive and transforming spiritual revival that we desperately need.

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Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where will my resting place be? (Isaiah 66:1)

God is looking for a place to land, a place to build His habitation. If we truly want His righteousness to rule the land, we must prepare a place for His presence to dwell. If we are looking for God’s presence and power to come to our cities and nation in order to redeem, restore, and transform—it’s going to cost us. It will cost us personally and corporately. It will require giving up old mindsets in order to embrace the new wineskins He is preparing so that we can hold what He wants to pour out.

Six Targeted Areas of Repentance

The following issues have become roadblocks in our corporate pursuit of a great spiritual awakening. Pray through each of these and repent for any agreement with these attitudes, either personally or corporately.

OUR OFFENSES

Unity in the Church is not just about denominational networking. It’s about extending forgiveness to those who have hurt us—especially fellow believers. There are many who have left the Church because of offense. It’s time to forgive and get plugged in again. The Lord has been calling back His “runaway brides.” Those who have been hurt or overlooked in times past are being drawn back to the family of God to get reattached, for the Body can’t function without all the parts. Facing past issues will not always be easy. This will require humbling ourselves and embracing one another’s faults and weaknesses in the journey.

This outpouring will cost us our pride and the need to be right. (Jeremiah 9:23-24; Matthew 5:23-25; James 4:6; Proverbs 19:11; Romans 12:18)

OUR SCHEDULES

We have to stay together and walk together no matter what. We must learn to walk in commitment and not just when it’s convenient. This applies at all levels—commitment to our spouse, commitment to our families, and, yes, commitment to the Body of Christ. This means that we determine to contribute our God-given talents wherever He commands—not just when it’s convenient or easy. We must choose to be faithful and consistent members of the Body of Christ, even when it’s difficult, making it a priority rather than just another option.

This outpouring will cost us our overloaded schedules. (Psalm 133; Romans 12:9-21; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26)

OUR UNHEALTHY TIES

Ungodly soul ties and generational curses can slowly drain us of the life of God until we revoke the legal ground of the enemy and receive God’s intended blessings. Vows or oaths we have made to any group or individual that are not true to the Word of God will rob us of our spiritual inheritance and choke off our blessings and intimacy with Jesus. Our pursuit of holiness is not a religious ritual but a requirement to come before the presence of a Holy God.

This outpouring will, more than likely, cost us some unhealthy relationships. (Deuteronomy 14:2; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

OUR REPUTATIONS

This is a team effort, which will require all the gifts and all hands on deck. Our culture desperately needs healthy spiritual fathers and mothers with a heart to raise up others to take their place. Servant leadership was God’s idea, and it’s what Jesus exemplified as He raised up spiritual sons to go further than He did. His greatest authority (and joy) came when He laid down His life and gave it away for others. God is looking for healthy leaders who care more about His house than their personal status. God will get all the glory when the world sees such leaders who serve rather than seek to be served.

This outpouring will cost us self-promoting reputation. (1 John 2:12-14; John 14; 1 Corinthians 4:15-16; Philippians 2:1-11)

OUR LACK OF PATIENCE

Sustained prayer and intercession require perseverance over the long haul. When we don’t see immediate results, we get frustrated and either stop praying or try another prayer. Many times, God is simply inviting us to dig deeper in order to get to the roots of our issues. To Him, the process is just as important as the destination. The character, maturity, and spiritual insight that is gained through persistent prayer, study, and reflection brings us closer to His heart and ways. Jesus was always the hardest on His disciples as He challenged them in their thinking and perspectives. He wasn’t as concerned with giving them the answers as He was with getting to their hearts.

This outpouring will cost us our need for quick fixes. (Romans 5:1-5; 8:26-30; Hebrews 6:11-12)

OUR TIME

The Lord is looking for a place like home. For Heaven to come to earth, we must prepare that place for Him to come. This is not just allegory but actual. Cities, congregations, and ministries that have already experienced a measure of His manifest presence testify to the power of preparing such a place. This should be normal for the Church—the starting place for lasting transformation! Are we willing to host Heaven and prepare a place for Him to not only visit, but stay? Are we willing to prepare the sanctuary and our schedules to make room for Him to come as we wait in His presence? Are we willing to become like the five virgins who took the time to fill their lamps with oil, readying themselves for the Bridegroom?

This outpouring will cost us our time. (Exodus 33:14-16; 1 Samuel 3; Isaiah 57:14-15; 66:1)

Pray through each of these concerns personally but, more importantly, as a community of believers. Consider how to adjust your mindsets and expectations in order to align with God’s heart and purposes as the Church. Go beyond repentance to seeking new beliefs and practices to displace that which is unhealthy, ungodly, and lacking in spiritual power. Determine to become new wineskins, able to hold that which God wants to release at all levels of our society.

We are not just preparing to bring in the lost, save a city, or deliver a nation. We are preparing to live with a Holy God whose presence is overwhelming, life-changing, and supernatural. It will be worth the cost.

• From PRAYER THAT SPARKS NATIONAL REVIVAL by Wanda Alger, available for a donation of any amount. CLICK HERE TO ORDER.