Watch and Pray
“Organized missionary work and world evangelism as we know it today really did not exist in the western world until God lit a fire in the hearts of the Moravians through the ‘watch of the Lord.’ It was no accident that God restored the fire on the altar first, and then ignited a passion for lost souls in the world through prayer.” – Pastor James Goll
“In an era when missionary outreach was almost non-existent, the Moravians covered the world, going places where most refused to go. They suffered disease, poverty, and death, all to have the honor of being called “Ambassadors for Christ.” Half a century later, William Carey, the father of modern foreign missions, asked his Baptist brethren these historic words: “See what the Moravians have done? Cannot we follow their example.. and preach the Gospel to the heathen?”
The well known German historian of “Protestant Misisons,” Dr. Warneck, testifies: “This small group of people in twenty years, called into being more missions than the whole Church has done in two centuries.” This missionary work, that would soon fill the Kingdom of God, was birthed by intense intercessory prayer. Perched atop a prayer tower, these nearly forgotten prayer warriors took turns praying 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from 1727 – 1827 – 100 years nonstop! – Frank J Di Pietro
Unfortunately it wasn’t always this way. In the early 1700’s a group of Christians called the Moravians were fleeing from intense persecution in Bohemia, Poland and Moravia. In 1722 a lone Christian refugee named Christian David showed up at an estate owned by Count Ludwig Von Zinzendorf requesting permission to settle a group of these refugees on Zinzendorfs’ property. It wasn’t long until Christian returned with 300 of these refugees building a community of believers there on the estate. They called the community, “Herrnhut” or the “Lord’s Watch.” Author Di Pietro continues: Zinzendorf immediately “sensed a spiritual kinship” with these humble people. It wasn’t long before Herrnhut began growing and accepted refugees from other doctrinal persuasions. Now there were not onlyMoravians, but also Lutherans, Calvinists, Catholics, Separatists, Reformed, and Anabaptists. They were all seeking the fellowship of others who were looking for a heavenly city. The vision of Count Zinzendorf was that of the restoration of the apostolic community. He worked to establish a community of prayer, encouragement, and accountability. It wasn’t something that happened overnight. As you imagine, with such a wide diversity, doctrinal disputes arose, along with bickering over which style of liturgy or worship was appropriate. It even went so far as calling the Count the “Beast” mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Yet Zinzendorf refused to defend himself going from house to house, counseling each family from the Scriptures, teaching, and exhorting them.
“Before long the small community was becoming one as more and more homes were opening day and night for prayer, fellowship, and teaching. Small groups began holding all night prayer vigils, and it seemed almost weekly that the spiritual unity and the bonds of love were becoming perceptively stronger.” – Di Pietro
On May 12 Zinzendorf led the community in covenanting together to pray and labor for revival. Services held at this time usually ended in weeping, deep repentance, and lying prostrate on the floor. “By August 5th, anticipation was building to the point where many did not want to sleep for fear that they would miss something God was doing. One meeting started at noon and ended at midnight. The entire community walked as one in God, full of repentance and consecration. On Wednesday, August 13, Count Zinzendorf visited every house in Herrnhut in preparation for the Lord’s Supper. Everyone had come to a conviction of their sinfulness, need and helplessness. During the service, they made many painful prayers for themselves, for fellow Christians still under persecution, and for their continued unity. At that time, Count Zinzendorf made a penitential confession in the name of the entire congregation. The congregation knelt and sang, then began praying for one another. – Di Pietro
Suddenly with the sound of a mighty rushing wind, the power of the Holy Spirit swept across the congregation in waves. The noise of the wind was loud enough that many in the church looked toward the windows expecting to see a gale raging outside. The manifestation of the Spirit was not relegated within the four walls of the church, but fell throughout the community. Men, women, and children were touched as a passion for God and His purpose swept through their hearts. – Di Pietro
Zinzendorf records: “It was such a sense of nearness of Christ bestowed in a single moment upon all members of the community at once; it was so unanimous that two members, at work twenty miles away, unaware that the meeting was being held, became at the same moment smitten with the same blessing and anointing.”
One Moravian remembers: “We had quit judging each other because we had become convinced, each one, of his lack of worth in the sight of God. On that day of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we saw the Hand of God and His wonders. We were all under the Cloud of the Father baptized with His Spirit. As the Holy Ghost came upon us, great signs and wonders took place in our midst. From that time, scarcely a day passed but what we beheld His Almighty workings among us. A great hunger after the Word of God took possession of us, so that we had to have three services every day. Everyone desired above everything else that the Holy Spirit might have full control. Self-love and self-will as well as all disobedience disappeared and an overwhelming flood of grace swept us all out into the great ocean of Divine Love.”
Jesus reminds us in Lukes Gospel of the importance of watching and praying: Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.(Luke 21:36 AMPC) The question is, Are we willing to turn our faces away from the anesthesia of entertainment and turn to Face God in prayer?
