It’s ten o’clock and we are trying to gather everyone for prayer before bedtime.

We’re tired, biting each other’s heads off, my boys aren’t listening and I tell my husband, “let’s just forget it for tonight.” But, preacher man’s words from today’s sermon are ringing in my ears:

“We all want revival in America but first, it must begin in our homes.” 

I don’t know about you but my home could use some revival from Jesus.

There is no secret sauce or perfect formula to revival, but after reading a man’s story in Acts 16:25-34, I saw a couple of key ingredients that just may help us.

Here’s the story:

Paul and Silas have been thrown into jail, it’s midnight and they’re singing praises to God. Suddenly, God causes an earthquake and the doors fly open. The jailer in charge, freaks out and almost kills himself because he thinks they have escaped. They assure him they are still there and then something incredible happens.

As the jailer realizes that God just showed up, it says: he fell trembling before them and asked, “What must I do to be saved?” They tell him, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household.”

So, the story ends with his whole family getting saved and baptized in the middle of the night and eating a smorgasbord around his table.

Whether you are wanting to lead your family to Christ or revive your home in Christ, there are a couple things we can glean from this guy:
1. He recognized- This jailer not only recognized his need for Christ, but he recognized his family’s needs as well and took immediate action. The dude woke his family up in the middle of the night and meant business with God. Friends–if we want revival in our homes and God to hear from heaven, we have to mean business with Him. This starts with doing inventory of our hearts individually, looking at our lives, and honestly asking ourselves, is God first in our homes? 

2. He prioritized– Not only did this man recognize his need, he prioritized. He didn’t wait until he was comfortable or had time to adjust to the idea, it says, immediately he and all his family were baptized. Now, I’m not saying we need to be baptized in the middle of the night, but we do need to have an urgency about being right with Christ. Is there an immediate action that needs to be taken in order to do that? Secret sins we need to confess and lay down? There is a saying, show me your calendar and checkbook and I’ll show you your priorities. God could also add, show me how much you invest in your kids spirituality and I’ll show you your faith. I’m preaching to myself here as well, friends. Prioritizing things like prayer, bible reading, (especially, as busy as we all are) will not happen without intentionality.

3. Prayer- Putting Christ first in our homes feels like a ginormous task, an impossible one, and it is, in our own strength. We must begin with prayer and humility. May we pray and ask the Father to give us an urgency and to bring a fresh awakening and revival to our homes. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

When our kids tell our stories someday, they most likely won’t be telling people they were baptized in the middle of the night, but they may recall moments. Small choices and sacrifices which may have seemed insignificant at the time.

Bedtime prayers that were sometimes long, sometimes hurried, dirty dishes being left for prayer, scripture reading that felt boring, but laid a foundation.

We have the opportunity right now to make choices that can empower our children’s and grandchildren’s faith for generations to come.

What’s most amazing about the jailer’s story? How God used one night and one man’s choice to change everything.

Preacher man was right, revival truly does begin first in our hearts and homes.

May we get down to business.

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