By John Abiola
“And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
And he put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will: be thou clean. And immediately the leprosy departed from him. “Luke 5:12–13.
Recently, during a personal night watch of prayer for revival, spiritual awakening, and the harvest of souls, I found myself reflecting on the condition of the Church, families, communities, and nations.
The previous day, I had participated in an online prayer gathering where believers were encouraged to consider the pattern of the early Church and the importance of returning to prayer, fellowship, generosity, unity, and wholehearted devotion to God.
As I continued in prayer later that night, I received news concerning a young lady who had been struggling deeply. My heart became burdened, and my prayer shifted toward repentance, mercy, forgiveness, cleansing, restoration, and deliverance. I cried out to God not only for individuals but also for families, churches, communities, leaders, nations, and for myself.
I prayed that God would expose every hidden sin, every act of disobedience, every neglected duty, every compromise, every prideful thought, every secret rebellion, and every barrier standing between people and God. I pleaded the blood of Jesus Christ and asked for mercy upon my family, my children, churches, ministries, spiritual leaders, Nigeria, America, and the nations of the earth.
As the burden gradually lifted, my attention was drawn to Luke 5:12–13. There I found the story of a man full of leprosy who came to Jesus and cried out for cleansing.
Immediately, I sensed a powerful spiritual lesson.
Before revival spreads through a church, a city, or a nation, revival must first touch a heart. Before God changes a people, He often begins with an individual who recognizes his need for mercy.
The Bible says the man was “full of leprosy.” His condition was serious. He was not partially affected. He was completely overwhelmed by it.
The Leper’s Condition Reveals the Dangerous Effects of Sin
The treatment of lepers in Scripture reveals what sin does in the life of a person, a family, a church, and even a nation when it is left unchecked.
The leper was declared unclean.
Likewise, sin defiles the eyes, ears, heart, mind, conscience, thoughts, motives, and affections of man before a holy God.
The leper was separated from others and driven outside the camp.
Likewise, sin separates people from God, damages relationships, destroys fellowship, and creates spiritual distance between man and his Creator.
The leper was forced to live with a condition he could not cure by himself.
Likewise, no amount of human effort, education, religion, morality, good works, or self-improvement can remove the stain of sin from the heart. Only Jesus Christ can cleanse the sinner.
The leper’s disease gradually spread through his body.
Likewise, sin is progressive. If left unchecked, it spreads through the thoughts, desires, habits, words, decisions, relationships, and eventually affects entire families, churches, communities, and nations.
The leper lost fellowship and normal participation in the life of the community.
Likewise, sin weakens prayer, hinders worship, quenches spiritual hunger, and robs people of intimacy with God.
The leper carried a visible testimony of his condition.
Likewise, although sin is often hidden, its fruits eventually become visible through pride, bitterness, selfishness, rebellion, disobedience, unbelief, immorality, greed, spiritual coldness, and loss of compassion.
Many people today desire revival while tolerating the very sins that hinder revival.
Many desire God’s power while neglecting God’s holiness.
Many seek blessings while avoiding repentance.
Many want revival in their church, family, community, or nation without first allowing God to deal with their own hearts.
The tragedy of sin is that it can remain in a person’s life while religious activities continue.
A pastor may still preach.
A singer may still sing.
An intercessor may still pray.
A ministry leader may still lead.
A believer may still attend church.
Yet the eyes may be polluted by worldly desires.
The ears may become attracted to voices that draw the heart away from God.
The heart may become divided.
The mind may become occupied with earthly pursuits.
The thoughts may become increasingly self-centered rather than God-centered.
The anointing, gifts, and calling may still be evident for a season, but intimacy with God gradually declines.
The voice of God becomes less clear.
Conviction becomes weaker.
Repentance becomes less frequent.
Compassion for lost souls diminishes.
The burden for the needy decreases.
Pride grows stronger.
The fear of God weakens.
The pursuit of God’s presence is replaced by the pursuit of comfort, wealth, applause, fame, influence, security, and possessions.
Religious activity continues, but fellowship with God declines.
This is why the cry of the leper must become our cry:
“Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
Before revival can transform a nation, God must first cleanse a heart.
Before revival can spread through churches, communities, and nations, individuals must first humble themselves before God and seek His mercy.
Revival begins when we stop pointing to the sins of others and begin crying:
“Lord, cleanse me.”
“Lord, search me.”
“Lord, break me.”
“Lord, restore me.”
“Lord, begin with me.”
Leprosy in Scripture often reminds us of the uncleanness and destructive effects of sin.
Sin separates people from God.
Sin hardens the heart.
Sin destroys fellowship.
Sin weakens prayer.
Sin quenches spiritual hunger.
Sin hinders the work of God in individuals, families, churches, and nations.
Many people desire revival, but few are willing to begin where revival always begins: at the place of personal repentance.
The leper did not compare himself with others.
He did not justify himself.
He did not defend his condition.
He did not blame others.
He came to Jesus exactly as he was.
This is where revival begins.
Revival begins when a man stops pointing at the sins of others and allows God to search his own heart.
Revival begins when a woman stops defending her spiritual condition and honestly cries for mercy.
Revival begins when believers stop pretending and return to sincere repentance.
Revival begins when pastors, leaders, intercessors, evangelists, missionaries, and church members humble themselves before God.
The leper fell on his face before Jesus.
This posture speaks of humility.
Pride is one of the greatest enemies of revival.
Pride hides sin.
Pride resists correction.
Pride refuses repentance.
Pride wants revival without brokenness.
But the leper humbled himself.
He acknowledged that only Jesus could help him.
The cry of the leper was simple:
“Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”
He did not come demanding.
He did not come boasting.
He came with faith.
He believed Jesus had the power to cleanse him.
Many today believe Jesus can bless, provide, heal, and protect, but revival begins when we believe He can also cleanse, restore, transform, and make us holy.
The wonderful part of this story is the response of Jesus.
The Lord did not turn him away.
Jesus did not say, “You are too unclean.”
Jesus did not say, “You have gone too far.”
Jesus did not say, “There is no hope for you.”
Instead, Jesus stretched forth His hand and touched him.
Under ordinary circumstances, people avoided lepers.
But Jesus touched him.
What mercy.
What compassion.
What love.
The touch of Jesus accomplished what no one else could do.
And then Jesus spoke these powerful words:
“I will: be thou clean.”
Immediately the leprosy departed.
This is the heart of the Gospel.
Jesus still receives those who come to Him.
Jesus still forgives sinners.
Jesus still restores backsliders.
Jesus still heals wounded hearts.
Jesus still delivers captives.
Jesus still breaks chains.
Jesus still cleanses.
Perhaps the greatest need of our generation is not more activities but deeper cleansing.
Many people want revival in their nation.
Many people want revival in their church.
Many people want revival in their city.
But revival must first begin within.
Let revival begin in me.
Let revival begin in my prayer life.
Let revival begin in my thoughts.
Let revival begin in my home.
Let revival begin in my relationships.
Let revival begin in my obedience to God.
Let revival begin in my love for Christ.
When enough hearts are touched by God, revival begins to spread.
One cleansed life influences a family.
One revived family influences a church.
One revived church influences a community.
One awakened community influences a city.
One city influences a nation.
One nation influences the world.
Throughout history, many revivals began with a small number of people who became deeply burdened about sin, sought God sincerely, and cried for mercy.
The great awakenings, missionary movements, prayer movements, and harvests of souls that transformed nations often began with ordinary believers who humbled themselves before God.
The Lord is still searching for such people today.
The cry of the leper must become our cry.
Not merely:
“Revive my church.”
But:
“Lord, cleanse me.”
Not merely:
“Revive my nation.”
But:
“Lord, search me.”
Not merely:
“Change the world.”
But:
“Lord, begin with me.”
The promise remains the same.
The Jesus who cleansed the leper still reigns today.
The Jesus who restored the broken still reigns today.
The Jesus who touched the unclean still reigns today.
And His answer to every sincere cry for mercy remains:
“I will: be thou clean.”
May revival begin with me.
May revival begin with us.
May revival spread through our families, churches, communities, and nations.
May multitudes come to Jesus Christ.
May the Church return to prayer, holiness, repentance, evangelism, discipleship, and obedience to God.
And may the glory of Christ be revealed among the nations of the earth in Jesus Christ name.
Amen.
Revive US Again series 138.
Revive Us Again — A Global Prayer Movement for Worldwide Revival
By John Abiola
Intercessor | Revival Voice
Nigeria Global Intercessors.
For collaboration, publication, prayer alignment, or partnership, and if the Lord lays it on your heart to partner with this work in any way, please respond as He leads you:
globalintercessors7@gmail.com.
nigeriaglobalintercessorsngi@gmail.com.
prophetjohnabiola97@gmail.com.
