Why 1 Million Young People Are Expected to Fast, Pray for 2020
The roaring 1920s began in hope and ended in devastation. Sadly, the 1920s ushered in the greatest depression America had ever known. One-hundred years later, a rising tide of young people and leaders audaciously believe the “roaring” 2020s will usher in the greatest spiritual awakening America has ever known. An awakening that heals the growing oppression, division, injustice, hatred and spiritual indifference in our nation. One million young people are being commissioned to fast and pray for revival and spiritual awakening in America—a roar of consecration and devotion.
The corridors of history feature the undeniable power of prayer and fasting. On March 13, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln called our divided states of America to fast and pray. The future seemed dark and times were desperate. Our nation appeared to be torn apart forever. Prayer and fasting was the answer. When 300,000 British troops were trapped in World War II, the King of England called for a day of prayer. On a Sunday, churches across Great Britain were filled with a deep cry for mercy and national survival on yet another dark and desperate day in history. What resulted was what became known as “the miracle at Dunkirk”—a result of massive, united prayer and fasting.
It the late 1960s and early 1970s, when our nation grappled with coast-to-coast unrest, violence and growing division between generations and cultures, a spiritual solution would emerge as the answer. In 1966, the cover of Time magazine stated, “God Is Dead.” In 1971, that same magazine featured a picture of Jesus and a story of the Jesus Movement. These “Jesus hippies” believed that Jesus was the only answer to a nation torn by racism, war and political division. In 1995, Bill Bright, founder of Cru, called for 2 million Christians to fast and pray for spiritual revival. He believed America was due another awakening. America was birthed in awakening and could only be salvaged by another awakening. The embers of this fast saw the Passion movement born and sparked the way for the launch of the global prayer movement.
At the end of the recent decade, two movements captured the large-scale attention of our nation. #BlackLivesMatter and the #MeToo Movement dared to confront us with ugly realities that could no longer be ignored. “Roaring Twenties Fast” is a new kind of movement. It dares to confront the ugliness of religion and demands for authentic first-century faith to be restored. A movement that believes movements begin by not moving. A movement that believes the only solution is not political but spiritual. The Roaring Twenties Fast is a collective call by denominations, celebrities and Christians everywhere who believe that there is power in prayer and fasting.
This social media generation and social media clarion call has already seen leaders in every state and several nations join the campaign of consecration. There is nothing new that will make the change we long for, but rather, something as old as time itself.
I believe fasting and prayer is the great invitation for the Roaring Twenties. (Click here for more information.) {eoa}
Dr. Malachi O’Brien is a former second vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention, pastor of The Church at Pleasant Ridge, VP of digital missions at Think Eternity and visionary behind Roaring Twenties Fast.
