A friend challenged me recently that I may be praying too small. What’s a bigger hope than wishing someone a safe trip or praying they find that job? Someone gets healed? Personally leading someone to Christ? What’s your biggest prayer today?

We could pray for a revival, where God breathes life into his church that floods into the world.

• revive us, and we will call on your name – Ps 80:18
• Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? – Ps 85:6
• “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. – Is 57:15
• After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence. – Hos 6:2

We could pray for a revival that doesn’t stop, a movement of God’s Spirit that continues to multiply.

• And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. – Ezek 36:27
• everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord. – Ex 35:21
• everyone whose heart God had moved prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. – Ez 1:5

These are both good, but why don’t we pray for God’s kingdom to come, like Jesus taught us?

• your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven – Mt 6:10
• seek first his kingdom and his righteousness – Mt 6:33
• Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom – Lk 12:32

Perhaps it has to do with the cost. Revivals mostly happen to us; our job is waiting. We can get swept up in movements, joining the momentum of God’s Spirit in his people. But God’s kingship becoming a reality in our time costs us everything. We’re no longer in charge of our lives. Jesus has all authority over our time, money and decisions.

His rule and reign happen in our lives right now as we pray “your kingdom, not mine” and “your will, not mine” and “your glory, not mine”. Asking God to be King here and now is a bigger prayer than hoping for a revival or a movement.