Day 1: Wake Up, Church!
Week 1: Awakening & Consecration
“This is why it is said: ‘Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
The verse Paul quotes here acts like a trumpet blast into a sleepy church. It is vital to note that this is addressed to believers, not unbelievers. It is entirely possible to belong to Jesus yet spiritually doze off. We can carry the Holy Spirit within us yet live as if the most important things in life are comfort, entertainment, and success.
The Danger of Spiritual Sleep
In his book The Pursuit of God, A. W. Tozer writes that God is always present, yet many believers are "unaware of His presence" because they are dulled in heart. That is precisely what spiritual sleep looks like. We still attend church and we might still serve, but our inner fire is low. We are more moved by a football result or a social media notification than by the Word of God or the lostness of people around us.
The Holy Spirit is calling ANCC to wake up. This is not a call to panic; it is a call to holy alertness. Ephesians 5 continues by discussing how to live wisely, how to make the most of every opportunity, and how to understand the Lord’s will.
What Does "Waking Up" Mean?
Waking up requires a shift in perspective.
Recognising the Time: It means acknowledging that time is short, eternity is real, and our lives matter.
Understanding the Battle: It means understanding that Britain is not just in a political crisis; it is in a spiritual battle. Families, young people, schools, and workplaces are contested ground.
Responding to the Spirit: In his book Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill points out that the greatest tragedy is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer.
Many revivals throughout history stalled simply because the church became content with less of God. We must not let that happen to us. I believe the Lord is igniting a fresh cry in us to say, "Revive us again."
A Call to Refuge and Restoration
ANCC is called to be a place of refuge and restoration. We must be a house that is hungry for God and righteousness, not merely a sleepy religious club. When we wake up, others will find a place to wake up too.
As we begin these 21 days, let us invite the light of Christ to shine on us. Let us not focus just on "the nation" or "the church out there," but on ourselves. Let Him show us where we have drifted into spiritual autopilot. Let Him wake us up to prayer, to His Word, to the needs around us, and to the reality of spiritual warfare.
Let Us Pray
Lord Jesus, I hear Your call. Wake me up from spiritual sleep. Forgive me for living on autopilot and for treating eternal things as if they are optional. Shine Your light on my heart and expose anything that dulls my hunger and silences my prayer.
Let these 21 days mark a turning point in my life and in ANCC. Wake us up as a church family so that Your light can shine through us to Britain and the nations. In Your precious name I pray. Amen.