The Church once lit up the night with intercession — now it slumbers through crisis. If the Church wants to ignite the revival that awaits us, Jonathan Oloyede says it must reclaim the night vigil and reopen the wells of persistent prayer and fasting
In the quiet hours of the night, when most of the world sleeps and darkness cloaks the land, the heavens have often been ripped open by the cries of praying saints.
There was a time — not so long ago — when church halls and homes across the United Kingdom would echo with the sound of earnest intercession through the night. Torches of prayer lit up our spiritual landscape. The early Methodists, the Moravians, the Welsh revivalists — they all knew this holy secret: the power of persistent prayer.
But now, the wells are dry.
The church that once prayed through the night now sleeps through the crisis after crisis. We have grown content with convenience, shortened services, and apathy. But the call of God is thundering once again: “Reopen the wells!… arise and shine! Open the heavens and the portals of prayer with your fasting and prayer”.
The Legacy We Have Forgotten
Centuries ago, Christians across Britain gathered through the midnight hours not out of religious duty, but out of desperation for God’s presence. From the highlands of Scotland, the coastal plains of Ireland to the heart of London, believers wrestled with God under flickering candlelight, crying out for revival, deliverance from persecution, and the salvation of souls.
In 1727, the Moravians in Hernnhut, Saxony, (whose influence swept into England) began a 24/7 prayer chain that continued unbroken for over 100 years. John Wesley, whose Methodist movement transformed the spiritual life of Britain, was no stranger to night watches. He and his band of brothers often prayed until 3am, overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Why did they do it? Because they understood something we’ve forgotten: there is power in the night watch. The united persistent prayers of the Church has altered the history of nations.
The Biblical Mandate
The Scriptures are rich with the testimony of those who met with God in the watches of the night. David declared, “At midnight I rise to give you thanks” (Psalm 119:62). Jesus himself often withdrew to pray through the night (Luke 6:12), and it was during a night vigil that he sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane. The early church was born in the fire of constant prayer, often into the night hours (Acts 16:25).
The enemy does not sleep — and neither should our intercession.
The darkness of our day — moral collapse, spiritual apathy, broken families, and a dying church — cannot be fought with lukewarm prayers and once-a-week gatherings. This hour demands watchmen on the walls. This hour demands vigils.
Night vigils strip away distraction. They pierce the veil. They tell God, “You are worth my sleep. You are worth my night.” And heaven responds to such hunger. In the stillness of the night, when every other voice is silent, God’s whisper becomes thunder. Demonic strongholds break. Generational curses are severed. Revival winds begin to stir.
We the Western church need to take a leaf out of the global churches where prayer is the culture and revival is breaking out.
Despite the persecution, Iran is witnessing one of the fastest growing underground churches in the world. Night vigils are common like the underground church of China. The Iranian church is a praying church!
Reopen the Wells
The wells of night prayer are not permanently sealed. They are waiting. Waiting for a generation that will dig again the ancient paths and say, like Jacob at Peniel, “I will not let you go unless you bless me!”
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:2-3).
Christians and leaders across the UK and Ireland must reopen the well of fasting. The early church understood the power of prayer with fasting and so should we! Centuries ago, Anglican Ministers were required to fast once a week, whilst Methodist ministers under John Wesley had to fast twice a week!
We urgently need to return to these godly and powerful practices once again. This is not about legalism, it’s about an awakening! Households must turn their living rooms into altars. Youth groups must learn what it means to travail in prayer until heaven moves. Elders must take up the mantle of spiritual guardianship once more.
This is not about nostalgia, It’s about revival!
A Call to Action
So, to every Christian in the UK, Ireland and beyond — this is a call to arms. A call to the nightwatch. A call to the place where history is shaped and destinies are birthed. Let the cry go out:
“We will not sleep while our nation dies!”
“We will not slumber while the enemy sows weeds among the wheat!”
“We will stand and pray!”
“We will arise and shine!”
Let vigils begin in homes, in churches, in quiet corners and open fields. Let worship rise through the watches of the night. Let leaders lead with fasting. Let intercession shake the gates of hell and bring heaven to earth again. Let us reopen the wells of prayer — and let revival flow once more in our land.
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