How They Prayed Volume Three

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How They Prayed Volume Three

This book on prayer published by Harvey Christian Publishers and written by Edwin and Lillian Harvey has a subtitle: “Missionaries and Revival.” The book tells of the role prayer prayed in various revivals, focusing in the latter half of the book on revivals abroad and how various missionaries prayed until God sent revival.


Harvey Christian Publishers first published this book in 1987 together with its two predecessors in this “How They Prayed” series. I had the privilege of editing these volumes and can remember being touched by various stories of how God’s servants prayed. However, the incident which stands out the most to me is found in this third volume. It is the last chapter of the book and is entitled “Revival in the Congo.”

The setting for this true story is the Belgian Congo. The Belgian government has just issued an edict that whites could only man twelve mission stations. This meant that many stations had to be closed. One of these was at Imbai where Jack Roberts and his two sisters had been laboring. Jack was ordered by his mission to pioneer in a new area while the two ladies were left at Imbai and given six months to prepare for their final move.

Being women of prayer, Lily Roberts and her younger sister fell on their knees and asked God to work among the native Christians at Imbai. If they were to be left on their own, they needed to be strong in the Lord. In other words, the two lady missionaries prayed for a revival. “Send a second Pentecost, Lord,” Lily pled. And the answer came back, “You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you can pray the price, you can have what you asked. “My life for revival,” was Lily’s response.

I will not relate the whole story here, for “How They Prayed Volume Three” is available at the online Christian Bookstore of Harvey Christian Publishers. Suffice it to say, that I was deeply moved as I read of how God answered Lily’s prayer by beginning to search their own lives, how a deep repentance followed and then a marvelous blessing which soon spread throughout the whole station. My tears fell on the keyboard as I attempted to edit the manuscript on the screen in front of me. Yes, God answered Lily’s prayer but there was a cost. The revival so spread to the surrounding area, that missionaries became inundated with people seeking God. Lily’s strength eventually gave out and, yes, she literally gave her life for that Revival. What devotion! What prayer! What blessing!

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