Bold As Lions – Francis Asbury

“In studying revival history, you will find that Francis Asbury is considered the father of the American ‘circuit riders’ who helped shape our Christian culture. The circuit riders were the powerhouse itinerant preachers on horseback that carried the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the wilderness terrain of America’s colonies.

“Inside the saddlebags of Asbury and the circuit riders, you would find not only their Bible, their hand-written sermons and hymnals, but you would also find the petitions and legal forms for the freeing of slaves. For the circuit riders, being a revivalist and abolitionist was one and the same. It was no contradiction for them to approach both church and state issues openly with the life giving power of the Gospel. They were not afraid to engage the cultural fight for true liberty and biblical justice.

“Just as slavery had to be condemned and banished, there must be a moral outcry (today) against inhumane and repulsive murder of innocent children. My prayer is that in our lifetime we will see abortion abolished and the curse of innocent bloodshed reversed from our nation. I believe that God desires to raise up modern-day revivalists and abolitionists who will burn with the same fervor and convictions as Asbury.” (Brian Gibbs)

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18-19; NASB)

Give Him 15 minutes in prayer:

  • Say, “Lord, give me a heart for revival and biblical justice like Francis Asbury and the circuit riders had!”
  • Proclaim, Luke 4:18 and 19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”
  • Make a strong declaration that you stand for what God stands for and you stand against what God stands against. This includes abortion.
  • Declare, “We will see the ending of abortion in America in my generation. I will do whatever I can to see this barbaric practice ended in the United States and anywhere our country has promoted it.”
  • Intercede for the ending of abortion in America.
  • Consider giving an offering to an anti-abortion ministry like Save the Storks, National Right to Life, LifeSite News, etc. You may even decide to volunteer for a life center in your city.

A prayer you can pray:

Lord, give me a heart for revival and biblical justice like Francis Asbury and the circuit riders had! Help me not to seek comfort and peace, but rather to fight for true liberty and biblical justice. There is a new “justice movement” rising in this nation. It is a movement You have stirred up among Your followers. Those who love You are finding it impossible to say nothing or do nothing about the millions of babies being lost to abortion each year in America. Even worse, our country has been promoting it and funding it among developing nations until recently. God, extend mercy and reverse any curse this has brought on America. Lord, I say, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” I desire to actively engage in this battle until abortion is eradicated from this land. Save the mothers. Save the babies. Convict the doctors and administrators and other supporters of this heinous act. Cut off funding completely from the abortionists. Let funds flow to life centers, instead, so moms-to-be and new moms and dads can be supported in the raising of their children. I bless Christian adoption agencies and pray adoption becomes very attractive to this generation of potential young parents. I will put my money and my time, as well as my prayers and words on the line until I see the ending of abortion in America, Jesus. Amen.

Today’s decree:

Let the modern-day revivalists and abolitionists rise up and erradicate abortion from America!


1 Excerpted with permission from “Bold As Lions”, by Brian Gibbs.