Revival is not something that human hands or wills can produce; it is something that only God can provide, according to His own good pleasure.
God’s Sovereignty and Prayer, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 8.
God is all wise. In perfect wisdom He determined and executes His will. Someone has said: "If I had the power of God, there are many things that I would change; but if I had the wisdom of God, I would not change a thing."
God’s Sovereignty and Prayer, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 10.
Prayer is coming to God, pouring out our hearts in fervent desire and faith, expressing our need, committing our way to Him, and leaving the outcome to the Lord as He most wisely and lovingly sees best.
God’s Sovereignty and Prayer, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 8-9.
Although we must insist that, because of who we are and who God is, our prayers do not change God’s mind, it is right for us to understand that God has ordained that prayer "changes things." The design of prayer is not that the immutable will of God be altered, but that His will may be accomplished in His own good time and way. Our prayers are not intended to change the purpose of God or to move him to create new purposes. God has not only decreed the end of all things, but He also has decreed the means to reach that end. Thus, it is improper for us to say that, because God is sovereign and is in control of all things, certain things will happen whether we pray or not. That must be absolutely rejected because God has ordained that prayer be the means to accomplish His purpose.
God’s Sovereignty and Prayer, Revival Commentary, v. 2, n. 1, p. 9.
While revival originates from God, the Holy Spirit has appointed certain means to be used for the advancement of His kingdom. The foremost of these is the preaching of the Word of God accompanied by earnest prayer. Yet, no amount of human endeavor can assure results. The same is true of revival: no measured amount of our activity will guarantee an equivalent blessing, for God’s blessing is bestowed according to His good pleasure (Zech. 4:6).
Revival’s Source, Revival Commentary, v. 1, n. 1.