Eight years ago I heard Ray Hughes tell a story about Evan Roberts and the start of the Welsh Revival:
In 1903, Evan Roberts was 25 years old and began to pray for God to fill him with the Holy Spirit. In the midst of this season of prayer, Roberts found himself at an evangelistic event where he heard Seth Joshua pray, “Lord, bend us,” and at the sound of those words the Holy Spirit grabbed him.
That’s what you need, the Spirit said.
Roberts wrote: “I felt a living power pervading my bosom. It took my breath away and my legs trembled exceedingly. This living power became stronger and stronger as each one prayed, until I felt it would tear me apart. My whole bosom was a turmoil and if I had not prayed it would have burst … I fell on my knees with my arms over the seat in front of me. My face was bathed in perspiration, and the tears flowed in streams. I cried out, ‘Bend me, bend me!!’ It was God’s commending love which bent me … what a wave of peace flooded my bosom … I was filled with compassion for those who must bend at the judgement, and I wept. Following that, the salvation of the human soul was solemnly impressed on me. I felt ablaze with the desire to go through the length and breadth of Wales to tell of the savior.”
By August of 1905, over 100,000 souls in Wales came to Christ. All because of a simple but powerful prayer of “bend me”.
After Ray shared that story, his wife Denise spoke about a bow and arrow, and how bending is necessary for the arrow to be released. It was compelling imagery, so my friend Kelsie and I put it into an anthem for anyone held in the tension of being launched into a new era or assignment.
When Kelsie moved to the Carolinas earlier this year, it just felt like the right time to pursue recording it and sharing it with the world. Now a whole new generation can be influenced by Seth Joshua's prayer from 120 years ago.
‘Flight’ is available now for purchase and streaming wherever you listen to great music!
