“And the fire upon the altar shall be kept burning on it; it shall not go out…” Leviticus 6:13, AMPC
In the early 1900s, Wales experienced an unusual move of God with prayer meetings overflowing into streets, taverns being closed, crimes reducing drastically, and entire communities overtaken by the fear of God. Men returned stolen items, families were restored, and even the coal mines echoed with hymns instead of curses. For a season, the territory was undeniably under divine influence.
Yet as time passed, something subtle occurred to the land which till today is a lesson for men who are labouring over territories and must be taken into consideration.
There was no public scandal and no sudden persecution, Churches remained active, testimonies were preserved, and the memory of revival was still celebrated. But the intense altar life that sustained the move began to fizzle out. Prayer lost its urgency, consecration became assumed rather than guarded, and watchmen who once trembled before the LORD began to gradually become occupied with other responsibilities. The fire fell truly, but there only very few hands that remained at the altar to tend the glowing fire so it doesn’t die out.
The spiritual atmosphere did not collapse; it merely loosened and by that, old patterns quietly began to resurface, not as rebellion, but as normalcy. What once felt impossible under revival slowly became permissible again. The territory still spoke the language of awakening, but the priestly discipline that restrained darkness was fading.
A man who had seen the days of the awakening and now also the days of dying fire said something very profound and it is still a statement that is valid, he said, “The tragedy was not that God stopped moving, but that MEN STOPPED MINISTERING.”
Understanding this, it became clear that revival had visited the land, but priesthood had not been sustained at the same depth of the visitation. The fire was real, but the system for keeping it burning was weak. What excitement established, only devotion could preserve, and devotion was gradually neglected.
One thing every disciple must understand is that any revival that is not maintained by priesthood will eventually withdraw from public life. God may visit a territory in mercy, but He entrusts the continuation of His presence to those who will stand faithfully before Him.
From Sinai to the New Covenant, God’s strategy has never changed. He reveals Himself in power, but He preserves His work through a kingdom of priests. Fire comes from heaven, but it is kept burning by men who refuse to abandon the altar.
Priesthood is not a moment of encounter but a lifelong posture. It is the discipline of remaining aligned with God through holiness, intercession, obedience, and reverence. Where priesthood weakens, spiritual authority fades. Where priesthood is neglected, former strongholds gradually regain influence.
In our day, many celebrate past revivals while neglecting present priesthood. There is a longing for territorial transformation without the willingness to live consecrated lives. Yet Scripture shows us clearly that: God sustains His victories through those who minister to Him first.
Sustained revival does not rest on memory, movements, or momentum, but on lives that continually carry God’s presence. Where priesthood is restored, territorial revival becomes stable, and darkness loses its ability to return unchecked.
Confession: I am made a priest unto God through Jesus Christ. I receive grace to keep the fire burning through consecration and obedience. I will not rely on past encounters, but I commit to a sustained altar life. Through my priesthood, the work of God is preserved in my territory, in Jesus’ name.
Related Scriptures: Leviticus 6:12–13; Exodus 19:5–6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:5–6; Acts 2:42
Bible Reading: Leviticus 6
