For most people present at the conference, it was a moving moment. For me, it was somewhat different - a revelation. The auditorium at the Billy Graham Training Center at the Cove in Asheville, North Carolina was filled to capacity with pastors and church leaders who had a passion to see spiritual awakening. I had spoken the previous day, and a great sense of brokenness engulfed the meeting. Yet I was unprepared for what transpired after Jim Cymbala, pastor of The Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City, spoke.

Pastor Cymbala told the story of his daughter - how she walked away from God during her teen years. He described how he and his wife cried out to God for her and then watched God work miraculously to bring her back to Himself. At the close of his message, he invited those with wayward children or grandchildren to come to the front of the auditorium so that we could pray for them. As people flocked to the front of the auditorium, I was completely taken by surprise. Almost all of those attending the conference responded, crying out to God for their families.

I was not surprised at how many people had children or grandchildren who had forsaken the God of their fathers, but I was amazed that it was such a high percentage. Those attending the conference were men and women with a genuine heart cry for revival in our nation - people with a deep love for the Savior.

They were the crème de la crème among God's servants. Yet the vast majority of them were hurting deeply. There had been a time when I would have been standing among them. However, several years earlier, my wife and I experienced a similar miracle to Pastor Cymbala. We watched God work in our children's lives to bring them back to Himself.

As Pastor Cymbala prayed with the people, my heart cried to God for a mighty revival. However, this time I directed my prayer somewhat differently from most other times when I have asked God to revive our nation. I realized that perhaps the greatest felt need among Christians in our nation lies within our families. The family has been under attack for several generations, wounding many of our children and grandchildren in the battle. In that moment at the Cove, I recognized there is an urgency to kneel down, cry to God, and win the battle for future generations. The Apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers from on high. The battle for our children and grandchildren will be won or lost by tears we sow into the soil of their lives through our heartfelt prayers.