I have been watching with curiosity and anticipation, the happenings at Asbury University. We are watching history in the making.
Revival is breaking out.
For the past 7 days and counting, a college chapel service is still in progress, inspiring others from across the country to see it for themselves.
There is a wide variety of socioeconomic statuses, generations, races, and dare I say probably theological perspectives, all represented in this room. Revival is something God does on a grand scale, and social media has given millions access to this move of Holy Spirit. This scale, this length of time, this outpouring of HIs presence IS NOT NORMAL. It can only be supernatural. People who experience God’s presence are truly never the same.
I have had dream after dream of revival and the uprising of the remnant, and personally prayed for it and linked arms with others as they have prayed for it.
We have prayed for this and it has begun.
Not because it is large and visible, large fires all start with a spark. It has begun because a few were willing to show up before there was hype surrounding it. It began because folks were led of the Holy Spirit to live different, worship freely and love large.
Are we ok with God answering our prayers in a different way than we would want or expect? Revival has never looked the exact same way repeatedly throughout history. This is a generation and a time like no other. We cannot expect to tuck everything into a new folder named “Normal Moves of God” and reject things that don’t fit—that’s indication of the religious spirit and it is rooted in pride. Pride that stems from our religious ideals and comforts, from our hunger for knowledge of rather than intimacy with our Creator. It's me too. I have been part of that problem. I have done it too. I was raised in a Fundamental Baptist background where it was more about rules than relationship, and it kept me under the influence of the religious spirit well into my adult life.
It is that same religious spirit that causes some who claim to be Christians, to cast a shadow over this blessing of revival. Why is there grumbling, hesitation and doubt? What began as a noble desire to “discern” and “test the spirits”, has morphed into co-signing with a spirit of criticism. I believe this is because over the decades and centuries since Christ roamed this Earth, we have consistently watered down the Scriptures. We have consistently found verses to support our perspectives, picked out stories to perfectly tailor our 30-min TedTalk-style inspirational messages…overlooking or watering down the message of the Gospel and dismissing the facts that the disciples performed miracles, cast out demons, healed people and so much more. We claim to want the passionate churches like those in Acts, but turn our noses at expressive worship and the speaking in and interpretation of tongues.
We are living in interesting times. Times of historical reenactment, Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled, trains are derailing, folks are dying suddenly and basic necessities like food are becoming elusive.
This is a holy prophetic hour that require our involvement and intercession.
We cannot afford to miss this.
We are surrounded by a generation that is starving for Truth, they are desperate for an outpouring of Love and evidence of a Savior.
We have an opportunity as the Church, to desperately hit our knees in both worship and intercession to ask Him to touch our lives in a fresh way also. To awaken His Spirit in our homes, churches, workplaces and schools.
We will never understand God fully this side of heaven.
We will never fully understand how He works, how He moves or why He does what He does in the ways He chooses to do things. But we can get to know Him better so we recognize Him more quickly and don’t contradict the faith we claim to live by.
Wisdom is always necessary, especially in a dark world. We should absolutely be comparing what we hear to what God says about it…whether it is a commercial during the Super Bowl, a pop-star preacher, or a message preached at a revival.
Most of us aren’t there, so we are only reacting to what our favorite content creators are posting about. What can we really do beyond praying that the Truth of the Gospel is spread far and wide and fervently? That hearts are captured by the Love of Christ and that this intense spiritual experience produces lasting fruit! That God would continue to draw His people to Himself and that He would also rise up others to nurture and disciple them in Truth! Amen and Amen.
Let’s be honest, part of the skepticism exists because we have lost our wonder.
We no longer marvel at the God of the Universe.
We no longer look lovingly toward the Jesus who laid down His life for us.
We don’t understand the Holy Spirit or the supernatural, so that gets dismissed altogether.
It is time to get our wonder back.
We need to get back to the passion of the First Love like the early church had.
So, let the revival run like a wild fire! I have experienced God’ presence and I fully believe everyone should—God desires that too. He wants His creation to return to Him.
So, rejoice with and for the hearts that have returned Home! Pray it continues, pray for protection over that city, over those people, and all other revivals that are on the brink! God will do as He wishes whether we believe or support Him or not. I would rather be for Him than against Him.
