-
Hour Of Revival
Contributed by Peter Vandever on Oct 15, 2003 (message contributor)
Summary: We are living in a historical hour of Church History!
We are living in what is shaping up to be the most important hour in Church history. The word that defines this hour has to be revival. A season of grace of a manifestation of God’s visitation with evidences of salvation, healing, and deliverance. In other words, God is showing up! We are seeing it in places like Toronto, Pensacola, and Kansas City. The days of “Revival is coming!” are over, it’s here!
“…When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some other brethren before the city authorities shouting: “these men who have upset the world have come here also” [NASB] Paul was accused of upsetting the planet. Everywhere he went, revival went. He preached and the Gospel fell. Just like Paul, we are mandated to revolution! We are called to disturb the works of the devil and religious framework. We should not be surprised when we send shock waves in our cities because revival is offensive to the flesh. It will disturb every demon in hell. Ministers’ love living off yesterday’s manna. Azusa Street and the Great Awakenings was great but that the revival for that day. What about the revival of this day? When the revivalist is moving in the current flow of the river of life and it floods into the city, all hell will come at him. Saddenly, most of the hell-sent opposition bears the name Pastor or Bishop. Revival
May never have pastoral; sectional, presybytial, or denominational approval; but it will always have divine approval.
“…I will pour out my Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.” [Joel 2:28] God is pouring out like he has never before. Revival ministries are seeing hundreds of thousands of people getting real with Jesus. We are seeing AIDS healed like the common cold. Cancers are disappearing and limps are growing. We are seeing people bound up with demonic oppression and possession being set free from incest, rape, lust, hatred, jealousy, murder, and offense on a daily basis. We live in a day that the prophetic word of the Lord is not the rarity but the usual. It is not rare to see all nine gifts manifest in any given meeting. The prophetic word is coming from five-year-old boys and one hundred and five-year old women. It is coming from former drug addicts, pimps, and gang bangers. The elderly in the church are having dreams about this generation of forerunners. They are sowing their knowledge, wisdom, and experience, into the younger generation. The Forerunner Generation is getting visions for revival. They are seeing hope for this world. They are transforming the way we do ministry.
“… We cry holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” [Isaiah 6:3, NIV] The cry of revival must be holy, holy, holy. Without the pursue of holiness, there is no point is the pursue of Glory. The Glory of God is a result of the holiness of God. “… Without holiness no one will see the Lord.” [Heb 12:14] I don’t believe that verse is just talking about the afterlife but also seeing the Lord manifest his glory on earth NOW! Now is the time to walk pure before God! When we walk in holiness, we will see his glory fill the whole earth. We will see the glory fall on sinners in malls, schools, and parks when we speak the name of Jesus. The “Glory Cloud” will hover over entire nations. I believe there is a Glory Cloud hovering over America that is full of the rain of Glory. This is the rain that fills the river of life. So as you can see, the verse that says, “out of your belly will flow rivers of life” [John 7:38] is directly related to the Glory of God. How do we get this rain to pour out of the earth? Through a holy lifestyle of fasting, prayer, and evangelism.
“… The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” [Matthew 24:14] The message of Jesus saves, heals, and delivers will go to all nations. I must tell you, revival is coming to every nation, tribe, and language before the Rapture of the Church. We are seeing this now. Iraq is opening to the Gospel. China will be opening soon. The message of revival will be preached to all people. This is a prophetic imagery of the End time revival.
Are you ready to be a messenger of revival? Are you going to sit on the boat of religious framework or are you going to step out onto the waters of revival and walk to Jesus? Are you content where you are in your spirituality or are you going deeper in the river of life? Revival is the order of the hour, so are you going to get in step with Jesus and upset the planet? As for me and my house, we are going to serve the Lord!