The Next Spiritual Awakening

If you don’t believe we are in need of a spiritual awakening in our nation, you aren’t obsessed with Fox News and other media outlets like I am! Seriously, you cannot live in this nation without some awareness that a movement of God is desperately needed.

Historically, this nation has experienced some powerful spiritual awakenings that have dramatically changed the spiritual climate of society. However, we are perhaps 150 years overdue for another nationwide, saturating awakening.

But there are hopeful signs! Before every great spiritual awakening, there were some common indicators that we’re beginning to see emerge once again.

One of the first signs is an increase in the use of revival and spiritual awakening language. In the past few years, great movements of prayer have been rising up, including alliances of Christian ministries devoted to prayer for revival. Eighteen years ago I wrote my first article on revival. I wasn’t quite sure what it was, but I was aware that there had to be something more to faith in Christ than what I was seeing displayed in the Church. Now the call for revival is becoming commonplace in prayer circles.

Another sign is an increase in the fervency of prayer among the “remnant.” These are the pastors and intercessors who have prayed faithfully and sought God for a greater move of His power in our midst. More and more prayer warriors are joining the ranks of those praying fervently for revival. This is one of the most encouraging and hopeful signs, as almost all revivals have started with less than 12 people praying. God loves to work through a remnant!

As we close in on a desperately needed move of God in our nation, there are two more indicators that will increase just prior to revival breaking out (I learned this through an interview with Billy Wilson of Awakening America):

• There will be an increase in united, extraordinary prayer. This prayer is passionate, fervent, and repentant in nature—and this is increasing exponentially!
  



• There will be a restoration of integrity to the pulpit. You will begin to hear greater boldness in messages based on the truth of the gospel, and it will include the message of repentance. Not only will the messengers of the gospel proclaim the integrity of the gospel more clearly, they will also experience their own repentance and transformation. This is something we should all long for our own lives.

Keep your eyes on the horizon. Revival fires are not far away. Keep praying; keep repenting. As we humble ourselves in brokenness, God will draw closer and closer to us. Come, Lord Jesus!

Behind Closed Doors

Elisha was a man of unusual “God moments.” I’m still pondering the floating axhead story—and have absolutely nothing to say about that!

But I was especially struck by the details of two miracles: the widow with the replenishing oil and the Shunammite woman’s son who was raised from the dead. Both of these stories from 2 Kings 4 have a common thread that I’ve never noticed before.

In the first miracle story, the widow was in deep financial trouble. She called out to Elisha for help, acknowledging that she was down to her last few drops of oil. Elisha instructed her to gather up as many jars as possible in her home. Then he told her to go inside and shut the door. Behind that closed door, the oil began to flow and the widow was supplied with more than enough to sustain her family.

In the second miracle story, the woman from Shunem lost her son, perhaps to a brain aneurism. (Just my guess—the passage says that he died after a horrible headache.) She was distraught and went to find Elisha. Elisha’s servant got to the woman’s house first and tried to help the boy according to Elisha’s instructions. Nothing.

Then Elisha showed up, went into the room with the boy, and shut the door behind him. Alone in the room with the lifeless body, Elisha began to pray. He laid on top of the boy, mouth to mouth, hand to hand. As Elisha’s body covered the boy, a sense of warmth began to return. Elisha got up, paced around the room, and then stretched out over the boy again. Suddenly the boy sneezed seven times with the breath of life!

Both of these miracles were done behind closed doors. No crowds; no big fanfare. Just simple acts of obedience and prayer in times of desperation. One miracle resulted in provision; the other resulted in a revived life.

I’ve noticed in my own life that God is calling me to more times of intercession behind closed doors. It’s just me and my God. Mostly I’m pleading with Him for revival of the church and spiritual awakening of our nation. I’m praying for the dead to live again!

But perhaps the greatest miracle is what God is doing in my own heart and life when I shut the door and get alone with Him. I think I am living again!

Unprecedented Moment in History

Something will happen on Sunday, May 31, that has never happened before in the history of the world. Every nation will be united in one thing - lifting up the name of Jesus Christ in prayer around the globe!

All 220 nations will be represented on the Global Day of Prayer, from the rising to the setting of the sun over a 24-hour period. Believers in every land will join in a unified prayer for the world - that the glory of Christ will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14).

Stop and think about it. Really, stop and ponder the enormity of this moment. Even the Olympics cannot compete with this vast movement of God throughout the earth. Although nearly all nations compete in the Olympics, it is not every nation. This is unprecedented. We have never witnessed this before - ever!

Frankly, that ought to take your breath away. We are living in a time when all the saints of heaven (that great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12:1) are watching something that was once deemed unimaginable. With the combination of the technology of today and a mighty move of the Holy Spirit, it is possible for believers to be united in the same prayer and the same heart cry throughout the earth. Just imagine the heavens being filled with the prayers of the saints here on earth, while the saints above are cheering us on.

Here in Minneapolis, we will gather in the Convention Center on Sunday evening. In nations throughout Africa, people will gather in stadiums. In other nations that are hostile to Christianity, people will gather quietly in homes or other secure places - at great personal risk. But they will gather for the glory of Christ!

This blows me away. If it doesn't blow you away, then go back to the top of this article and start reading again. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see the powerful moment that is before us.

Unprecedented. Marvelous. Glorious. Words cannot describe. It is all for You, Jesus.

All for You.