“What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
The last major revival in America was the “Jesus Movement” revival in the early 1970’s. The name is appropriate as denominationalism began to decline in importance and these walls between Believers were removed. Moreover, there was an increased interest in the Holy Spirit’s work within Believers and the church. The revival focused on Jesus which naturally included a Holy Spirit renewal because as Messiah Yeshua would put a new spirit in God’s people and remove their heart of stone for a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26; John 16:7) Jesus imparted the Holy Spirit to all Believers. These things and others in revival were acts of God moving, drawing and changing peoples hearts and minds through faith.
I believe the coming revival will build upon prior revivals, but will still be a sovereign work of God. The Congregation of Believers is maturing spiritually so naturally we will see a decline in the plans, programs and policies of men with a rise in Holy Spirit leading. The scriptures describe a robust Spirit led gathering quite different from lectures, speaker and audience, and performance based services that are common today. When the Holy Spirit is welcomed as Leader and Believers are empowered in His presence things that are impossible with men will become possible with God. (1 Cor. 14:24-25)Worldly thinking of men and what can be produced with money will be replaced with Holy Spirit guidance and that which a miracle working God can do. This will flow naturally as repentance from trusting in men will lead to faith in God. Abraham, Moses, David and others tried to bring about God’s promises through their own efforts and their failure caused them to turn to God for Him to fulfill His word, His way. Bill Gothard describes it as “Death of the Vision” and “Crisis of Faith,” when we see God alone is capable and our part is to believe and wait on Him to bring it about. It took God initiated revivals to produce Issac; deliverance of Israel from Egyptian slavery, and the restoration of the Ark to Israel. (Gen. 21:1-7; Num. 33:3-4; 1 Chron. 15:13-15) God alone can redeem the nation which declares itself “Under God.”
God has promised already, but He is waiting for men to fail and surrender to His leading. Then He will bring the Bride of Christ to full beauty and perfection. He will fill His living temple with the cloud of His presence by day and a pillar of fire by night by the Holy Spirit and His children will gather in His presence.
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