Let me first speak about the context, symbolized in the above image, which seems quite obvious to me. The shabby wooden structure in the background seems to represent the only shelter this girl has in the world. I have seen such conditions as that. The rest of the world around her appears to be walled off. Her surroundings generally appear drab and confining, impoverished, bleak -- even hopeless. Importantly, she appears to be squatting at the edge of a river or stream: thus suggesting that her reaction to the falling rain is not due to a former lack of water, as such. Rather, her apparent joy -- indeed, what strikes me as something beyond joy, but is more like one who knows she has been spared from imminent death -- evidently is directly related to the falling rain itself. Rain . . . from heaven. Cleansing. Comforting. Refreshing. Renewing. Full of peace and hope. Quiet and gentle. Yet, powerful -- even overwhelming, depending on the measure wherewith it is given. In this image, the falling rain is giving new life, new hope, to this precious girl, one who has known so much suffering in the world.
I make no claim of being a prophet (except, in the sense that all truly Christian persons are so portrayed, in Scripture). Having said that, I will say, from the depths of my soul, that I believe there is soon coming one, last, great outpouring of God's Spirit. That is not to say that God isn't right now pouring out His Spirit unto many on earth. What I do mean is that I believe there is shortly coming a great move (outpouring) of God's Spirit in America. Nevertheless, I also believe it is imperative to delineate some important characteristics of such a Revival, as that appears in my spiritual vision, namely:
1. Revival, in America, is not substantially coming to or through the visible church(es). In very general (but very broad) terms, the churches in America are apostate (I have written much about this already). For many years, God has pleaded with the Church in America to repent; moreover, God has forewarned the Church, of coming judgment.
2. Revival, in every case, only appears to those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness". Revival belongs neither to the world nor yet to the multitude of professing Christians who are content to appease their consciences by means of their affiliation with a worldly church. Neither of those two groups genuinely desires and seeks for the knowledge of, and communion with, the true and living God. That is why I said what I said, in point number 1, above.
3. Revival does not come as a result of trouble. If trouble brought Revival, then America should already be experiencing the greatest Revival in her history. Revival only comes in answer to the earnest (the Bible calls it "fervent") intercessory prayers of faithful Christians. Revival comes, in every case, where some Christian person(s) -- oftentimes a very small number -- humble themselves to diligently seek unto God for an outpouring of His mercy and grace. Therefore, Revival only comes to, as well as it only comes through, such praying, God-fearing Christians.
4. The fruit of Revival is manifested as sanctification (purification and devotion) in the lives of Christ's disciples; as elevated spiritual vision, in those same lives; as a quickening of spiritual desire, including the desire to win souls to Christ; and, as empowerment and motivation to be effectual soul winners and intercessors.
5. Revival thus has real consequences for society at large, especially, for those whom the Spirit of God is willing to bring to repentance. (Here is where many confuse Revival with episodes, or periods, of extraordinary evangelism and soul-winning.) For, Christians who partake of Revival are thereby equipped to be and to do what God and Christ at all times intend for the Church to be and to do: that is, to love God supremely; to love one's neighbor as oneself; and to preach the gospel to every creature.
6. What the coming Revival might look like. If the foregoing analysis (it is perhaps better described as such, rather than as prophecy) is correct, then the coming Revival would most likely be little noticed either by the secular world or by the worldly Church. For, in comparatively few instances, among persons belonging to either of those two groups, would I expect those unbelievers to acknowledge, much less to receive, God's Spirit poured out unto them. Where I would instead expect Revival should have its greatest effects (beyond its effects upon those Christians who will actually be part of such Revival), would be among certain groups who -- heretofore -- have not been much exposed to the preaching of Christ. In America, I perceive three groups, particularly, among which I expect Revival may have its most important results, namely: a) among children and youth, generally; b) among a number of social outcasts who, for whatever reason, have necessarily lived on the fringes of society, as it were; and, c) among immigrants, especially, those who have come to America from places where the gospel of Christ has been little known or proclaimed. (I have numerous reasons - both Biblical as well as philosophical - for believing what I have just written; although, I haven't here the time or space to expound those reasons, some of which I have elaborated elsewhere on this blog.)
In conclusion, I believe that:
1) Revival shall come, but only if and when some Christians earnestly seek God for it;
2) Revival shall not occur in most churches in America (though I do expect much hostility might arise from those quarters);
3) Revival shall thus come to (and then through) a faithful Remnant of consecrated Christians;
4) God will then pour His Spirit out through that Remnant, and so shall many children, and certain social outcasts, including immigrants, be brought to Christ -- just prior to the Rapture of the Church.
No comments:
Post a Comment