"But seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land."
--Genesis 41:30 NIV
There is a famine ravaging the land today! America is in the middle of the deepest and hardest famine it has ever experienced. Now while this verse is in reference to the dream given to Pharaoh from God and then interpreted by Joseph, this verse today fits the American landscape so appropriately. The famine that America is facing is not a famine of a shortage of food or provisions, America's famine is a "spiritual famine!"
We have had years of abundance! In 1886 the rivalistic movement that would become known as the Church of God was formed, and began to branch out all through the Southeast. At about the same time, in 1906 on the West Coast, the Azusa Street revival began under the direction of William Seymour. These two revivals began to burn with the fire of the power of the Holy Spirit, with signs and wonders, miracles, Holy Spirit baptism, the outpouring of the Gifts of the Spirit as mentioned in 1 Corinthians and racial and class unity! The book of Acts had come alive again in America as the fires of Pentecost burned across a nation!
Then in 1960, the Fire fell again with what became known as the "Charismatic Renewal." The beginning of the charismatic movement is usually dated to Easter 1960, when Dennis Bennett, rector of St Mark's Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California, shared his Pentecostal experience to his parish. Unlike the previous revivals with the Church of God and Azusa, these who experienced the Pentecostal baptism did not form new congregations, but rather remained in their traditional churches. Then the Fire fell again in 1980 with what has been termed the "Third Wave" of the Holy Spirit. This powerful outpouring centered around the teachings and leadership of C. Peter Wagner and John Wimber, the founder of the Vinyard Movement. 3-Waves! 3-Different outpourings of the Power of the Holy Spirit upon the Church! Years, no, decades of "PLENTY!" And now, here we are, in the middle of the worst Spiritual Famine America has ever seen! a spiritual famine so severe, that it has made many of us forget the years of abundance we were blessed with!
Is it time of a Fourth Wave? Perhaps a Final Wave? I believe with everything in me that we are in the beginning stages of another outpouring of the Holy Spirit! I believe that this outpouring of the Holy Spirit will be a renewal of signs and wonders, miracles, healing's and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit that will advance the Kingdom of God, through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus, and its verification through these manifestations of the power of the Holy Spirit! I believe we are on the verge of nothing less than...........REFORMATION! Not the doctrinal reformation of Luther's day, but an Ecclesiological reformation that will raise up, purify, and empower the Bride of Christ. We will once again know who we are, and what our mission is! We will position ourselves to be used of the Holy Spirit for the glory of Christ! We will cross the lines that have divided us; the denomination/sectarian lines that have been drawn and used by the devil to weaken the Body. Genuine Men and Women will fill the office of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teachers! These leadership offices within God's Economy will be more about service than titles.
This Revival that we are in the beginning stages of is being "felt" in several different denominations, even in churches that are not traditionally "open" to the Power and Gifting of the Holy Spirit! Pentecostal type churches as well are beginning to experience a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and for those who are open to the ministry and move of the Holy Spirit, "FIRE" is once again beginning to fall! YOU and YOUR Church, can be a part of this reformation of the Body of Christ! YOU and YOUR church can experience the power of the Holy Spirit to advance the Kingdom of God through gifts, miracles, healing's, signs and wonders that validate the message of the Gospel of Christ you are preaching! Seek deeper intimacy with Jesus! Make yourself available to the filling and working of the Holy Spirit! As Paul said, "keep in step with the Holy Spirit!" I am eager to be a part of this perhaps Final Wave of the Holy Spirit before the return of our Lord Jesus Christ!
What do you think?.......................
