BY ROBERT FITTS
A WORD OF EXPLANATION
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HEBREWS 1:9, "YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF JOY MORE THAN YOUR COMPANIONS."
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Introduction
Preface
Chapter One THE REVIVAL OF JOY
Chapter Two THE REVIVAL TOUCHES ME
Chapter Three REVIVAL HAS BEEN PROPHESIED
Chapter Four HOW TO ENTER INTO THIS REVIVAL
Chapter Five SIGNS OF A TRUE REVIVAL
Afterword
Another Afterword
INTRODUCTION
In the midst of the greatest missionary movement and the most extensive prayer movement of all time, we are now getting reports that the fires of revival are burning brightly in many parts of the world. It is a revival that carries with it all of the earmarks of every major revival movement of the past.
It is only in its beginning stages and some are even reluctant to call it a revival yet, but all are agreed that something significant is happening. This should not come as a surprise, since we have all been praying for years for just what we are seeing come to pass in these wonderful and exciting days.
Every widespread move of God throughout history has been challenged by the same people who found themselves being challenged in some previous move of God. Jesus himself said, "And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is better."' To the religious mind, change is the most painful prospect imaginable.
He is a rare individual who can make the journey through two major moves of God. And he who has remained pliable enough to go through three moves of God is almost non-existent.
We have a strong tendency to scrutinize, organize, polarize, and fossilize everything that moves in the Kingdom of God. We have to define it, measure it, structure it, wrap it up neatly and put a handle on it so that eventually we can put our name brand on it, start a franchise and merchandise it.
Of course, if it doesn't fit into our theology or our understanding of church policy or etiquette, or propriety, we usually throw it all out the door or we just ignore it.
If you are not really thirsty, you will probably not get through even the first chapter of this little book. But if you want a new, fresh touch from the Lord and you have a longing to see Jesus and touch him, something in the first chapter will call you on to read through the entire book and by the time you have finished it, you will have received a fresh new anointing from God and you will become a carrier of the fire that is beginning to burn in every country on earth.
This is what I pray will happen. God bless you and fill you with the fire of heaven!
Note: The very first person to read through this manuscript began to weep and to cry out to God for a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit before he was half way through it. The Lord fully met him and he received a glorious anointing of joy. May the Lord do the same in your life!
PREFACE
A DEFINITION OF THE WORD "REVIVAL"
(in the biblical and historical sense)
The word "revival" is not found in the Bible. The words "revive, revived, and reviving" are. The Hebrew word that we translate into the English word "revive" is "chayah" and carries the meaning: "to live; to make or keep alive; preserve alive; quicken, recover, repair, restore." (Strong's Concordance)
The word "revive" is used only twice in the New Testament and is found in Romans 7:9 and 14:9 (see below). The Greek word for "revive" is "anadzao" which means "to recover life; be alive again." (Strong's Concordance)
There is one other word in the Greek that is translated in Acts 3:19 as "refreshing" and that word is "anapsuxis" which means "a recovery of breath; i.e., revival." This is the only verse in the New Testament that contains a Greek word which could correctly be translated "revival" (see verse below).
In order that we may get a clear idea of what the word "revival" means, I am including all the Old and New Testament references (there are not very many).
New Testament:
"Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord...." (Acts 3:19; NAS)
"I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." (Rom. 7:9; KJV)
"For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived...." (Rom. 14:9; KJV)
Old Testament:
"Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?" (Neh. 4:2; NAS)
"Wilt thou not Thyself revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in Thee?" (Psa. 85:6; NAS)
"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me."
(Psa. 138:7' NAS)
"I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite." (Is. 57:15; NAS)
"Come, let us return to the Lord. For he has torn us, but he will heal us; He has wounded us, but he will bandage us. He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day that we may live before him." (Hosea 6:1-2 NAS)
"O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years...."
(Hab. 3:2; NAS)
The literal meaning of the word revival, if we are seeking a true biblical meaning, is a renewing and refreshing sent from the presence of the Lord in response to prayer, faith and repentance.
A revival does not have to be widespread to be called a revival in the biblical sense. One person can have a revival by receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit or by receiving a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. When one person who has been lukewarm in his walk with the Lord returns to God in brokenness and repentance, this is revival in the biblical sense, but not in the historical sense.
This means that an outpouring of the Holy Spirit anywhere can be called a revival in the biblical sense. If it should continue to grow and leap over the walls and start to go far and wide, such as happened at the tiny Azusa Street church in Los Angeles at the turn of the century or in Wales at about the same time or in 1994 at the Airport Vineyard in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, it might become a revival in the historical sense.
It is only when a personal revival becomes a church revival and a church revival becomes a wide-spread revival and the wide-spread revival begins to impact society that historians begin to put the term "revival" on it. The things that historians look for before they will say that it is a true revival are:
* Large numbers of new converts.
* All of the signs of revival mentioned in chapter four of this book.
* Social conditions begin to change because of the new moral climate of righteousness.
The church has used the term "revival" to describe widespread and unusually powerful visitations of God that bring us closer to him. We must not quarrel with each other over terms. Since some are hesitant to call the present move of God a "Revival," I felt it would be helpful to look at the meaning of the word from a scriptural and a historical standpoint. Call it whatever you want to; a rose by any other name is still a rose. So far as I am concerned, we are witnessing the beginnings of a true revival in every sense of the word. Time will tell.
CHAPTER ONE
A REVIVAL OF JOY
A wave of spiritual life and refreshing is beginning to be felt throughout the body of Christ. Here are some of the reports we are receiving:
"REVIVAL PHENOMENA SPREADS AROUND THE ~WORLD...across America, Argentina, Canada, Britain, and other nations, a phenomenal awakening has begun with extraordinary manifestations including spiritual laughter, drunkenness, trances and falling to the floor. In addition to these sensational phenomena, many have reported mass conversions marked by repentance, emotional and physical healing and "warm feelings of love and peace." Similar manifestations have accompanied most of the major revivals during the past two centuries, including the Wesleyan, Holiness and Pentecostal movements" - Vinson Synan, AD 2000 Tlmelines,
Aug. 1994.
BILLY GRAHAM SPEAKS OUT ON REVIVAL
"During the North American Conference for Itinerant Evangelists in Louisville, KY., in July l994, Billy Graham said he believes the United States is positioned at the center of a sweeping spiritual revival.
"'Seldom has the soil of the human heart and mind been better prepared than today,'" the 75-year-old evangelist announced. I have never seen so many people come to salvation in such a short period of time."' (Charisma Magazine, October 1994)
HOLY LAUGHTER SPREADS ACROSS ENGLAND
"This laughing revival is now effecting churches all over Britain. 'Holy Laughter,' as some have called it, has swept British churches since May 1994. Church leaders there are calling it 'a season of refreshing from God.' Several daily newspapers are covering the revival; Time Magazine reported in August on how the movement has impacted Great Britain's Anglican congregations, and the laughter continues to spread like wildfire across England.
"'This could be the biggest thing to hit the church in my life-time,' said Gerald Coates, who leads the Pioneer network of charismatic churches in England. It's not going to go away,' he told Charisma Magazine.
"Earlier this year, Coates and fellow leaders noticed limited incidents of people laughing and crying uncontrollably, or falling on the floor as if overcome by God's power.
"'It's not new,' said Coates of the unusual manifestations.
But before, it tended to be infrequent or related to some
"Coates was soon aware that a pattern was developing. He learned of churches in which people were laughing and collapsing to the floor--'going down in droves,' as he put it.
"Without him referring to the phenomenon from the pulpit, the laughter broke out at his own church, Pioneer People, in southwest London. 'We saw it happening throughout the month of May,' said Coates, who also is a leader in the March for Jesus organization.
"According to Coates, congregations have been transformed since the movement began. In his own church there has been 'a new spirit' and a fresh generosity among members. Stories of changed lives pour into his office daily. 'It's a different church,' he said.
"The radical transformation of lives is also one of the hallmarks of a similar movement occurring in the New Frontiers stream of charismatic churches, led by Terry Virgo.
"'We're seeing healed marriages and people's whole attitudes being changed,' said Nigel Ring, who is a member of Virgo's team in Great Britain. 'There is also a tremendous openness between different church streams and denominations.'
"Ring said his church is making room in its meetings to let the Holy Spirit have His way. He confirmed that laughter is the most widely reported sign accompanying these visitations. 'At our Bible week, it's something we're seeing now in greater measure,' he said.
"Some British Christians have observed how fitting it is that in a stressed filled world, God is causing people to laugh. But the present move of the Spirit is more than just a comforting experience, the leaders say.
"'People are moving in far greater spiritual power,' said Ring. 'Previously difficult counseling situations may be resolved within minutes instead of months.'
"In addition, leaders of noncharismatic churches are accepting the experience. 'They're just coming and saying, "Something is happening--I just want to receive,"' said Ring.
Mark Elsdon Dew, communications director of Holy Trinity Brompton, a flourishing charismatic Anglican church in central London, said, 'The Holy Spirit has been moving in churches all over the place. We know now of probably more than 100 churches around the country where the Spirit has broken out in great power.' The effect on HTB has been extraordinary, according to their spokesman, who says everyone involved has a story to tell.
"Both Nigel Ring and Gerald Coates see Great Britain as part of a worldwide renewal movement. New Frontiers has received reports of spiritual visitations in a number of countries.
"'I have never ever seen anything sweep the country so quickly,' said Coates. 'The fact is, God has come to visit us. There's a depth and intensity about it that we haven't seen before."' - Clive Price in West Sussex, Great Britain, Charisma Magazine,
August 1994.
MARRIAGES HEALED
"Pastor Gary Eberts of Midwest Christian Center, Tinley Park, Illinois, says that after a month of meetings with Rodney Howard Brown, hundreds of water baptisms were performed for new converts and that so many marriages were healed that 'our counseling has virtually disappeared.' He describes the revival as, 'revolutionary, to put it mildly' with some participants collapsing on the floor and remaining for hours. In one case, he said, cleaners the next morning had to vacuum around some who had lain on the floor all night long.
CHURCHES REVITALIZED
"Well known theologian Peter Wagner of Fuller Theological Seminary, who himself was overtaken by holy laughter, says that the current events may be 'part of the things the Lord is doing to prepare us for a coming revival.' Many pastors claim that this outpouring has totally revitalized their churches." - Vinson Synan, AD 2000, Timelines, Aug. 1994.
A MODERN AZUSA STREET?
John Arnott, pastor of Airport Vineyard in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, reports that they are having services six nights a week. People are coming to this church from all over the world to see what's going on. Some of the manifestations are: falling, weeping, laughing, shaking, trembling, jerking, dancing, shouting, and an awesome sense of God's presence. Deep inner healings of emotions that have persisted for years and that nothing could touch, have been healed. People are being saved, healed, delivered from oppression, and filled with the Holy Spirit in an unprecedented way and the fire is spreading.
For the first several months at Airport Vineyard, there were a few people getting saved, but now (8 months after the initial outpouring) they are averaging 50 new converts each week.
A STORM OF GLORY
"The rain is falling. If you've been in many Holy-Spirit-led meetings lately, you've probably experienced it yourself. If you haven't...you will. I have no doubt about it. For these outbreaks of Holy Ghost power are not just isolated incidents. The reports are coming in from every quarter. The glory is here! God is manifesting His divine presence among His people. These
"Both Nigel Ring and Gerald Coates see Great Britain as part of a worldwide renewal movement. New Frontiers has received reports of spiritual visitations in a number of countries.
"'I have never ever seen anything sweep the country so quickly,' said Coates. 'The fact is, are no minor 'showers of blessing, either. They are the first waves of the great and final outpouring of the glory of God upon this earth. The former and latter rain of the Holy Spirit has begun to flood this planet like never before in history. THE FIRST WAVES OF GOD'S GLORY HAVE BEGUN TO FILL THE EARTH..." - Kenneth Copeland, Believer's Voice of Victory, June 1994.
DRUNK ON NEW WINE
"We have been tasting the New Wine of the Holy Spirit. Our introduction came via, 'Let The Fire Fall' conference at the Anaheim Vineyard. We have tasted enough to recognize how much old wineskin remains and can confirm the word of Jesus in Luke 5:39, 'And no one, having drunk old wine, immediately desires new; for he says, 'The old is better."' Laughing, crying, shaking, rolling, overpowering, are all accurate descriptions of people under the influence of new wine. One individual in our office sporadically flopped over on their desk in a semiconscious stupor throughout the day. We refuse to mention any names to protect the only remaining semblance of sanity! New wine has prompted us to take a fresh look at the model church. When God moves, invariably our theology and tradition are almost universally challenged. This move of the Spirit may contain the greatest challenges ever, or certainly produce the greatest controversy ever. Only God can reveal how much Pharisee lurks beneath the surface of each saint. It appears the screening process has begun!" - Al Houghton, Word at Work Ministries, August 1994.
REVIVAL COMES TO ST. LOUIS
"Our church, Life Christian Center, pastored by Rev. Rick Shelton, has had a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit's Revival Fire! We have just finished a four-week revival with Evangelist Rodney Howard-Brown from South Africa. Our entire Metropolitan area has been impacted. In one service there were 295 churches represented and many pastors came from all over the United States and several foreign countries. Four hundred ministers attended a special luncheon.
SOME OF THE MANIFESTATIONS WERE:
* Hundreds of people were falling to the floor as hands were laid upon them--some lay on the floor for hours.
* Some so drunk in the Holy Spirit they had to be helped or carried to their cars!
* Some were struck speechless for hours and a few for days.
* A few were frozen in one position--for long periods of time.
* Holy laughter would break out throughout the congregation.
*** The greatest testimony of all is that hundreds of people tell of their total lives having been changed by their encounter with the Lord.
Many skeptics came to check it out and went away touched by the Lord. One such friend was 'slain in the spirit' and couldn't speak for two and one-half days. Pastor Shelton and others tried to give testimonies and were struck dumb before the congregation...unable to speak.
At the end of the third week, they baptized 1,150 people in a swimming pool put up in the church. Thousands were coming from everywhere...lining up at the door as early as 4 PM to get a seat for the 7 PM service.
Many are telling how the Lord is using them with their families, in their neighborhoods, on the job, in school, etc. Ministers throughout the area report that the Holy Spirit is moving in the same way in their churches and wherever they speak. Ruth just finished a women's week-end Retreat and the Spirit broke out there! I cannot tell you of all the wonderful things the Lord is doing...except to say, this is the REAL THING!" - Hobart vann, Missionary Evangelist, Spring 1994.
(The following excerpt is from Hobart Vann's next prayer letter three months or so later.)
A SPIRITUAL EXPLOSION
"We have all prayed for years, 'Lord, send Revival.' HE HAS!! We are receiving reports from all over the world. Ruth and I just returned from Rodney Howard-Brown's camp meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. It was a spiritual explosion. One atheist was quoted as saying, 'I always thought that if there was a God, people would act just like this."' (Hobart Vann, Missionary Evangelist, Summer 1994)
From the above reports and testimonies, it is clear that a fresh wind of revival is blowing, not only across our land, but throughout the world!
Let us not be as the man in the following incident who was a witness to a mighty visitation of God, but who, because of his unbelief, did not partake of its benefits:
The ancient city of Samaria was under siege of a vast army of Arameans. It lasted so long that a donkey's head sold for about 2 pounds of silver and a few seed pods for an outrageous amount. Food was so scarce that the people had begun to eat their own children.
Then the word of the Lord came to the prophet Elisha, "Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says, about this time tomorrow a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria" (very cheap food). The officer on whose hand the king was leaning said to the man of God, "Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?"
"You will see it with your eyes," answered Elisha, "but you will not eat any of it!"
At the gate of the city sat four leprous men. They said to each other, "Why sit we here until we die? If we go inside the city, the famine is there and we will die there. If we stay here, we're going to die. Let's go over into the camp of the enemy and surrender. If they spare our lives, we'll live; if they kill us, we're going to die anyway."
So just before dark, these four lepers got up and walked out toward the camp of the Arameans. As they walked, God caused the noise of a mighty army to sound in the ears of the Arameans. thinking that the king of Israel had hired the Egyptian and Hittite armies to attack them, they fled, leaving everything behind.
When the four lepers reached the camp, they found plenty of food and provisions, but no people. They carried that news back to Samaria and the next day food was so plentiful and the crush of the people caused the death of the officer who had doubted the word of the Lord through Elisha the day before. He saw it with his eyes, but he did not eat of it.
CHAPTER TWO
THE REVIVAL TOUCHES ME
It had been almost a year since I first came in contact with this laughing revival. My first reaction was one of revulsion. "Ugh! This is not of God. This is pure flesh!" was my response. I promptly canceled it out of my thoughts.
As the months passed by and I began to hear of what God was doing in these kinds of meetings, I began to reevaluate my thinking on the matter. They say that a hungry heart will open a closed mind and my mind began to open ever so slowly. The more I heard and read and thought about these "strange" manifestations, and the wonderful healings and deliverances that were taking place, the more interested I became.
I remembered what I had read about other revivals down through the history of the church. In all of them there had been similar manifestations that had been a "stone of stumbling" to those on the outside looking in. In the Azusa Street meetings it had been speaking in tongues that some just could not swallow and so they took a look and walked away&emdash;empty.
In this present move, those who have no problem with speaking in tongues anymore are stumbled by other manifestations, such as uncontrolled laughter, or falling, or shaking, or something else.
As I continued to read and hear more about what was going on and how it was spreading, I became aware of a handful of men that the Lord seemed to be using to ignite the fires of this revival all over the country. I kept watching and listening to see when one of them would come to Southern California so that I could go and get under the power of these meetings and catch the fire myself.
In the summer of 1994 the Anaheim Vineyard sponsored a week of meetings called, "Let The Fire Fall." Not one, but several of these key men whom God was using to spread the revival were there&emdash;and so was I.
The first night was a very unusual meeting. After an hour or so of gloriously anointed praise and worship, John Wimber got up and introduced three young people whose lives had been touched by the revival. As each one tried to give his testimony, he was shaking so hard he could hardly hold the microphone steady long enough to say anything. I don't mean trembling, I mean shaking.
Then the laughter started and began to spread throughout the vast auditorium that was totally packed with people from all over the United States and several foreign countries. It seemed to me that there were no spectators, but that 100% of those present were caught up in what was happening. No one was there to grieve the spirit. All were there to receive. All were hungry and thirsty for more of Jesus.
The powerful presence of God was unmistakable from the very first. It was as if a teaching was totally unnecessary. We all knew why we were there. "LET THE FIRE FALL" says it all! It was such a moving meeting that the teaching that was planned that night never took place. One of the characteristics of this revival is that almost every service is more spontaneous than planned.
I purposely went to this service alone. I wanted to have perfect liberty to respond to God in any way he wanted me to without being bothered with what somebody who knew me might think.
I have been fully involved in the Charismatic Renewal since 1972 and most of the things I witnessed at Vineyard, Anaheim, that night, I had seen many times before; but there was one thing different. There was a powerful anointing present. One could simply speak a word or make a gesture and it seemed to penetrate and do a wonderful work in the hearts of people.
For years I had studied the great revivals of history. I had taught on revival and had been involved in many efforts to promote revival. I had taught that revival in its simplest form is nothing more or less than a new beginning of obedience to God.
Now God was revealing to me an added dimension of revival. He was showing me that there is a spiritual element in revival that can actually change the atmosphere in a place and make it so supercharged with the life of God that it is almost irresistible.
Some began to tremble and shake under the powerful presence of this anointing. Others fell to the floor. In a few cases it seemed to me that the person was being delivered from an evil spirit because of the commotion taking place. That was somewhat ugly and scary for some, but I knew from experience that the results would be very, very good.
At one point in the meeting one of the leaders went to the microphone and gave an invitation for all those who knew that they had once had a greater anointing on their lives. We were asked to walk down to the stage area where several trained counselors were laying hands on people and ministering to them. For some time I stood and watched what was going on and suddenly I felt the Lord speaking to me and saying, "You will never receive anything if you remain a spectator."
That was all I needed to hear. I immediately left my seat and made my way over fallen bodies and through the crowded aisles to
the front of the auditorium where people were standing waiting for ministry.
I need to say at this point that as a teacher of the Word of God for the past 40 years, I have been unflinching in my stand that "the just shall live by his faith" and not by his feelings and that we are never to seek an experience for the sake of having an experience.
I am well aware that we are to put our faith out in front and let our feelings follow our faith. But I am also aware of some of the overpowering experiences that men and women of the Bible went through that changed them "into another person" such as Saul in the Old Testament and Paul and Peter in the New Testament.
As I stood there alone with God in that crowded room, I prayed silently, "Lord, you know my heart. You know how dry I am. You know how hungry and thirsty I am for you and for the power of the Holy Spirit to rest on my life and ministry. You know the struggles that I have been going through. Oh, God, touch me tonight. Fill me tonight. Let your fire burn in me as it has never burned before! Make me an instrument in your hands of your salvation, your healing, and your deliverance, O, God!"
I was so thirsty! I felt like King David who said, "O, God, Thou art my God;...My soul thirsts for thee, my flesh yearns for Thee, In a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psa. 63:1)
I had been walking across a dry, dry desert for several years in my personal life and ministry and had been experiencing periods of oppression and depression in an ongoing spiritual battle.
I remembered the promise in Isaiah 44:3, "I will pour water on him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground." As I stood there at the altar I knew that I was the dry ground and I was desperately waiting for the floods to come.
Just then I felt two warm, gentle hands on my back. I selfishly hoped it was John Wimber or one of the "five-star generals" whom God had used so wonderfully to spread this revival in so many places. I looked, and it was an unknown "Ananias" who had come to minister to me.
At first, I was a little disappointed, but I was so desperate to enter into this wonderful flow of God's Spirit that it really didn't matter to me anymore. I knew that God could use an "Ananias" in my life just as he had used Ananias in the life of Paul.
I lifted my hands and began to pray in the spirit. I had already promised myself that I would not try to make anything happen, but that I would not resist it if anything did happen. I said, "Lord, I am willing to fall, to tremble, to shake, to quake, to laugh, to cry, to leap, to dance, to shout, or to bounce off the walls if necessary. Whatever it takes, Lord, I will do it if you will just pour out this anointing on me. But I want it to be you and not just me trying to make something happen."
The instant this brother laid his hands on me and began to pray, I felt a warmth both upon me and inside of me. It was so tangible and so sweet and good and comforting that I began to cry. It was a cry that came from the uttermost depths of my soul. The best description of what I experienced in that moment is a passage from the book of Genesis that describes the great flood, "And all the fountains of the great deep were broken up."
I felt it was the most "delicious" cry that I had ever experienced in my whole life. It was a healing cry. It was a releasing cry. The tears flowed so freely. I felt that an inner washing was taking place so deep within me that it reached down and down and touched the depths of my inner man on a level that had never been touched before.
I said, "Lord, please don't let this man take his hands off me. Let this washing continue and continue and continue. I want all of your fullness! Complete the work, O, God!"
This brother just kept on ministering to me, "Give him more, Lord! Fill him, Lord! Stir him! Anoint him, Lord! Bless him and refresh him! More, Lord! More! More, Lord!" On and on he prayed. I was weeping and praising God at the same time for what was happening.
That lasted for several minutes. After he left and went on to minister to someone else, I continued in the Lord's presence with this sweet refreshing fire of God rolling over me, body, soul and spirit.
Since that night, several months ago, I have had the same experience many times. (As I write this, the tears are flowing again.) It is so releasing, so cleansing, so healing. It is almost indescribable. It is a cry of joy and not of pain.
For several days afterward, I would be up at night, sometimes at two or three o'clock in the morning, praising God and dancing through the house. Since then, I have experienced almost all the manifestations of this revival including "holy laughter."
A week later I wrote the following letter to John Wimber:
"Dear John, I was greatly blessed, refreshed, restored, revived, encouraged, refired, reinspired, refilled, reanointed, and built up during the week of LET THE FIRE FALL! I am in a full-time ministry of missionary evangelism that takes me to many different countries. For a long time I have been teaching on "The New Anointing," emphasizing the need for being filled with the Holy Spirit over and over again, but we were not seeing its fullness.
"A few months ago I...heard about two pastors in San Diego who went to Toronto and came back SUPER-CHARGED in the power of the Holy Spirit! I was reminded of Azusa Street and how people came from all over the world to that fire and went away to light other fires.
"I prayed that God would make it possible for me to attend some meetings where I could get my own fire lit and your meetings were God's provision for me.
"A friend recently gave me a video of what's happening in the MAJOR REVIVAL movement in China. It is actual footage of some of the house church meetings in the underground church. Would you believe it? It looked a lot like the move of the Spirit that I witnessed last week at Anaheim Vineyard.
"I'm wondering if you'd like to view this video, or even show it to the whole church there? It will be a great encouragement for them to see that what's happening in China is what's happening here, with very little difference.
"I plan to attend other services there this week. I'd be happy to bring the video for you to view. I think it will also be a strong CONFIRMATION that we are not off into something weird.
Sincerely in Christ
Bob Fitts
I can never again doubt that this is a genuine move of God. These times of laughter and weeping and laying before God after being "slain in the spirit" are times of inward renewal, emotional healing, and even deliverance from tormenting spirits.
God has given me a great desire to help spread the fire of this move of the Spirit. I believe we are seeing the leading edge of a major end-time, world-wide revival which has been prophesied for many years. DON'T LAUGH AT THE LAUGHING REVIVAL. It is more than laughter. It just may turn out to be the greatest move of the Spirit of God in the history of the church.
What's more, it might even be the final end-time harvest that will take place just prior to the second coming of Christ. That day is coming. This just may be it! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
CHAPTER THREE
REVIVAL HAS BEEN PROPHESIED
The following are excerpts from a few of the many prophesies that have been received by the church since the mid-eighties concerning a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The first one was given to David Miner. In this prophecy, the Holy Spirit speaks of two winds that will blow. The first one has been blowing for about ten years. This wind has been blowing on the church to purge and purify it in preparation for the second wind which will be the wind of a powerful revival in which there will be many signs and wonders. In his mercy, God is still allowing us to turn our faces into the wind, even though the second wind has already started to blow.
TURN YOUR FACE INTO THE WIND
"The Spirit of God would say to you that the wind of the Holy Spirit is blowing throughout the land. The Church, however, is incapable of fully recognizing this Wind. Just as your nation has given names to its hurricanes, so I have put My Name on this Wind. This Wind shall be named Holiness Unto The Lord.
"Because of a lack of understanding, some of My people will try to find shelter from the Wind, but in so doing, they shall miss My work. This Wind has been sent to blow through every institution that has been raised in My name. In those institutions that have substituted their name for Mine, they shall fall by the impact of My Wind. Those institutions shall fall like cardboard shacks in a gale. Ministries that have not walked in uprightness before Me shall be broken and fall.
THIS IS MY WIND
"For this reason man will be tempted to brand this as a work of Satan, but do not be misled. This is My Wind. I cannot tolerate My Church in its present form, nor will I tolerate it. Ministries and organizations will shake and fall in the face of this Wind, and even though some will seek to hide from the Wind, they shall not escape. It shall blow against your lives and all around you will appear crumbling, and so it shall.
"But never forget THIS IS MY WIND, saith the Lord. With tornado force it will come and appear to leave devastation, but the Word of the Lord comes and says, "Turn your face into the Wind and let it blow." For only that which is not of Me shall be devastated. You must see this as necessary.
A SECOND WIND
"Be not dismayed. For after this, My Wind shall blow again. Have you not read how My Breath blew on the valley of dry bones? So it shall breathe on you. This Wind will come in equal force as the first Wind. This Wind too will have a name. It shall be called, THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
"It shall bring My government and order. Along with that it shall bring My power. The supernatural shall come in this Wind. The world will laugh at you because of the devastation of that first Wind, but they will laugh no more. For this Wind will come with force and power that will produce the miraculous among My people and the fear of God shall fall on the nation.
"My people will be willing in the day of My power, saith the Lord. In my first Wind that is upon you now, I will blow out pride, lust, greed, competition, and jealousy, and you will feel devastated, but haven't you read, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven"? So out of your poverty of spirit I will establish My Kingdom. Have you not read, "The Kingdom of God is in the Holy Spirit?" So by My Spirit, My kingdom will be established and made manifest.
"Know this also, there will be those who shall seek to hide from this present Wind and they will try to flow with the second Wind. But again, they will be blown away by it. Only those who have turned their faces into the present Wind shall be allowed to be propelled by the second Wind.
"You have longed for revival and a return to the miraculous and the supernatural. You and your generation shall see it, but it shall only come by My process, saith the Lord.
"The Church of this nation cannot contain My power in its present form. But as it turns to the Wind of the Holiness of God, it shall be purged and changed to contain My glory. This is judgment that has begun in the house of God, but it is not the end. When the second Wind has come and brought in My harvest, then shall the end come."
THE NEXT MOVE OF GOD
(Excerpts from a prophetic writing by John Paul Jackson)
"What is the next great move of God going to look like? Who is going to be impacted? How broad will it be? What will be the result?
"All of us would like to know the answers to those questions. While I do not know a whole lot more than many others, there are a few things that I believe the Lord has shown me, over the years, about some of those question. In the 1980s, while I lived in Dallas and Kansas City, the Lord began to show me a wonderful move of God that was coming in the mid 1990s...that there was going to be another move of the Holy Spirit across many nations...and many signs and wonders would come on the people in the church just as it did in the "upper room" in the second chapter of Acts.
ANOTHER JESUS PEOPLE MOVEMENT?
"The Lord went on to reveal that some would say this move of God was another "Jesus People" movement, due to the number of prodigals and new converts that would be seen coming to the Lord. Yet, the Lord indicated that this move of God would be deeper and much broader than that.
"He showed me...
* A power and display of the supernatural will be seen that has not been consistently seen since the days of the early church.
* Many reports of "tongues of fire" sitting on people's heads, drunkenness of the spirit being widespread in the church, mass waves of laughter and crying would once again sweep through churches, demons would shriek and cry out as the presence of the Holy Spirit intensified.
* People healed during worship and during the message without anyone praying for them.
* It would not be unusual for several people to give their lives to the Lord while all the 'power stuff' was happening.
* Personal, lasting fruit of the spirit and the instant ability to overcome things that were previously tormenting to the person.
* Denominational boundaries that separate churches become insignificant in the presence of the Holy Spirit.
* This anointing and power will not be limited to one man nor to one church.
* It will be scattered over many cities and nations, not just located in one geographic area.
* It will come in surges. The first surge will get the church's attention and begin to build and repair the church from within. The second surge will bring in prodigals. The third surge will bring in the new converts.
* There is no set pattern or time-frame for these surges to occur. In some locations all three will happen back to back, while in other locations it will happen over the course of a year or more.
* Much like the ocean has large swells with several smaller waves in between, there will be waves between surges. The first wave seemed to be that of the breaking of the restrictions that our mind, will, and emotions place on us. It's like the breaking of our own personal old wineskins.
* As this move matures, repentance from dead works will become a strong focus. Things that God used to wink at, he will now call for repentance.
* It will happen where pastors are transparent and vulnerable. It seems both qualities have to be present. Transparency allows us to tell what we have been through. Vulnerability allows us to tell what we are going through.
WHAT IS GOING ON NOW?
"It's happening! We see the cloud the size of a hand, and are beginning to feel the sprinkles from it. The very thing that so many men of God have been crying out for has started. It is happening with many ministries and in many churches in many cities. It has even begun here in Moline, Illinois. The Spirit of God is being stirred up again. Places like Lakeland, Florida; Toronto, Canada; and San Diego, California; it's happening in England and the United Kingdom as well.
"Many places across the country and other nations, in particular, have been meeting every night for several weeks. It's even happening here with PRM (Prophetic Reformation Ministries). Over the last few months we have seen marked increases in power and anointing from one meeting to the next. People lying all over the floor for two to four hours, unable to get up. Some have said they felt 'glued to the floor!' Demonized people are crying out and being delivered. Masses of people are laughing, and crying simultaneously.
"People are getting saved without an altar call. Various healings of all kinds taking place. Marriages are being restored. People are actually becoming spiritually stronger in the weeks and months following meetings.
"Children are falling under the power, praying for people&emdash;and cancers are being healed! Children are laying hands on people and having spectacular words of knowledge and prophetic utterances that are amazingly accurate.
"This move of God seems to be first hitting the broken pastors and broken churches. God's Spirit is touching places where there has been great conflict, touching pastors who have been battling with feelings of failure&emdash;broken men with broken churches.
"Are all the things that happen in these meetings from God? No, they are not. However, most are from God. Where there is the fire of God, there will often be a wild fire. But, I'd rather have real fire with a little wildfire than no fire! One person scoffed at all the bodies lying on the floor, offended at the manifestations he witnessed.
"This person asked me if I thought that God was in these manifestations. 'There are some people laughing and falling that did not do so by the hand of God,' I said, 'But there are also people who are getting healed and delivered from things that have tormented them for years. Do you think God is the one doing these things?' He replied, 'Yes, I do.'
"I then replied and said, 'Apparently God is not offended by this because he is healing, delivering, and binding up the broken ones. Therefore, neither am I going to be offended; I'm going to bless what he is doing!'
"Many things which we find offensive, God finds beautiful. And, so it is with little children. Little children are not easily offended, nor are they quick to judge others' actions or motives. Their level of faith is greater than their level of sophistication.
"May we be slow to judge and quick to embrace the manifestation of God's Spirit among us. May we not look upon the manifestations of the Spirit just for the sake of manifestations themselves. Rather, let us look upon the fruit of these manifestations in the lives of those God touches. Let us bless that which God is blessing. May we all be as little children and changed by the power of the Spirit, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven."
THE BIG ONE
God never does anything without telling his prophets, especially major events such as a worldwide move that will affect millions and millions of people. Many prophets have sounded the trumpet over the past several years:
THE BIG ONE IS COMING!!!
THE BIG ONE IS COMING!!!
The Spirit has witnessed it to all our hearts as millions of believers have prayed and fasted and cried out to God for these times of refreshing.
Are we ready to receive from God that for which we have prayed, even if it comes to us with all these strange and messy manifestations and with the dubious title of THE LAUGHING REVIVAL?
Just remember, Jesus did not make his triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a white stallion but on "the colt of an ass."
CHAPTER FOUR
HOW TO ENTER INTO THIS REVIVAL
There are two ways to enter fully into this revival. I include the word "fully" because there are many whose lives have been touched by this move of God who have splashed around in the refreshing waters for awhile and have gone on their way not knowing what happened or what they had touched or what had touched them. They have not followed on to fully cooperate with God to bring the anointing to its fullness in their lives and have drifted back into the old rut.
Revival is the work of God and man--not God alone.
Someone once remarked to the famous botanist, Luther Burbank, about his beautifully landscaped trees and gardens on his estate, "How marvelous are the works of God!" the visitor sighed.
"Yes, marvelous indeed," replied Burbank, "but you should have seen it when God had it all by himself!" As we co-labor with God to promote revival, we will see it grow and expand in every direction. We must also co-labor with God to extend the revival into all areas of our own personal lives.
TWO WAYS TO ENTER INTO REVIVAL AND CO-LABOR
WITH GOD
We may enter into this revival movement in one of two ways: The most common way is to prepare our hearts before God according to II Chronicles 7:14. This is done through a sometimes lengthy process of repentance and confession of sin which is explained below.
Another way is by exposing ourselves to the supernatural anointing that rests upon those who are fully submerged in it. Let's look first at:
THE ANOINTING
Some are entering this revival by just being exposed to the anointing that rests on others and then they do the work of heart searching, while others first do the work of heart preparation and then get exposed to the anointing. Some are only lightly touched by the revival while others are fully caught up in it and enjoy the fullest benefits of it.
A good example of the power of the anointing was the life of the apostle Peter after the day of Pentecost. It says in Acts 5:15, "...people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed. Such is the power
In the first great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost the onlookers were "amazed and perplexed and they asked one another, 'What does this mean?"' The answer that Peter gave to this question was, "This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy; your young men will see visions; your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."'
Revival is an outpouring (anointing) of the Holy Spirit that occurs when men have cooperated with God through repentance, humility, prayer, and faith.
Widespread revival happens when there has been a larger concerted effort, especially in united prayer, to fulfill God's requirements for revival. These are the movements that sometimes extend all over the world and become well known, such as the Welsh Revival, the Azusa Street Revival, and the various Great Awakenings throughout the history of the United States. They always involve the supernatural because the outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the ANOINTING!
The anointing is the outpouring. Just as the ancient Hebrew priests poured out the oil on the heads of the king, it is a substance that comes upon those who receive it. It is a miracle working substance. Jesus said, "You shall receive power (miracle working power) when the Holy Spirit comes upon you." (Acts 1:8)
We have the Holy Spirit "in" us from the time we are born again, but he does not come "upon" us until we receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit like the disciples did on the day of Pentecost.
Jesus said, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me...." (Luke 4:18) The baptism in the Holy Spirit is the anointing. Jesus did not have the anointing for the first 30 years of his life. He did no miracles till after he had been anointed. He received it the day he was baptized in the River Jordan. He had the Holy Spirit "in" him from the day he was born, for he was born of the Spirit at birth. The Holy Spirit came "upon" him when he was baptized by John (see John 1:32-33).
THE ANOINTING IS TRANSFERABLE
Jesus said, "And these signs shall follow them that believe, in my name they shall...lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." (Mark 16:15)
It was through the laying on of hands that many were healed. Why lay hands on people? It is for the purpose of imparting the anointing. The anointing is a flowing thing. It is miracle working power. When the anointing flows in, demons and disease are driven out and the person experiences healing and deliverance.
"God did extraordinary miracles through Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them." (Acts 19:11) This anointing rests on all who are filled with the Holy Spirit. Some have a greater measure than others. Some have allowed their anointing to ebb away through worldliness or disobedience to the known will of God.
The anointing is stronger on some than on others. It is a growing thing. We can have more if we want it, if we are willing to pay the price for it.
A DOUBLE PORTION
Elisha was a young man who served the prophet Elijah faithfully. On the day that Elijah was to be taken up in the chariot of fire to meet the Lord, Elisha said, "I want a double portion of your spirit on me!" He was so hungry for it and so persistent in his quest that he did receive that day a very strong anointing from the Lord as the mantle of Elijah fell on him.
He served the Lord faithfully under this anointing for many years, doing many miracles, then he grew old and died. They buried him in a cave. In II Kings 13:15 we read a most remarkable little story couched in three or four sentences:
"Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man's body into Elisha's tomb. When the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet."
The anointing that had come upon Elisha during his lifetime had remained upon him and even penetrated his bones which still had life-giving power in them. This is how the anointing works.
THE ANOINTING IS TANGIBLE
A woman who had an issue of blood for 12 years and could get no help from the medical profession came to Jesus and touched his clothes as she said in her heart, "If I can just touch his clothes, I will get well." When she touched his robe, Jesus said, "Who touched me?" His disciples said, "Lord, with so many people in the crowd, many people are touching you." But he said, "I felt virtue go out of me. Someone touched me with faith." The woman "felt in her body that she had been healed of her infirmity."
The anointing is tangible. We do not always feel it, but often we do. Jesus, in the instance above, felt something. The woman who was healed also felt something. Something flowed out of Jesus and into the woman and drove out the disease. That is how the anointing works.
That word "virtue" in Mark chapter five is the same word Jesus used in Acts 1:8 when he said, "But you shall receive power (virtue) after the Holy Spirit comes upon you..." The power that came through Jesus' clothes and entered into that woman and drove out the disease is the same power that comes upon us when we receive an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and it is transferable.
In Luke 6:17-19 we read, "He went down with them and stood in a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people...who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all." The flow of this wonderful anointing can have a dynamic effect on a large crowd of people at the same time.
THE ANOINTING IS SUBSTANCE
The anointing is substance. It is not a thought, or a concept, or a theory, or a law, or a principle. It is something concrete, definite, real, and practical that has substance. It comes upon us and it can be communicated to others through the laying on of our hands and sometimes just by coming into close proximity to one another. It can be transferred through cloth, bones, or other things as we have seen above.
HEART-SEARCHING AND REPENTANCE
However you come into a real revival, you will not escape the fires that attend such movements. That fire is a fire of holiness. The Holy Spirit is not named THE HOLY SPIRIT for nothing! He is holy and he will not let up on us until we are holy in thought, word and deed.
Every major revival has been attended with this deep heart-searching, repentance, and cleansing. The Lord knows that we are only as happy as we are holy, so all of his purging, purifying, scraping, peeling, blasting, and scrubbing is for our own good. The joy of the Holy Spirit can be quenched by any form of disobedience, therefore we must submit to this process.
Get alone with God with a pen and paper. Ask the Lord to reveal to you anything that is wrong in your life. Wait in silence. He is very capable of communicating with you in a way that you will not misunderstand. Whatever comes to your mind, confess it and repent of it. Tell the Lord that it is your desire to be free from that sin forever. He is not only the one who forgives our sins; he is the one who also delivers from sin.
After you have written down the things the Lord reveals to you, ask him to show you anything else. Wait again in silence. Write down whatever he shows you. Continue in this process until there is nothing left that he shows you. When you know that you have done a thorough work of heart-searching and repentance, take the paper on which you have written all your sins and write across it in LARGE LETTERS, I JOHN 1:7 "THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, GOD'S SON, CLEANSES ME FROM ALL SIN." Then, tear it up and throw it in the trash.
Never again allow the enemy to bring to your mind any of those things you wrote down and trashed. They are under the blood of Jesus, never to be remembered against you forever! Now you are clean. Now you are holy. Now you are pure. Now you are free!!!
The next step, if you have not already taken it, is to go, as fast as you can, to the nearest church where the revival fires are burning. Ask God to anoint you with the oil of joy! He will surely meet the one who is hungry and thirsty and is crying out for a satisfying portion of his grace and power. If your church has not yet entered into this revival, go to one that has. God may use you to light some fires.
For those who may be thinking that this anointing of joy is perhaps OK, but that it is not the same as the outpourings of the Holy Spirit that came upon Jesus and the early church, consider the following passage from Hebrews 1:9, "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy." These words were spoken to Jesus by the Father.
When Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of his baptism, he was anointed with the "oil of joy." And when he said to those of his own hometown of Nazareth that, "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to preach, heal, liberate captives, give sight to the blind," etc., he was talking about the anointing of JOY! The anointing of joy enables us to do the same kind of works that Jesus did. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is the anointing of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength. And strength is power, power to do the works of Jesus.
CHAPTER FIVE
SIGNS OF A TRUE REVIVAL
Revival is not the perfect will of God. A steady flow of God's life and power is his perfect will for our spiritual lives. Healing is not the perfect will of God. Health is his perfect will. A need for healing indicates that someone is sick, and sickness is not the perfect will of God.
The need for revival indicates that there has been a spiritual decline, which is never the will of God. But revival is the will of God for those who need it; for those who have cooled off in their walk with Jesus and need a fresh touch of God's anointing and a new infilling of the Holy Spirit.
NOT A MIRACLE
Revival is not a miracle. It is a simple cooperating with God according to his promise in II Chronicles 7:14, "If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land."
The "if " above indicates the conditions of true revival. The Good news is that God's people have been humbling themselves, praying, seeking his face, and turning from their wicked ways in sufficient numbers worldwide so that revival is flowing in many lands at the present time.
REVIVAL IS CONTAGIOUS
The added dimension that makes it so much more exciting is the fact that revival and the blessings of a widespread revival are contagious. It is similar to an epidemic. Everyone who catches the disease is a carrier of the disease. In the case of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, everyone who receives the anointing is a carrier of the revival.
Revival is like a fire that burns. The bigger the fire, the more apt it is to leap over walls and fences and roads and cause a multitude of other fires. This present move of God is being reported around the world in wider and wider circles.
OPEN HEAVENS
Added to all of the above is the fact that because of successful spiritual warfare, there is now open heavens and the blessings of God are being poured out in many places all over the earth without hindrance.
Over the past several years we have witnessed a prayer movement that has no parallel in the history of the church. And because of this we are now seeing a major breakthrough in the
NOT A SOVEREIGN ACT
Revival is not a sovereign act of God. A field of corn is not a sovereign act of God. In both cases it is God and man working together to bring forth the harvest. We do not pray down revival, as if through our continual crying we finally persuade God to give us something that he is reluctant to give us. Prayer is certainly the heart of revival, but it is only a part. We must also humble ourselves and repent of sins. Only then will we experience the showers of blessing.
REVIVAL HAS TWO PARTS
A revival has two parts--man's part and God's part. God's part is to pour out his Spirit in power and man's part is to provide a channel through which God's mighty power can operate.
The first great outpouring of the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost. There have been many similar outpourings since then, but there is promised in the Word of God that there will be a tremendous outpouring prior to the Second Coming of Christ (see Joel 2:23, 28-30, James 5:7, Zachariah 10:1). Many feel that this final outpouring has already begun and is growing in scope and intensity.
God is seeking to awaken the church to what is happening so that they can fully cooperate with him in the enlargement of this wave of revival blessing. He is saying to the church, "Behold, I am doing a new thing, now it is springing forth, do you not perceive it?" (IS.43:18)
I can see the Lord cupping both hands to his mouth and shouting to the church:
"WAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!!!!!"
Some of the signs of a true revival are:
Conviction: A deep conviction of sin prevails in times of revival. Sin begins to appear exceedingly sinful. Things we once tolerated in our lives now cry out for confession and repentance.
Repentance: In revival, repentance is an ongoing process. As more and more dross surfaces from the heart, it is put away and "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, cleanses us from all sin." We rejoice in full forgiveness of sins according to I John 1:7 until God reveals something else in our lives that displeases him. Then immediate turning from the sin brings immediate joy and in this way we walk with him daily in a process of cleansing.
Supplication: Revivals have always been characterized by prayer; days and nights of prayer, prayer with fasting, prayer vigils, praying together and praying alone. The very spirit of prayer is
the spirit of revival.
The first great revival came after a ten-day prayer meeting and it has been the same with every significant spiritual outpouring since. The great Sialkot Revival in India was born in a 30-day prayer meeting led by John Hyde, who became known as "Praying Hyde". Thousands were praying in Wales just prior to the mighty outpouring there in 1904.
Dr. A. T. Pierson said, "From the day of Pentecost, there has been not one great spiritual awakening in any land which has not begun in a union of prayer, though only among two or three; no such outward, upward movement has continued after such prayer meetings declined.
Restitution: When the Holy Spirit is allowed to plow and purge our hearts thoroughly, it usually involves the healing of a broken relationship. Unforgiveness, resentments, bitterness, pride, gossip, backbiting, and hate must all be put away and, leaving no stone unturned, a full reconciliation made wherever needed.
This restitution includes payment of old debts, returning stolen or borrowed property, apologies made and confessions to one another of wrong attitudes. The Holy Spirit is leading us into a transparent relationship with God, with each other and with ourselves. No hidden motives, no using of psychology to manipulate others.
Brokenness: One who is truly experiencing a revival will be in a state of brokenness. Brokenness is a heart attitude of meekness and humility. A person who is walking in brokenness is pliable in the hands of the Lord. He is not easily offended by others. He chooses rather to offend his friends by telling them the truth, than to offend God by remaining silent. He is maintaining an attitude and relationship with God that says, "I'll go where you want me to go. I'll do what you want me to do. I'll say what you want me to say."
One who is broken is quick to obey Jesus. He becomes a center of revival! Wherever he goes, the fires of the revival spread. He is infectious. The anointing is on him and he is rubbing it off on those around him.
He is constantly at a point of confrontation with the powers of darkness, with the spirit of this world, and with carnal believers. His presence disturbs the status-quo. He is a crisis person. His life and his witness provoke a crisis in others. "They that have turned the world upside down have come here also."
This state of brokenness is only maintained so long as there is obedience to the will of God. In this way the revival continues and spreads.
Breakthrough: "And suddenly there was a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind...." (Acts 2)
We enter the process of humbling ourselves, praying, seeking God, and turning from all sin. When this process is completed, suddenly there comes a breakthrough. A divine flow of love, joy, power, and supernatural signs and wonders begin to break out in our midst.
As the spring rains softly fall and slowly fill the reservoir, the weight of the water becomes too much and the dam gives way. The water comes crashing over the valley below, sweeping everything before it&emdash;so is revival. It is like a flood! In every true revival, there has been such a release. How far and how wide the flood goes depends on how long the church continues to move with God in nurturing the revival.
After the breakthrough, it is very easy for others to enter into the fullness of the revival. The way has been cleared. The heavens are opened. The blessings are falling and can fall even on those who have not yet dealt with their sins and waywardness. The Lord knows those whose heart's desire is to walk in holiness and purity before him so he pours out the anointing. Later on he gently deals with the weak areas of their lives. Under the new anointing they find that the old strongholds are no longer strongholds. They are easily dealt with in the power of the new anointing.
Restoration: A widespread revival always brings with it the restoration of some New Testament truth that had been lost over the centuries.
The revival under Martin Luther restored the doctrine of justification by faith alone. The revival under Wesley restored the teaching of sanctification by faith. The Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles at the beginning of this century restored the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Charismatic Renewal has been restoring the simplicity of church in getting away from the institutionalized church back to the organic church. Let us be ready for more restoration to take place in the wake of this new wave of joyous refreshing.
Warfare: Demon powers and all the forces of hell are arrayed against a widespread revival. It poses a major threat to their control in the lives of too many people.
The apostle Paul said, "We are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against persons without bodies--the evil rulers of the unseen world, those mighty satanic beings and great evil princes of darkness who rule this world, and against huge numbers of wicked spirits in the spirit world."
If we are to maintain and extend the revival, we will have to learn how to take authority over demon powers. This is beginning to happen all over the world. Churches, missions, Christian organizations and denominations which have virtually ignored the realm of these dark powers are now actively engaged in casting out demons and taking authority over Satan in the name of Jesus. Joy! Revival brings joy! The deep sigh becomes a shout of praise. Rejoicing becomes a way of life! And our joy is our strength! When the Spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, there was great joy! "They worshiped together regularly at the temple each day, met in small groups in homes for communion, and shared their meals with great joy and thankfulness, praising God." (Acts 2:46-47; Living Bible)
Unity: Revival brings unity. When God's people are filled with the Holy Spirit, with joy, love and power, they have so much in common that they are unwilling to allow their differences to separate them.
They major on the truths that unite them rather than on the questions that divide them. They see the body of Christ as one body and not as many scattered fragments. They understand that they are "bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh" and that they are "members one of another."
Evangelism: "But the believers...went everywhere preaching the Good news about Jesus." (Acts 8:14; Living Bible)
The outcome of a real revival is spontaneous evangelism by all believers. A revived individual will be a witness to Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit wherever he goes. His life, his presence, and his witness will impact the lives of those around him.
A New love For The Word Of God: In times of refreshing, the Bible becomes a new book to the renewed believer. Bible reading is no longer a dull discipline. It is thrilling to open its pages and rejoice in its truths. Things we never saw before leap out from the pages and ignite our hearts. Tears flow as God speaks into our lives.
A New Obedience To The Great Commission: A concern for missionary outreach into all the world becomes an important aspect of a true and mature revival movement. In all previous revival movements, there has also been a deep concern for the unreached peoples of the world and for the fulfillment of the Great Commission that Jesus gave to the church to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
Miracles, Siqns and Wonders: Revival is a time of renewed and increased miracle working power. The very word, refreshing, or revival, in Acts 3:19 where Peter was explaining the Pentecostal experience, was connected to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the miracles that followed.
Strange And Unusual Manifestations: In every major move of the Spirit in revival blessings, physical and emotional outbursts have been common. At times this has brought questions into the minds of sincere Christians as to whether these things were from God or not. In mighty visitations of power and conviction and during overwhelming outpourings of the Spirit throughout the history of the church, people shake; they quake, they tremble, they cry out, they laugh, they scream, they fall down, they weep, they groan, they shriek, and on and on.
Proverbs 14:4 says, "Without oxen, the stall is clean, but by the strength of the ox there is an abundance of bread." So what if some of the outbursts are unsightly, scary, or undignified? So what if we have some messes to clean up and some things to set in order during times of revival? LET IT HAPPEN!!! The problems of life are better than the problems of death. Better to have to change some diapers and teach manners and have the joy of a baby in the house than to have a neat, clean house all the time and no children or grandchildren. A graveyard is very neat and quiet, too, but the sounds of a children's playground are more exciting to me!
Father, give us the grace to fully cooperate with you in all you are doing in our day to revive the church. In Jesus' name! AMEN!
AFTERWORD
The following word from Vineyard Reflections, May/June 1994 issue, may be of help to those who still have serious doubts as to the validity of this revival of joy:
"Nearly everything we've seen (falling, weeping, laughing, shaking) has been seen before, not only in our own memory, but in revivals all over the world.
"One of my colleagues on the AVC staff, Steve Holt, has compiled an extremely helpful summary of Jonathan Edwards's thoughts on the place of physical manifestations and phenomena in the midst of revival. During the first Great Awakening in America, Edwards was right in the middle of it all. Not only was he a thoughtful participant and observer, but he applied his keen theological mind to the "problem" of religious enthusiasms, which were the object of much scorn and criticism among the religious establishment. Edwards's perspective on revival can be very helpful to us as we evaluate some of the manifestations of the Spirit that we see in our meetings:"
THE BEST EFFECTS, by Jonathan Edwards; from Some Thoughts Concerning the Present Revival (1743)
"Whatever imprudences there have been, and whatever sinful irregularities, whatever vehemence of the passions, and heats of the imagination, transports, and ecstasies, whatever error in judgment, indiscreet zeal; and whatever outcries, faintings, and agitations of body; yet, it is manifest and notorious, that there has been of late a very uncommon influence upon the minds of a very great part of the inhabitants of New England, attended with the best effects.
"There has been a great increase of seriousness, and sober consideration of eternal things; a disposition to hearken to what is said of such things, with attention and affection; a disposition to treat matters of religion with solemnity, and as of great importance, to make these things the subject of conversation; to hear the word of God preached, and to take all opportunities in order to it."
Just after I finished writing the above, I received a fax from, Paul Hawkins, a brother who is a leader in Youth With A Mission and is presently leading a School of Intercession, Worship, and Spiritual Warfare in Taiwan. I am copying the fax in its entirety below. I feel that God gave this fax as a strong confirmation on the things that I have shared in this little book:
"Dear Bob,
I have just received a copy of your article called THIS LAUGHING REVIVAL. Am currently running a School of intercession, Worship and Spiritual Warfare here in Taipei. We have 52 students and 10 staff from 15 nations (20 Chinese from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia), Australia, Denmark, Norway, England, Sweden, Korea, South Africa, India, Brazil, Philippines, Canada and the U.S.
The past two weeks we have seen remarkable outpourings of the Holy Spirit that are exactly as you describe: laughing, weeping,
shaking, falling to the floor sometimes for hours, drunkenness, etc.
Last night several of the staff and students were in the city and had stopped at a McDonald's. Sitting outside they began to laugh and couldn't stop for 50 minutes. They drove back to the school with it, continuing late into the night.
On Friday of last week during the outpouring, for two hours I noted that God was doing deep healing in people. That was the first indication to me of that and then I received your article and on the same day received a fax from a French YWAMer near Paris sharing that he had experienced the same deep healing through tears and laughter when a Parisian church came to the base for a weekend retreat. Some of the parishioners had just returned from Toronto.
Please keep us informed of additional reports as this last one greatly encouraged many of the class to see that God is moving all over the world. Several of the Chinese students had just returned from a DTS outreach and spent a few days at Airport Vineyard. They brought the anointing with them!
Twenty-five of them will join me in Thailand for the YWAM Int'l Consultation at the end of November to intercede for six days during this very important conference of YWAM leadership. You can guess what is in my heart! Many will also be taking an outreach to China at the beginning of December.
Blessings
Paul Hawkins
