Default version: NAS
America has experienced many great moves of God, but two of them were so powerful and far-reaching that "revival" was not an adequate word for them. These were so extraordinary in their social and spiritual impact that historians have called them "Great Awakenings." During these great moves of God it seemed as if the entire nation awakened from its spiritual slumber to the bright realities of the kingdom of God. Some cities and towns experienced almost universal conversion, and whole regions were swept into the truth of the gospel. Great social changes were made and morality increased--not with the passage of laws, but with the changing of hearts.
One of these awakenings preceded the Revolutionary War and the next proceeded the Civil War. Both Great Awakenings, and both of these wars, radically changed the spiritual and social fabric of America. Another "great awakening" is coming. It too will have the potential to profoundly change our country. The cross and righteousness are going to be popular again. The truth of creation will not only be taught in the schools, but it will be believed as the only logical answer to our existence. Prayer will not only be allowed in schools, but encouraged. The fear of God will sweep across the land like a tidal wave, crushing the frail humanistic ideologies that have so long exalted themselves as "reason."
If we are wise, we should examine the lessons that can be learned from the first Great Awakenings while there is still time. The same forces of darkness that were able to sidetrack those moves of God will seek to steer the coming awakening away from its purpose as well. Just as the truth of the gospel has never changed, the deception that opposes it hasn't either.
It could be argued that if the first two Great Awakenings had not been diverted from their courses, the wars that followed them would not have been necessary. What was accomplished by the wars was crucial for our country, but it seems that the Lord intended to use the awakenings to make these needed social changes. When the awakenings were diverted by political forces, the wars became inevitable. If these moves of God had been allowed to fully run their courses, we would have avoided the destruction and the deep, enduring scars that always result from war.
The next great awakening in America is also intended to cause sweeping spiritual and social changes that will make a future conflict unnecessary. When it comes, we must continually humble ourselves and pray for it to stay on its intended course. We must be vigilant to guard against the political forces that will seek to divert it for their own agendas. Although we may agree with the morality of these agendas, the strategies proposed for accomplishing them will be devastating to the awakening, and ultimately to the nation.
As King David understood when he was forced to choose his punishment after
numbering the people (II Samuel 24), wars are the worst judgment that can fall upon a nation. In a previous Prophetic Bulletin, I wrote about a coming civil war in the church. While the civil war I was describing then was a spiritual war, what I am addressing here is a very literal one. It will be a war of the most devastating kind--a race war. We may think that this could not happen in our country, but we are actually very close to it right now.
A House of All Nations
America is composed of people of every nationality. Because of this, we have a unique potential for demonstrating harmony and tolerance among those from different cultures and people groups. The Lord has called His church to be a "house of prayer for all the nations" (the word "nations" here in Mark 11:17 is translated from the Greek ethnos, or "ethnic"). America, in a similar way, truly is a house of all nations. While it is the Lord's intention to bless and use America because of this, the enemy's intention is to use a meltdown of the racial situation here to sow even more discord and distrust between racial groups throughout the world. We must not be ignorant of the enemy's schemes, but rather stand against them and turn them into opportunities for a great victory.
The enemy planned to use South Africa in this same way during its last election. His strategy was thwarted by the worldwide prayer offered up for that country. Yet, when Satan is thwarted in this way, he looks for somewhere else to unleash his wrath. When he was thwarted in South Africa, he turned with a vengeance on the closest opening he could find--Rwanda.
What happened in Rwanda was a spiritual attack of the magnitude Satan intended to release in South Africa. The people missionaries called the most peaceful in Africa awoke one morning with insanity filling the land. Neighbors who had good-naturedly waved good night to each other just hours before were suddenly beating down doors to kill entire families. After the carnage abated, some who had been involved in this ruthless slaughter said they had been in something like a trance, and could hardly even remember what they had done. Others seemed genuinely disbelieving that they had actually committed such atrocities.
Rwanda was considered the most "Christian" nation in Africa. Almost 90% of the population claim to be members of the faith. However, the popular definition of what it means to be a Christian is far from the biblical definition. Those who claim to be Christians, but do not have the Spirit of God, can be the most vulnerable to the powerful onslaughts of darkness now being released in the world. Those who do not know the true power of God will be increasingly subject to evil powers as we proceed toward the end of the age.
Of course Satan would rather use those who claim to be Christians for his most diabolical acts. Germany claimed to be a Christian nation before both world wars. Hitler claimed to be resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire to establish its one- thousand-year reign upon the earth. The majority of the "Christians" in Germany were swept up by this deceit, even though the Third Reich was established by ruthless murder and oppression.
America, likewise, claims to be a Christian nation. Almost 85% of the population claim to be Christians, and over half claim to be born again. But where is the fruit? Just as the greatest evangelists truthfully acknowledge that fewer than 10% of the people who make decisions for Christ in their crusades go on to even become members of the church, it is likely that the rolls in heaven actually contain but a small percentage of the total population of America. The rest have been made to feel secure while remaining in a spiritual condition where their eternal lives are still in jeopardy. Likewise, those who think they have the light, but who still live in darkness, are the most susceptible to evil when it comes.
When Jesus was asked what signs would signal the end of the age, one of those he mentioned was, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" (Luke 21:10). The Greek word translated "nation" here is ethnos, the same word we saw before in Mark 11:17. Jesus was not so much talking about countries fighting each other as He was referring to the increase of ethnic conflict.
Nearly every major conflict in the world today is fundamentally an ethnic conflict rather than a political one. Amid the great onslaught of racially motivated destruction that will come at the end of the age, the church is called to be a house of prayer for all ethnos, or ethnic groups. Churches that do not confront and overcome the stronghold of racism will be overcome in the times ahead.
The "gates of hell" are the enemy's doorways into the world, and racism is possibly the biggest gate of hell that the enemy will use at the end of the age. Satan is going to release some of his greatest power in order to thwart our calling as a house of prayer for all nationalities. And, if he can, he will use America as an instrument for sending forth death and destruction on an unprecedented level.
However, there is hope. The Lord is going to send another great awakening to America! It will have the potential to make us a fortress against this great darkness which is coming at the end of the age.
Nations Have Callings
The Great Commission is to "make disciples of all the nations" (Matthew 28:19), and each nation has a unique calling. South Africa, for example, is called to be an example to the world of racial healing and harmony, and a fortress for righteousness to help stand against this great enemy of racism at the end of the age. But the enemy has a plan for South Africa too, and he has not yet given up. South Africa is still vulnerable and in desperate need of continued prayer. Without a tremendous spiritual advance, it will succumb to the great bitterness and rage that is still simmering beneath the surface. If South Africa does succumb to these hostile forces, the slaughter will be enormous. The resulting devastation to racial relations around the world will also be enormous.
The problems facing South Africa are beyond human wisdom or power to overcome. Only the grace of God can save it from the enemy's scheme, but the grace of God is what the Lord builds all of His works upon. However, South Africa is at such a crisis point that it will either become a great nation founded upon the grace of God, or one of history's great tragedies--a trophy of the enemy's hatred and deceit. Bitterness at
present failures and resentment of past ones are the main threats to South Africa's future.
America, likewise, still has a great calling and destiny, but some of the enemy's most vile strategies will be released against us in the days ahead. Preceding the next great awakening, we will enter a period when the very integrity of the United States Constitution will be in jeopardy because of government scandals. Scandals will also strike highly visible church leaders, and in many places the civil war in the church will be raging. During this time, trust in authority and leadership will fall to its lowest level ever, preparing for the great lawlessness that will come upon the end of the age. Despite the dramatic increase of lawlessness, the spiritual thread that has been sown throughout the social fabric of America will prove much stronger than we might have thought.
The work done by our spiritual fathers was commendable, and the foundations they laid will stand in this great trial. In the midst of the confusion of the times, men and women of integrity and spiritual fortitude will arise and stand like great beacons. The ultimate result of the great trials that are coming will be an unprecedented spiritual awakening in America. But if that awakening is sidetracked by political forces, as were the last two, our ultimate end will be very dark.
The coming shaking of the foundations will erode the faith of many for a time, but ultimately it will drive men to seek that which has proven to be solid and stable. That is when there will be a popular demand not only to bring prayer back into public schools, but also to teach our nation's Judeo/Christian heritage.
Soon many great black leaders will arise with prophetic authority to stand for truth, justice and liberty. They will stand with such resolve, eloquence and dignity that many nations which have been the hardest to reach with the gospel will throw their doors wide open to these men and women of great spiritual stature. America will proudly claim them as her sons and daughters. They will stand with such grace and influence that African-Americans will no longer want to be called that, but they will proudly call themselves Americans. The heritage and future of America will belong to people of every ethnic group, but great black leaders will become the spiritual conscience of the nation as they speak by the Holy Spirit.
Light Amid the Darkness
In preparation for the great move of God that is coming, an increasing number of revivals and renewal movements will break out in different parts of the country. Some will come with such impact that they will make headlines in secular newspapers and become feature stories on television news. Revival among Hispanics will burn like a great prairie fire, spreading to almost every major city. An army of Asian-American missionaries will be sent out from American shores as one of the great missionary forces in the last days. All of this will help to melt the ice off the cold remnants of European-American Christianity, creating the critical mass that will explode into the greatest awakening ever.
These streams flowing together from different ethnic groups will overflow to bring healing and reconciliation to the Native Americans. Then the entire church will give
its attention to the ancient wounds the Jewish people suffered at the hands of historic, institutional Christianity. When we in the church have finally obtained the grace and humility needed to embrace those who are different from us, the truth of the gospel will be set free of the corruption and deception that has perverted it since the first century. Then there will be an outbreak of God's power like the world has not witnessed before. Those will be the days of the "greater works" (John 14:12).
Just as these positive developments are occurring, there will also be the rise of devastating racial and spiritual conflicts. These will be the enemy's attempt to drive wedges between people, so that the revival is thwarted. White supremacist groups will spread across the country like weeds in a field, and will present one of the greatest challenges to the awakening. However, all of these events are only the beginning of the birth pangs for what is coming. The light and the darkness will grow stronger together, just as Isaiah prophesied:
"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
"For behold, darkness will cover the earth, And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you" (Isaiah 60:1-2).
Here we see that it is during the greatest times of darkness that the light will also rise upon God's people. His glory will begin to appear "upon" us, bringing about the time of the greatest move of God since God Himself walked the earth as a man. Isaiah continues in chapter 60 to describe what will unfold in these times:
"And nations will come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
"Lift up your eyes round about, and see; They all gather together, they come to you. Your sons will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms.
"Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you.
"A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the LORD.
"All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; They will go up with acceptance on My altar,
And I shall glorify My glorious house.
"Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like the doves to their lattices?
"Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, For the name of the LORD your God, And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified you.
"And foreigners will build up your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor I have had compassion on you.
"And your gates will be open continually; They will not be closed day or night, So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their kings led in procession.
"For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations will be utterly ruined" (Isaiah 60:3-12).
The Famine
One event that will help to spread the impact of this great awakening is a famine that will come upon the whole world. This will not be a famine for food, but for the word of the Lord. For a time it will seem as if all communication has been cut off between heaven and earth. This will have such a profound effect that everyone will realize it, even the heathen.
"Behold, days are coming," declares the Lord GOD, "When I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine for bread or a thirst for water, But rather for hearing the words of the LORD.
"And people will stagger from sea to sea, And from the north even to the east; They will go to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, But they will not find it" (Amos 8:11-12).
All life on earth is dependent on the sun. If the sun did not give its light and heat for a single day, we would all perish. In this same way, God shines His light on every living being, both the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:45). This light is what has been called "the common grace of God," the source of common wisdom and talents. If this were hidden even for a moment, everyone would know it and we all would be staggered by the confusion. This is what will happen during the famine of hearing the word of the Lord. It will have such an impact that everyone will realize that their
wisdom for living (often called "common sense") was coming from beyond themselves.
When Jesus was tempted by the devil to turn stones into bread, He replied, "It is written, `Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4). We do not live by the words that proceeded, past tense, but by those which proceed from the mouth of the Lord. We need this communication just as much as we need bread. Like the manna which Israel had to gather each day in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4), we too need a fresh word from Him each day. When the famine for hearing His word comes, we will begin to value it as it should be valued. When the continuing word of God is momentarily cut off, even the heathen will begin to seek it as if it were the very air they breathe.
This famine will not last long, but it will get people's attention and cause multitudes to seek the Lord. After this famine for the word of the Lord comes, He will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. It shall be just as Joel prophesied, and Peter affirmed on the Day of Pentecost:
"And it shall be in the last days," God says, "That I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams;
Even upon My bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit And they shall prophesy.
"And I will grant wonders in the sky above, And signs on the earth beneath, Blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.
"The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.
"And it shall be, that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:17-21).
The sun turning into darkness is descriptive of the coming famine for the word of the Lord. The moon turning into blood speaks of bloodshed. These must come "before the great and glorious day of the Lord."
When the Lord pours out His Spirit, there will be a new level of prophecy, dreams and visions. In the impending awakening, prophetic revelation will be commonplace. Because of the prior famine for the hearing of the word of the Lord, these prophecies, dreams and visions will be held in the esteem every word from God deserves. They will be studied, meditated upon, and obeyed.
A time is coming when people will rightfully esteem even a single word from God as more valuable than all the earth's treasures. An insatiable passion for the Bible will compel men and women to lay aside every frivolous entertainment in order to spend time studying it. Those who teach and give insight into the Scriptures will be honored above any other occupation. This will happen on such a wide scale that it really will seem that the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth like the waters cover the sea (Isaiah 11:9).
Preparation for Awakening
The coming awakening will be the result of widespread "grace for repentance" that is coming upon the body of Christ. A genuine humility and a godly remorse for our sins will be the final "renewal movement" that must work in the church in preparation for the awakening. The realization that "God...gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6) will become so widespread that humility will be sought like the treasure that it is. Then He will be able to give us His great grace.
When those who are lost witness the true grace of God upon His people, they will come to Him. His kindness will bring about true repentance and true humility. "Mercy triumphs over judgment" (James 2:13), and the Lord looks for every opportunity to show mercy rather than judgment, just as He revealed to Abraham (see Genesis 18).
Even so, the Lord's resolve in these days is incomprehensible to those who are given to any degree of compromise. He is not only kind, but He is also severe, as we are told in Romans 11:22. Compromise clouds our perspective of Him and often causes us to miss, or misunderstand, what He is doing. It is in His mercy that He will soon release His severity, convicting His people of their sin and compromise.
Our tendency is not to judge the world as it is, but as we are. We do not even judge the Lord as He is, but as we perceive Him to be, and our perception is often distorted. We like to assume that He is just like us, when in fact He is not. His ways are much higher than our ways. That is why we must behold Him with an unveiled face in order to be changed into His image (II Corinthians 3:18).
If such veils as culture, prejudice, spiritual wounds, and pet doctrines remain, they will distort the way we perceive Him. They will also distort our understanding of what He is doing. If we are going to be a prophetic generation, we must have the veils stripped away so we can see Him as He is, not as we are.
We must also be able to see His kindness and His severity equally. The Lord inhabited Solomon's temple for a time, and it was the most glorious building ever constructed. But He was also born in a stable, the most humble place He could have chosen. We must be able to find Him in either place. We must hear His voice, whether He is thundering from heaven or whispering in a still, small voice. And we must hear Him when He speaks through either seasoned prophets or young children.
In the days to come, we all will be either awakened or hardened. Opening our hearts to those who are different from us will be an important key to having a soft heart
toward the Lord. Jesus taught that one of the characteristics distinguishing the sheep from the goats was that the sheep took Him in when He came to them as a foreigner (see Matthew 25:31-46). We will be judged on whether we are open to the foreigners and take them in. As we do to them, we do to Him.
When the Lord appeared to the two men on the road to Emmaus, they could not recognize Him because "He appeared in a different form" (Mark 16:12). Just as Israel did, we often miss Him because He does not come in the form we are expecting. Over and over He has tried to teach us this lesson. We must learn it if we are going to be a part of this next great move of God. Let us resolve to welcome Him in whatever form He comes.