DEARTH before AWAKENING
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
The following is an interesting article from Christian History magazine:
"Spiritual awakenings manifest patterns that are similar, often
strikingly so. While all of the following elements may be present
in each instance, for the most part awakenings progress through
a cycle whose phases include these various aspects of God's working."
"1). Awakenings are usually preceded by a time of spiritual
depression, apathy and gross sin, in which a majority of Christians
are hardly different from secular society, and the churches seem
to be asleep. The causes of each decline differ widely, but when
the prophetic voice and moral leadership of the Church has been
stilled for some time, social evils are usually rampant.
2). An individual or small groups of God's people become conscious
of their sins and backslidden condition, and vow to forsake all that
is displeasing to God. Christians recall past outpourings of God's
grace and power, and long to see them again. When histories of
awakenings have been written in later years, it has been occasionally
discovered that individuals at great distances and completely
unknown to each other had, prior to the awakening, been praying
simultaneously to the same end!
3). As some Christians begin to yearn for a manifestation of God's
power, a leader or leaders arise with prophetic insights into the
causes and remedies of the problems, and a new awareness of the
holy and pure character of the Lord is present. This standard of
holiness exposes the degeneracy of the age and stimulates a striving
after holiness by God's people. The leaders find that their eagerness
for God's moving is shared by many who have been waiting for God
to act, and who will rise to follow.
4). The awakening of Christians occurs: many understand and take
part in a higher spiritual life. Evangelism of the unsaved may or may
not accompany this renewal of Christians. (Salvation of the lost
occurs when Christians are restored to image of Christ and holiness.
This great transformation in Christians leads to a stirring in the
community. God "comes down" into the lives of Christians and then
"moves out" into the community).
5). An awakening may be God's means of preparing and strengthening
His people for future challenges or trials. Throughout history, renewal
has often come before persecutions and severe trials. (The First
Great Awakening came prior to the American Revolution. The Third
Great Awakening occurred a few years before the Civil War. Azusa
Street occurred before a great earthquake in California and before
World War I)."
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Do you see these patterns at work among God's people today?
The answer is YES ! The more I see, hear, read and discover from
others and from the Lord, I believe we are at the third pattern or
stage. The "old wells" of revival are about to be reopened, "fallen
mantles" are being picked up and "new fountains" are about to
burst forth! -Mike Edds.