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Entering A Time of Revival By Malcolm B Heap, Midnight Ministries Copyright © Midnight Ministries Copyright of Midnight Ministries may be waived and this publication duplicated without asking permission, if full credit is given to the source (with the address) and if the contents are not altered. Likewise, publications of Midnight Ministries may be translated into any other language without asking permission, provided that the translation is as accurate as possible to the meaning of the original text, and full credit is given to the source (with the address). The distribution of God's truth should not be restricted by copyright. |
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God has promised in His Word of a great revival just prior to the end of the Age. That is in Revelation 7. In 1947, Smith Wigglesworth prophesied the beginning of this: ...there will be evidenced in the churches something that has not been seen before: a coming together of those with an emphasis on the Word and those with an emphasis on the Spirit. When the Word and the Spirit come together, there will be the biggest movement of the Holy Spirit that the nation, and indeed, the world has ever seen. It will mark the beginning of a revival that will eclipse anything that has been witnessed within these shores, even the Wesleyan and the Welsh revivals of former years. The outpouring of God’s Spirit will flow over from the United Kingdom to the mainland of Europe, and from there, will begin a missionary move to the ends of the earth. Notice that what God is about to do is purely the beginning. It is not the end of the matter. The move of God’s Spirit that is just about to engulf our nation, and then Europe and other countries, is to turn hearts back to obedience to Him; to restore their lives spiritually – for those who can receive. But to those who are not in that place yet, what is presented (the message) will be a warning to them of impending punishment for refusing God’s words. For many, God’s process of restoring them cannot be achieved except through physical death. Laodicea – the predominant syndrome of our time – can only be saved through such a severe trial (Rev 3:16). Hence the reason that this huge multitude (Rev 7:9) will emerge in righteousness out of the Great Tribulation (7:14). They can’t bring themselves to pay the necessary price of dying to self any other way. However, those who are already willing to pay the price can share in the outpouring of the Spirit that is to come shortly after God raises the dead, as He has told us since the early nineties. (Much more on this is explained in the separate article The Last Outpouring of the Spirit.) We know that America and Britain both face a time of unprecedented national crisis, which will result in two thirds of the population dying. (Explained from Bible prophecy in Why Britain Will Fall Soon.) God has NOT said definitely when America or Britain will be taken over. He has referred in dreams to its imminence: “two years to the Chinese invasion” with regard to America. And “three years for Britain”. So we know that TIME IS VERY SHORT! God wants to convey the urgency of the situation. He’s trying to wake up a somnolent Church! It could be that the two years and three years respectively for these nations are to be reckoned from the raising of the long-dead in connection with MM’s work. That will trigger the prophesied revival[1] which we have been expecting for so long. God speaks cryptically and shrewdly (Ps 78:2). He reveals some secrets to the faithful (Ps 25:14), but some secrets are His and His alone (Deut 29:29). His purpose is the turning of your heart. So He reveals enough for that purpose – IF your heart is malleable. For those who are not, He leaves them in the dark, since evil is what they choose. Where Revival Begins Revival comes as an outpouring from God. Have you ever been caught in a rainstorm? Then you know a little about what is coming. It’s quite a shock. We all like to have things neatly organised. We don’t like things occurring at inconvenient times. We all like to be in control of our situation or life. But with God, things aren’t like that. He upsets your convenient little world. He shakes everything that is not in line with His will and purpose (Hag 2:6,7). He wants you dependent upon Him, not upon yourself. He wants you to listen to Him, not merely to human mentors. If you are to spiritually survive what is about to descend upon earth in the ‘mother of all trials’ (Rev 3:10), you must learn to trust in Him, to listen to Him, to be led by Him. If you are not surrendered to Him, you won’t be able to benefit from His Spirit. Revival begins here: For thus says the High and Lofty One, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy [His holiness is what is most important]. “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to REVIVE THE SPIRIT OF THE HUMBLE, and to REVIVE THE HEART OF THE CONTRITE ONES” (Is 57:15). Revival does not begin with flamboyant slaying in the Spirit, or anything that is a manifestation of the Spirit’s work. It’s what takes place invisibly in the human heart that is most important to God and most vital to us. In 1992 I ‘went’ to Derek Prince, an international evangelist whose outreach covered many countries of the world by radio broadcasts. I took to him the truth about the Sabbaths of God. What God had me do began to fulfil (in part) the prophecy God had spoken to Smith Wigglesworth in 1947. On several other occasions I sent him further materials, but on that first occasion, what I sent him was the first edition of Our Sabbath Rest. At that time it did not have a glossy colour cover. It was merely plain white card. We could only afford to produce 200 copies, and the second-hand computer we used was only capable of very limited layout, with two rather mediocre and lacklustre typefaces. So the booklet looked rather drab. But it was all we could afford. We had no money and no assistance other than the widow’s mite. It was the best we could do with what we had. That’s what mattered to God. The outward packaging was not important. It was what the package contained – spiritually – that God valued more than anything physical. Jesus had previously promised Derek Prince that he would live to see the Great Revival of which Wigglesworth prophesied. And he did. But you wouldn’t think so if you only assess things with a physical appraisal. (This is explained more fully in He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease.) What Derek Prince needed to revive him, making his theology more whole, was in Our Sabbath Rest. He died a few years later. On the other side, in Jesus’ presence, he is now completely whole, and he sees how Jesus fulfilled His words to him through the insignificant-looking booklet we sent him. What you need for revival may be different from what Derek Prince needed. Some need deliverance from demons. Through humbling, sacrifice and confrontation, they can receive that, and the Spirit can more fully find a home. As physical people, we tend to be in a hurry to see the physical effects of God’s reviving. But God is interested in the internal preparation that makes us like Him in spirit. When that is attended to, everything else falls into place. Humbling is the essence of His preparation. But are you in a hurry to receive that? No. Revival centres around the preparation of your heart to total devotion to God. Revival phenomena which are seen and felt in the physical are not the core of the matter. They are the periphery. So, don’t be deceived by outward manifestations. Don’t look to them. Look to the spiritual. This is why other revivals have missed the mark of God’s holiness. They have degenerated into demonic, fleshly indulgences. (These things are covered in the book Testing The Spirits.) Wigglesworth’s 1947 prophecy is being fulfilled as God works sovereignly by His Spirit, drawing people out of churches, and revealing to them more about His Sabbaths. But you don’t see that. There is no fanfare. It is a very individual work of the Spirit and goes unnoticed by most. When Revival Is Noticed Revival is noticed when there are large numbers whose hearts are being turned back to God. In the Welsh Revival of 1904, God’s Spirit touched many people in demonstrative ways. Some fell, ‘slain’ by the Spirit. Some began to weep as they were given a deep, internal awareness of their uncleanness and sins. There were other manifestations of the Spirit. What was common between all was a yearning to be holy, to be pure, clean, sinless. And to all those with that inner desire, God granted cleansing for sin and an awareness of what had taken place within. They were revived, filled with the Spirit of God, and began to live new lives, with pure motives. In our day, many people have hankered after similar revival – to see the masses turn back to God. What many of these people don’t see, however, is their own compromised motives in wanting this turnaround. False prophets like Rick Joyner have studied the Welsh Revival, reported on it (in The World Aflame), with a hope that they can capitalise by manipulating what engenders it. They don’t see their own self motive. Revival does not come to bolster your ministry, or to make you more lifted up or famous. God revives, as we have mentioned, to turn hearts away from pride and self motives. Yet, pride and self motivation are at the heart of many who seek revival again. God is going to bring it HIS WAY, not their way. They will see it, but not on their terms; only on His. They think they love Him. And they do, but they love themselves equally or more. That’s not good enough. God requires that we love Him with ALL our heart. Those with such an undefiled love also love His truth and will do whatever He asks. Most revival-seekers won’t do all He asks. They won’t accept the Sabbath and God’s holy days. They will use excuses to deny and decry them. I have written in 55.000,000 Will Turn Back To God about the large number who will be saved by hearing the message God sends forth during the Great Revival coming up. Some (the minority) will respond this side of the Tribulation, but the majority will be saved later, through it. Loss must occur before gain. Who Will Benefit From Revival? Truth has been restored. We have a barrowload of publications verifying this fact. The fact that not all want it is evidence of their inner evil motive. Revival can only be experienced by those who are willing to swallow their pride, humble themselves before God and man, die to self, and develop a hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness above all else. Restoration comes to test people: ...that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed (Luke 2:35). Some aspects of restoration are quite nasty: ...this Child is destined for the fall [that comes first] and rising of many in Israel [spiritual Israel is God’s Church], and for a sign which will be spoken against (Luke 2:34). I’m sure you want revival, but the price is death. If you are hungry for what God wants, He can revive you, and He will give you signs to confirm it to you. Those are the outward manifestations. When we meet together for fellowship, God demonstrates His presence, most often in tongues and interpretation of tongues or prophecy. Occasionally, someone may smell the wonderful fragrance of the Spirit. Often people sense the love of God touching them inside, uplifting them, giving them a special ‘touch’. These things confirm revival, but they are not what it’s all about. They are merely some manifestations indicating that the process of renewal has begun, and that God’s Spirit wants to MOVE you. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you... And I will put My Spirit in you and move you... (Ezek 36:26, NIV). You should be moved by the Spirit too. It depends on your willingness to lay down your life. People are turning back to God. God is turning their hearts. The flow is little to begin with, but is gaining momentum and volume all the time. ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you... and bring you back from captivity’ (Jer 29:11-14, NIV). The ones who benefit from revival are those who are MOVED to obedience towards God. Those who rebel and resist obedience to God’s commands don’t benefit. Numbers Are Not That Important Christians who seek for revival – who want to see large numbers of ‘the lost’ turn to God – are often ignorant of God’s plan and how He is working it out. They don’t understand that it is NOT God’s plan in this age to grant repentance to all. He is NOT bringing whole nations to conversion. So, such a concept of revival is a false concept. I have heard of those who seek after another Welsh Revival claim that God will bring a whole nation under His heel. Not in this age, He won’t. He’ll do that after Jesus returns. That’s the biblical scenario. The majority who have been praying for revival in this country for years – some for decades! – have been expecting (and probably still do) a showy, ‘brash’, ‘loud’, highly demonstrative, very visible display of power. The trouble with this expectation is that it is too physical, and too tied in with the desires of ‘the flesh’. It is attached to pride and ego. Some erroneously think revival is going to come through established Spirit-led churches or through large charismatic ministries, or elevated evangelists. God isn’t going to do it that way. He is intent on restoring His truth – truth that the Church for the most part doesn’t want – even by many who have been praying so intently for revival! So, this revival will “pass through...” as God said in 1994. Many of them will miss it. Only the ones who want the purity of His truth will recognise it and benefit from it. God Wants You To Take Part In 2006, as we met on Pentecost Sunday 4th June and on the Sabbath the day before, God spoke in various ways. There were some interpretations of tongues messages and prophetic words that encouraged the needy. Here is a summary: Do not let insufficiencies or perceived lacks hold you back. God will make up for our insufficiencies, inabilities and deficiencies. We are not merely called to do the possible. We are assigned a commission to do the impossible. Jesus makes the impossible possible (Jn 14:12). Nothing will be impossible to you, because God will make it possible. He will make up for your deficiencies and inadequacies and make it possible for you to do what He asks. Some time previously, He had said: What God requires of us is not too much to ask. But, you know, many Christians actually think it IS too much! Their hearts are still hard and stubborn. Do you know what the difference is between a wicked ‘Christian’ and a righteous true Christian? The former thinks what God asks of him is too much; the latter doesn’t. The former doesn’t do His will; the latter does it. God never fails His children. It is we who fail Him. Those who do not fail Him will be used in the revival coming. Some have already set the pace: Kassahun wrote from Ethiopia: “We have rejoiced in the Feast of Pentecost. A great blessing has been had through studying the truths of the hour and making ourselves available to God so that He can anoint us with His Spirit. God is faithful and He touched us mightily individually. There were visitors. I used the opportunity to share with them why we are celebrating Pentecost... and The Festivals of God...” The dead are not raised yet, but that is coming. First everyone involved has to be ready. Are you ready? Some are not. I don’t think any of us is really ready to the full extent we should be. Some hearts are still resisting His Spirit, and not flowing with the Spirit as they should. Some are letting strongholds remain instead of attacking them (I’m talking about in their own personal lives). I’m not condemning anyone; I’m just urging us to all get in line with the will of God, submit to His Spirit, and allow yourself to be harnessed as He wants to harness you, as an intercessor, or in whatever way you are called to serve Him and the Body. It’s always the case that the humble and zealous are receptive, and so they benefit from the outpouring. The resistant, proud, or lazy don’t benefit as much. So, when God pours out from His Spirit as He did for us on Pentecost, not all benefit equally. He wants all to benefit, but it’s individually up to each person’s spiritual commitment and brokenness whether they can, or do, profit. Revival is not primarily about numbers. That mistaken notion floats around, deceiving the majority. Revival is about your surrenderedness to God, first and foremost. It’s about your love for Him; your dying to yourself. It’s about your doing His will, not your own. It’s about you being abased so that He can be lifted up. It’s about you dying, so that He can live. When that takes place in you, He comes in to revive you. It’s a process. When that process is given its fullest latitude, that’s when manifestations of God’s presence are seen, felt, smelt or heard. But it’s not about the physical. It’s about the spiritual. We are not to look for the physical, but for the spiritual. It’s not about changing others. It’s about changing oneself. Never mind about others, what about you?! What about you doing the will of God, surrendering your ego, laying down your pride, mortifying your self-will, and softening your hard, resistant and impenitent heart?! First on God’s agenda is not souls. It’s you. That’s where God’s agenda for you starts. He can take care of all the others. He doesn’t need your help for that. He will save all those whom He has destined for salvation. What He needs most and foremost is your compliance in His dealings with YOU. Those who are pliant and compliant will benefit. The Spirit is here. God is moving. Things are happening. It’s only a matter of time, as His plan unfolds, before the dead are raised and the dramatic nature and the full extent of this revival is seen. The world will see it and millions will be reached. Jesus knows what He’s doing. Everything’s in His hands. False revival has come first to deceive many. True revival is now beginning. To those who are not compliant, “it will pass through and overflow.” It will go through and flow over them. They won’t benefit, because they are not willing to be obedient to the demands which restored truth places upon them. They want to carry on the same way; not change and be reformed. But for those who are humble and yielded to God, “it will pass through and overflow” to others. Lay down at His feet whatever you need to – whatever prideful or egocentric desire is holding you back. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19, NKJV). [I am a witness] to these declarations, as well as the holy spirit, which God gives to those yielding to Him (Acts 5:32, Concordant Literal NT). So, yield to Him and you can see revival spread just as Jesus promised in Mark 16:14-20 and John 14:12-14. Dependency Upon God Since revival is birthed in the heart of God, it goes without saying that we are completely dependent upon Him in everything that transpires. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it (Ps 127:1). On 2nd August 2010, Steve Thompson had the following strange dream. I should point out that Steve works as a TV repair technician, as well as serving as a support by operating Midnight In America. So, God employed imagery related to Steve’s work to portray the message concerning the Work of God. 2nd August 2010. Steve T. The Massive TV set! I was out on a service call with my boss to have a look at a TV that needed repair. When we arrived we looked at the TV and could not believe our eyes. The thing was huge! It was an older type of set, a CRT type (not the current thin flat-screen models). It was encased in a steel box approximately 8 feet tall, 12 feet wide, and 6-7 feet deep. There were 2 large speakers, each about 2 feet long. One was located in the bottom left of the box encasement, and one in the bottom right. The screen took up the remaining portion of the front. The box was entirely sealed with no apparent way to get in to access the components, and the steel appeared to be a couple of inches thick. There were no seams anywhere on the case and it appeared to be entirely cast from a single mold. The TV was completely dead; no picture, no sound, and no lights on the front. After inspecting this thing we informed the customer that there was no way we could service it. He insisted that we fix it. We told him that the thing weighed over a ton, and we could not possibly move it, and we could not get through the steel encasement. He became a bit irate, and told us that it could be fixed and that we must fix it. We made several attempts to get into it, but had no success. All the while the customer was telling us we had to fix it. Meaning: It's about the fact that we can't fix people's spiritual problems, nor our own, nor do God's Work by our own expertise, cleverness, ability, etc. God is the client who has asked us to do a job for Him. It is an impossible job, humanly. The thing was huge. = The task before us is massive, of restoring the Truth and getting people to see again. We can't do that. Only God can open their eyes and mend what is damaged within them that prevents them 'working' properly, spiritually. 8 = faith, love, salvation, superabundance, etc. that comes through the spiritual acceptance of His truth. Notice John 8:32 (4 x 8). 12 = He is preparing people for His government – the 144,000 and massive number saved in the Tribulation. 6-7 = God is turning man around from evil (6) to His perfection (7). 2 = certainty. 2 large speakers. The world will most certainly hear the Message. This is going to be a 'loud' witness – it will impact the whole world. Left and right. = It will reach 'both' sectors of the Church and be heard to the ends of the world. Screen at the front. = People are going to see things happen. They are going to see on their TVs people whom God has raised from the dead, testifying about Jesus. Sealed. = The things and plans of God are sealed. Only the chosen can open the seals through God's ability. After inspecting this thing we informed the customer that there was no way we could service it. = It's impossible to do without supernatural help. Weighed over a ton. = It's a heavy burden to bear; too heavy for us alone. He became a bit irate, and told us that it could be fixed and that we must fix it. = God's approach. We must accept it and do what He asks or He will get annoyed at us. I believe it contains a message we must remember for the hard times ahead, and not flag or fail in the task He has set before us and promised to enable us to achieve. So, to all who are reading this: Get ready! Prepare! He's trying to alert you to how big this thing is and of your (and my!) need to totally depend upon Him. Please HELP, Lord!!! Listen To God Listening to God is an integral part of revival. God can say so much to us if we are open to His Spirit. He can drop all manner of thoughts into our minds to give us spiritual guidance. He is our Parakletos, our Guide, our Comforter, our Helper, our Companion, our Friend. So He speaks. The problem with us humans is that we tend to downplay what we receive, or to doubt that God has really spoken. So, we don’t take up the lead, and the Spirit is unable to speak more because we have not grasped His first words to us. If we would only be more believing that we are in constant contact with Him through the Spirit, expect to receive, and step out in faith with what is in our minds or hearts, then the conversation can continue. He will say more. The ‘secret’ to hearing from God is simply, “If you abide in Me...” (Jn 15:7), “if you believe...” So: ...have faith in [literally, of] God (Mark 11:22). The faith of Jesus comes to you as you DO what He says. He never fails those who are truly committed to Him. As you walk the path set before you, He gives you tests along the way to challenge your faith, and stretch it. And as you pass those tests He increases your faith, because you are making a home for His Spirit within you. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them (Mark 11:24). One reason so many are not seeing Jesus’ words fulfilled in their lives in power is because they have put their trust in human (church) leaders. Those leaders are blocking their view of Jesus. They hear their church leaders speak to them, but they don’t hear Jesus so clearly. The structure of the visible church has become an idol, preventing God working much. God does not work much through humanly built structures. This is His means: Not by might, nor by power [human ability or effort alone], but by My Spirit (Zech 4:6, NIV). God guides each person – whom He can use – individually. Is He guiding you? Are you yielding to Him? Do You Really Want It? A lot has been written on revival and quite a bit of it misses the mark. God’s intentions in reviving His people are primarily spiritual in nature, yet there is much physical emphasis that detracts from the Spirit. When there is great fanfare over what God is doing physically, pride is just around the corner. And the devil is waiting for his opportunity. He always gets it! Not everything that takes place in revival is what people call ‘positive’. The basis of revival is death. Yes, death. After Jesus had risen, the awareness of why He had died triggered remorse that engendered revival. 5,000 men were converted (Acts 4:4) – not to mention women – 3,000 baptized in one day! (Acts 2:41.) When Stephen died, the believers were persecuted and scattered far and wide (Acts 8:1). This took the Gospel into Europe. (Some NT names have been traced in history to Marseilles in the south of France.) Miraculous signs and wonders accompanied the spread of truth (Acts 4:29-31,33; 5:12-16, 19; 8:4-7;39). Terrific opposition and persecution against true Christians, and the death of some saints, had a curious effect. Instead of diminishing the effectiveness of the Gospel, it increased it! Humanly, of course, it’s not what people want. But death is a necessary precursor to revival. If not physical death, spiritual death to self must occur. A problem with contemporary ‘revivals’ has been a lack of this commitment. When selfishness replaces a willingness to die for your faith, you end up with a compromised mix of true Spirit and demons. There is no substitute for the singlemindedness Jesus said we must have (Matt 6:24). Here are some of the things which accompany true revival:
To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins... (1:77). To give light to those who sit in darkness... to guide our feet into the way of peace (1:79). Restoration begins with a challenge. Giving light to those in darkness is welcomed by some, but not by all. Those who sit in the seat of control resent it. You cannot have true revival without friction and controversy. There is a price on the head of restoring truth. Yet every true revival has this as its basis. Truth is presented. The trumpet call to repentance is blown. Either revival or judgement follows. You must choose. Malcolm B Heap, 2010 Further Reading: God Is Not Pleased With Tele-Evangelism (TE)
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