Is THIS A WORK Of GOD In The SAINTS Of KENTUKY And BEYOND?
By now many of us have heard, seen, or read about what’s going on in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury University. What at least seems to be a spontaneous revival that began among students, if not the faculty, and the community as they came in to the Hughes Auditorium on FEB 8th, 2023, which hasn’t abated in the least.
It began as the students gathered for the preaching of the Word.
We’ll talk about the content of this teaching a bit later.
This isn’t the first reported revival on this Wesleyan campus however; apparently there have been nine distinct revivals since 1905 at this University. But are these (or this particularly recent example) genuine revivals that spiritually revived and revitalized the church, or simply momentary spiritual experiences of worship? And what we are seeing currently – is this something really from GOD or contrived or perhaps something deceptive that will lure people away into error? Strange Fire, in effect…
The history of revivals here in America, Europe and other nations around the world have all followed a familiar pattern, though there is no clear formula to produce them because the real ones aren’t man made.
The sort of revival meetings that are penciled in on the church calendar with chosen speakers and events are no guarantee whatsoever of a genuine move of GOD.
Revivals at their heart are something that GOD Himself initiates and inspires. And why does He? What purpose do they serve and can we even expect them today?
REPENTANCE – A REQUIREMENT For REVIVAL, And WHAT It LOOKS LIKE
Revivals begin when GOD puts a burden to pray upon people’s hearts. There are hours at a time of weeping on the floor; deep, intense anguished pleading, seeking GOD’s face. A desperate hunger and thirst for the LORD to come upon His people and revive them to the lively vitality of spiritual power, where repentance flows as freely as the tears of saints who are broken over their sin, their lukewarmness, their carelessness of perishing souls; their neglect not of the Gospel only, but of their own spiritual care and those of their brethren. There is a renewed hunger and zeal for holiness.
Check out the TTUF examination on the doctrine of repentance.
Intercessory prayer by closeted, unseen saints before a single sign of revival is manifest can last for weeks, months, years – or sometimes as with John Knox the godly Scotsman preacher who cried out, “GOD, give me Scotland or I die!”, such protracted prayer can last even decades!
However, when such revival fires begin, they spread. Others catch the same burden to pray, to repent, to recommit themselves to the LORD Who then blesses the saints with a fresh outpouring of His Spirit and grace and peace, His zeal and fervency; boldness in declaring the uncompromised truth of GOD’s Word. Sin is despised and forsaken; holiness is yearned for and embraced.
RESULTS Of REVIVAL – What Can Be Expected?
Souls unredeemed witness the spiritual reality of this, coupled together with the powerful conviction of the Holy Spirit, and at the fervent preaching of the Gospel from these revived saints come to salvation.
Revival such as this produces lasting fruit that ripples across the land and brings profound blessing to that generation, and most often to the next two or three.
A great many Christians are hoping and praying that this will spread to national revival, but if this is to happen, then there needs to be national repentance, from the church firstly – for the sins we’ve committed on a national level (allowing abortion to become legalized for one sin, allowing same sex marriages to pass being another; the lax attitudes towards fornication among unwed Christian couples, the use of drugs – even those that are legalized today; the mixing of alternate religious belief systems and mystical practices into our Christian doctrines and practices (‘Christian yoga’ anyone?).
Do I believe this will happen on a national level? While I can hold out some small measure of hope, my conviction is no, because we as a nation have gone too far.
This has been deftly explained by pastor Sonny Islas of SHINE BRIGHT Church in His message: 4 SIGNS: AMERICA IS UNDER GOD’s JUDGMENT.
IF there is evidence of national repentance across the land, we may perhaps avoid further judgment and find revival – may the LORD have mercy!
Anything less than this will produce a momentary experience that will last days or at most weeks, and then fade away, leaving only a relative few marked for life with the touch of GOD. Or if it’s man made hype, it will accomplish nothing.
REVIVAL In The FACE Of A WRETCHED WORLD
In today’s world when evil is mounting in ever escalating and daunting waves, when Christendom is falling deeper and deeper into rank apostasy, when the Word of GOD, prayer and godly fellowship are routinely neglected or given a polite nod on Sunday mornings – and if a person feels particularly radical, perhaps show up for a mid-week service – can we hope for revival today?
That’s why GOD brings it, because it is needed, and if there are a few saints (or even just one) who realize this, this fuels their earnest, pained prayers! What does “revive” mean?
“To restore to life or consciousness, to give new strength or energy, to revitalize”. One cannot revive something that had no life to begin with. It’s nonsensical to talk about reviving a rock. Revival is for the church that has dimmed (but not destroyed) in their spiritual life and witness. As a result of this, society is touched and blessed with the Gospel challenge.
It’s what GOD promised to Israel, that if they ever fall into apostasy that should they ever turn back to GOD, He would restore them (2 CHRON 7:14).
I want to see GOD move upon His church in these last days just as much as anyone! I’ve been praying for such! We are in desperate need of a fresh outpouring of GOD’s Spirit in light of the approaching storms of suffering, persecution, and peril.
ISAIAH 57:15
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "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.
WANTING To RECOGNIZE TRUE REVIVAL
Because of this desire, I’m afraid that may cause my bias to see things that aren’t there, or to ignore things that are there in Asbury (and elsewhere). This is why I’ve been praying that GOD leads me with strong discernment and vital information.
At the same time, I don’t want to dismiss this event altogether, and relent from praying for this phenomena, surrendering hope when GOD may have something in the works after all (not necessarily because of what’s been happening, but in spite of it).
And if this turns out to be an invalid spiritual experience where no genuine repentance and revival has happened, does this mean we should forget about praying for that fresh outpouring of GOD’s Spirit to equip us for these darkening days ahead? NO! A thousand times, NO!
At the little church that I help pastor we set aside one day a month to gather together and pray and fast, and we need to persist in looking to GOD to revive His church. Indeed, it is TIME TO SEEK THE LORD!
Let’s examine the teaching that kick started this whole thing: “Becoming Love In Action” continuing in ROMANS 12 that was brought on Feb. 8, 2023 – by Rev. Zach Meerkreebs, Envision Leadership Coordinator, Christian and Missionary Alliance from Asbury University.
Someone did a word search on the transcript of this teaching and documented words that were used, and how many times:
Love – 140x
Feel/Feeling/Felt – 20x
Believe – 5x
Experience – 19x
Faith – 1x
GOD – 27x
Jesus – 18x
Spirit/Holy Spirit – 9x
Sin – 0x
Repent/Repentance – 0x
Gospel/Good News – 0x
Holiness – 0x
Atonement – 0x
Hell – 0x
Heaven – 2x
Knowledge – 1x
Tacos – 3x
(Daniel Fusco was quoted in this teaching, who advocates for Rick Warren and considers him a brother in Christ. I personally saw him defend Mr. Warren at a Bible Conference a few years ago.)
To be fair, this teaching wasn’t a call to repentance, but an expositional study in ROMANS where vs. 1-8 were taught previously, and Zach was picking up in vs. 9.
But the word search does reveal an emphasis on feeling and experience rather than faith and truth as found in Scripture, which is troubling.
Is a teaching on repentance a requirement in order for the Holy Spirit to move on the hearts of students and spontaneously move their hearts towards repentance? I don’t think so, but then again, I don’t know of many revivals that started without such a word from the Scriptures.
HOW TO RUIN A REVIVAL
The following are some disturbing comments on some who attended this event, along with some others who believe it should take a certain direction:
One professing Christian who was present for the Asbury event said in a tweet the following:
Replying to @mattnightingale (who is a co-pastor who states on his twitter profile “All Christian, All gay, All the time” and is married to Alejandro, and is) the spiritual director of We Are The Quest) from ‘Lover Boy Era’:
“Queer trans Asbury student here, change is happening, slowly, in people's hearts. Seeds are being planted, and they will grow, so help me God! This revival is complex, many things are happening, affirmation and change *are* part of it!”
In response to this tweet, Elijah Drake said:
“I guess it took until the Asbury outpouring for some people to realize that gay people are in their churches, their pews, their choirs, their worship teams, their prayer groups, their youth groups, their seminaries, and all that. And they’re worthy of love. And dignity. And care.
“It doesn’t matter what your sexual ethic is, you are called to love deeply and seek to call in those who have been pushed to the corners. Yes even if they have gender dysphoria. Yes even if they’re attracted to the same sex. It’s just that easy”
We have no idea if “Lover Boy Era” (and those who responded to his tweet) is representative of the Asbury leadership at the student and, or faculty level but the fact that he freely expresses such views openly yet is accepted as an academic at this Wesleyan University is problematic to say the least. I pray that these are not at all representative of the student body, but merely of those who want to ‘hi-jack’ this event for their own agenda.Lover boy era retweeted something from Tai Toven who said,
“True revival would see people repent for being racist and homophobic but …. Here we are.
And he posted a picture where Justin Peters declared:
“Todd Bentley being at Asbury …is far from my only concern. Note that ‘queer students have been leading worship all 8 days *.’ Revivals are not led by homosexuals. True revival would see them repent.”
*The claim that queer students have been leading worship all 8 days since the commencement of this event can only be found in a remark from one of these gay students, and then repeated over and over by others. Try as I might, I can find no corroboration of this assertion.
Lover Boy Era’s response to Justin Peter’s post was [emphasis in the original]: “THIS IS WHAT GENOCIDE LOOKS LIKE. THIS IS HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. IF, when learning about Nazi Germany, YOU’VE EVER SAID YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, THIS IS YOUR TIME TO PROVE IT. JESUS F***ING [spelled out in the original] CHRIST WE’RE ALREADY GETTING KILLED.”
Yes, Jesus loves the gay person, those confused with gender dysphoria, and what have you. He loves them so much that He died for their sins too! And He loves them enough to call them to die as well: to die to such sins as listed above and become new creatures in Christ, liberated from perversion and bondage and find new life, sanctified and being sanctified in growing holiness:
2 CORINTHIANS 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
RESPONSES TO REVIVAL
One eye witness account from Laura Levens (assistant professor of Christian mission at Baptist Seminary of KY) who visited the revival at Asbury University on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and stayed for two and a half hours had this to say:
“Dry erase boards were covered with brightly colored prayer requests. People prayed for the sick, for the salvation of Kentucky and other regions of the world, against spiritual warfare. They prayed over trauma, body issues, broken relationships, inclusion of marginalized students. There are hints of struggle with purity culture and body image on the boards.Ken Ham comments:
“There is outright prayer over the harms committed by the church. I learned that a few days earlier, a student wrote a prayer for acceptance of the sacred worth of queer students that was anonymously and harshly (? – how would one know?) rubbed out, only to be rewritten on the board by someone else later in the night.” This in itself reveals that there is a dichotomy present where these sort of lifestyles are accepted by some but rejected by others.
Ken Ham quotes Patricia Engler who addresses the Asbury revival with these remarks:
“…It’s clear that something has been happening which started with students voluntarily spending time with God. Since then, for a wide variety of possible reasons, thousands of visitors have been coming together to either worship or to remain in a worshipful atmosphere. The movement [I presume by this she refers to the gathering of students in time of worship and prayer] wasn’t planned or manufactured and appears to be attracting a mix of seekers and spectators. So far, there seems to be room for cautious optimism based on the students’ testimonies. At this point, however, I personally prefer to err on the side of calling the phenomenon a remarkable student worship movement rather than prematurely applying other labels. We will know more by the long-term fruit. Meanwhile, like the first student I spoke with emphasized, let’s faithfully seek first the kingdom of heaven wherever we are, praying for those both inside and outside the church to find a renewed hunger for God, passion for his name, and an uncompromised stance on his Word.”
“I think ‘cautious optimism’ is a good way to describe how we should feel about the worship that is taking place at Asbury. Sadly, though, Asbury (as we learned from viewing its website) teaches theistic evolution and appears to be quite “woke,” promoting CRT-based resources, for example. Certainly the school as a whole needs a “revival”: a return to the truth of God’s Word in Genesis! So, as you are reminded about the students and visitors at Asbury on your social media feeds and in conversation, I encourage you to pray for the students, visitors, and the leadership of that school.”“Patricia also appeared on the podcast Truth be Told with Mike and Kelly Johnson (Mike is a US Congressman from Louisiana) to discuss what she saw and to give her thoughts. I encourage you to check out this fascinating episode.” They discuss Asbury, as well as today’s Z Generation and their legitimate spiritual needs.
Part TWO ~
REVIVAL RECRUITMENTS?
Looking at the Partner ministries of Asbury, this raises all sorts of red flags: a good number of these are Progressive Christian and New Apostolic Reformation groups.
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Another source sent me this information via Facebook:
Jason Vickers’ (Professor at Asbury Theological Seminary) comments concerning his experiences at the Asbury “revival”:Again, this doesn’t necessarily prove the revival to be invalid – because a professor at their campus testifies of events occurring at Asbury and associates them with beliefs of his own. From GOOD FIGHT ministries, Jeff Davidson asserts that he personally knows of some of the Wesleyan professors that (while disagreeing with them on various issues) are godly men and faithful teachers of the Word (A video from GOOD FIGHT ministries is included at the end of this article).
“When it comes to the manifestation of God's presence, I am no skeptic. Quite the contrary… in the most unpredictable of ways, the holiness of God becomes palpable - the enveloping darkness atop Sinai; Isaiah's woe is me; THE LIGHT ENGULFING ST. SYMEON in his study; LAUGHTER IN TORONTO” (emphasis added).
Vickers [made] positive mention of the Toronto Blessing [as well as] St. Symeon who was aByzantine monk and mystic (949-1022 AD) and by his writings prepared the way for Hesychast mysticism, a 14th-century Eastern movement in contemplative prayer.
But again, the fact that such a professor is allowed to teach at this Wesleyan University is deeply troubling, especially if he promotes practitioners of contemplative spirituality! What sort of fruit by way of revival can be expected when such unbiblical practices are encouraged among Christian students?
If anything, this proves that revival is needed, and by the Spirit of GOD such corrupt leaven will be cleansed from this institution, and more importantly, from the lives of faculty and students! Throughout church history, revival has come when the body of Christ has corporately lost its way, and needs a ‘spiritual reset’. I can’t think of a better time for GOD to send revival – can you?
EXPOSING INFLUENCES THAT RETARD TRUE REVIVAL And REAL CHRISTIANITY
From Lighthouse Trails Research: Those with an agenda desire to indoctrinate Christian students with these unbiblical practices!
Accreditation Requirement—Spiritual FormationThe fact of the matter is that books by Contemplative Spirituality advocates are being pushed on to Christian University campuses. Books by such authors as these.
What do Abilene Christian University, Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, Bethel Seminary, Talbot School of Theology of Biola University, Briercrest College and Seminary, Dallas Theological Seminary, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Fuller Theological Seminary, Moody Theological Seminary & Graduate School, Multnomah Biblical Seminary, Regent College, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and around 300 other seminaries and colleges throughout North America all have in common? They are all accredited or in the process of being accredited through the Association of Theological Schools (ATS—founded in the 1930s).
What do the two accreditation organizations—Association of Theological Schools and Association for Biblical Higher Education—have in common? Both associations require schools that wish to be accredited to include Spiritual Formation within the school’s infrastructure. Just what exactly does that mean for these 400 some seminaries and Bible colleges?
Well, it means that if they want to receive and maintain their accreditation, they are going to have to incorporate Spiritual Formation (i.e., contemplative spirituality) into the lives of their students.
This would certainly answer, in large part, a question that Lighthouse Trails has had—how is it that contemplative spirituality has become so widespread so quickly within Christian colleges and seminaries over the past decade?
Now, take note in Asbury’s FLEX Credits program on January 17th “Pause: Silence, Reflection & Contemplative Prayer”. This also takes place on March 21st and April 13th.
The big event that’s being promoted on Campus is the Collegiate Day of Prayer: Worship and Prayer Huddles – Feb. 23rd 7 p.m., Hughes Auditorium. This is the event where Rick Warren is schedule to appear via live stream, Francis Chan, and representatives from IHOP as well (I will post an update on this once it’s known and confirmed whether or not they did in fact make an appearance live stream).
New Apostolic Reformation, International House of Prayer, and Seven Mountain Mandate advocates are evident under the leadership page and their endorsement page from the official Asbury University website. Included among them are:
Jesus Culture, Lou Engle’s “The Call”, YWAM, Awaken the Dawn, Kingdom Forerunners, Ignite Movement to name but a few.
Asbury provided the websites for all their partner ministries. One for example, the Ignite Movement, has their leader described as Apostle Patty Valenzuela on their website “about” page.
Some assert that these revival meetings are not merely spontaneous. These students have been preparing to be forerunners of an explosive movement that their leaders have been telling them is coming with the day of prayer. Others maintain that these meetings, the actual gatherings of students to worship and seek GOD are indeed spontaneous. Again, we’re not there – for ourselves, we can’t say for certain one way or the other.
A SOVEREIGN MOVE Of GOD or MAN’s OWN WORK Of REVIVAL?
Can GOD be doing a separate work apart from the administrative level that’s promoting contemplative prayer and planning these events, and is dealing with the hearts and lives of the students themselves, completely circumnavigating around these heretical teachers scheduled for this event? We can only hope and pray!
Tom McCall, a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary, reported what’s happening in the university chapel.
“I immediately decided to go to the chapel to see for myself. When I arrived, I saw hundreds of students singing quietly,” McCall wrote. “They were praising and praying earnestly for themselves and their neighbors and our world—expressing repentance and contrition for sin and interceding for healing, wholeness, peace, and justice.”One must ask, What sins were the students repenting of? From what we saw previously in this article, could they be repenting of their homophobia or rejection LGBTQ communities or neglecting CRT issues? Or actual and legitimate sins like fornication, false doctrine, drug use, mystical practices, etc.?
“Some were reading and reciting Scripture,” he continued. “Others were standing with arms raised. Several were clustered in small groups praying together. A few were kneeling at the altar rail in the front of the auditorium. Some were lying prostrate, while others were talking to one another, their faces bright with joy.”
“Some are calling this a revival, and I know that in recent years that term has become associated with political activism and Christian nationalism. But let me be clear: no one at Asbury has that agenda. This was probably a relief to the increasingly anti-conservative Christianity Today, but no serious person conflates revival with politics or “Christian nationalism.”
Some students are reportedly taking the spirit of this movement to their home churches, and it’s also reportedly spreading to other Christian colleges not far from Asbury, including Ohio Christian University, Lee University in Tennessee, and Campbellsville University in Kentucky. Again, let’s keep this in our prayers
READING COMMENTS On REVIVAL
From pastor Chris Quintana of Calvary Chapel ministries:
“Is Asbury a genuine work of God? There is simply no way to say with any certainty yet. Show me any such genuine "revival" and nobody knew what it was in 2 or 3 weeks.A friend of mine, Greg Polla, wrote this to me in his email:
“Already though, there are massive red flags, but fruit takes time to see if it is a genuine work of God. There is nothing to judge here, but what has been clearly seen with the eyes. All we see is what our eyes tell us and accounts from people who are and were there, which vary greatly. It is in the eye of the beholder from those reporting from the place.
“Are people praying, singing, and doing things outwardly? Sure, nobody would say otherwise, but those things can be done by God, or the flesh. Time will tell if this is a genuine work of God, as a movement, and not just is some number of individuals. How many of us have been to an outreach and see people come to make a public profession of faith in Jesus, but go back to their former life almost immediately? Again, time will tell, but revival grips nations, not selective groups, or campuses.
“Beware the likely suspects who would jump on the bandwagon for some gain. There are already those who want to organize and duplicate this elsewhere. Those wanting to do so demonstrate their total ignorance of a work of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to the work of man. You don't duplicate and organize such things, He is in charge, not the marketers of big box Christianity.”
“Is this phenomenon just another 'Toronto Airport or Brownsville Church - Uber Pentecostal - Bordering on Heresy' Movements that came and went as the Grass Bloweth in the Wind?What’s happening at Asbury appears to be happening in Lee, KY and Cedarville, AL (near Birmingham) as well. Is this of the same Spirit – or not? We will know once these places have borne fruit, and then we are to judge.
“Or is this actually a Mobilization (directed by the Holy Spirit) of a faction of the True Remnant utilizing their (our) God Given Heavy Artillery (our prayer closets) at the most desperate time in History? Guess Time will tell....”
REASONS To HOPE For THIS REVIVAL
Thus far a lot of this article has focused on what’s wrong about this event. There are however some reports of some good things that are happening, as told by eye witness accounts, such as Alisa Childers, Christian author and podcaster:
I attended the Asbury Revival and Here's What I Saw (broadcast on Feb. 13th; 11 mins, 32 secs)
Alisa mentions King Josiah and what occurred in his day by way of revival, when Israel had forgotten GOD, the Temple was in disarray, sodomite prostitute houses were right next door to it! And the Holy Scriptures were nowhere to be found, until they finally were! In was in such conditions as these that GOD sent a revival (which by the way only forestalled the coming Judgment on the nation, but it didn’t cancel it! It was a "grace period")!
Catch this article The JOSIAH Mandate (including video) I wrote a few years ago about this.
And from her podcast: Podcast Episode #187 FurtherReflections On Asbury (Feb. 16th; 27 mins)
From Anna Lowe, a reporter for Asbury U media:
“When the dust settles, and Hughes is empty, what will remain? We must answer honestly, are we pouring out our affection and devotion on the feet of Jesus or onto ourselves?
“Jesus is working, and the Holy Spirit is moving in Hughes. But He is always moving everywhere. God is using this revival in incredible ways. There is reconciliation, confession, and soulful worship. But I pray we do not turn this revival into a prolonged event for its own sake and forget that genuine revival is initiated and sustained by the living God.
“There is a deeply rooted history of revival in our community. The influence of the 1970 Revival has an incredible weight that cannot go unnoticed. The records on Asbury’s website indicate that revivals occur mainly during February, with two in March.”
Bill Elliff reports: Reflections From Asbury: where he lists fourteen observations; here are six of them:
1) This is real. God is very present.Spencer Smith gave his take on his two hour visit at Asbury (Feb. 18th):
2) Students from many other colleges are here, having traveled from across the country. The leaders at Asbury are very aware of this, even commissioning them at one point today to go back and cry out for revival on their campus.
3) Worship is glorious, unified, and simple. A piano and guitar, led by various student teams who understand that worship is not performance.
4) The altar is almost always full. Wonderful prayer counselors from Asbury are helping them.
5) In some ways, it is a worship-based, Spirit-led, Scripture-fed prayer gathering (to copy Daniel Henderson’s term). It is just what we should be doing all the time: waiting before God, worshiping Him, praying to Him, listening to Him, responding to Him, and being shepherded by wise leaders who see themselves merely as facilitators of God’s activity. (The Holy Spirit is a very good leader, by the way. Far better than mere men.)
6) When the microphones were opened for testimonies, there were long lines of grateful people telling what God has done in the last 72 hours. Healing—both emotional, spiritual, and physical has happened in glorious ways. Very real and profound things are occurring quickly in hundreds of lives.
I Saw The Asbury University Revival - The Good,The Bad, My Plea (he begins his assessment at around the 10 min 30 sec mark. NOTE: Not everything that Spencer asserts is agreed upon and endorsed by TTUF)
Finally we have Dr. Greg Reid of Youthfire! ministries who spoke on Asbury in this Facebook video (Feb. 17th):
GOOD FIGHT ministries with Jeff Davidson:
ASBURY “REVIVAL” EXAMINED,RICK WARREN OUSTED FROM SBC
Also we examine the Asbury Revival (at the 11:30 mark) and see whether or not this is a move of God after having a brother of ours in Kentucky go down and report back some of his findings.
WHAT TRUE REVIVAL LOOKS LIKE
For more from Light House Trails Research Project on: True Revival in the Midst of Persecution – The World Will Not Love “True Revival”
On some final notes:
I do believe GOD wants to do a work in His church, to revive us here in America, and while 2 CHRONICLES 7:14 applies strictly to Israel, I believe the spiritual principles of humbling ourselves, confessing our sins, turning from our wicked ways (repentance) and seeking GOD is something we the body of Christ are required to do if we hope to see revival, whether that’s personal, community, regional or national in scale. The question is church: WILL WE? Time will tell if the youth in Asbury have done/are doing this in their own hearts and lives as we examine the fruit in weeks and months to come...
As stated previously: if this event that appears to have started in Wilmore, Kentucky ends up ruined or proven fraudulent, the truth of the matter is this:
We are in fact living in the last days; this is a time of crisis, potential threats and fears, of upheavals, a sharp rise in instability with a certainty of persecution for the church here in America if trends continue as they do (unless we are raptured prior to such).
We have no guarantee that we will escape persecution, which has been promised to the church, and all who live godly in Christ Jesus (2 TIM 3:12). While I do believe the church will escape the 70th week of Daniel – commonly known as the Tribulation, there is every reason to believe that we could conceivably find ourselves living in the midst of a firmly established, antichrist global government.
Consider in DANIEL 7, vs. 8 – the prophet sees 10 horns on this “great and terrible beast” but the little horn (the antichrist personage himself) rises up afterwards. How long a time is “afterward”? A day, a week, a year, or decade?
We as the church must be prepared to meet all of these challenges head on, to preach the Word of GOD with all boldness, as the disciples did on Pentecost (the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit) and thereafter (ACTS 2).
We won’t be prepared unless we seek GOD wholeheartedly for a revival of the American church, even if it means just a remnant of the American church.
GOD has always done incredible, seemingly impossible things, with just a remnant of His saints!
UPDATE 3/13/2022 - More on the Asbury Event by Greg Reid of Youthfire! ministries (as well as his take on the recent film, The JESUS REVOLUTION) on his podcast: EXTREME TIMES - Truth in the Shadowlands, Episode #65.
More updates on Asbury and the ramifications of this phenomenon as they become known to me.
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