A WORD FOR AMERICA -
COULD SHE MISS HER HOUR OF VISITATION?
-Andrew Strom.
I am about to come to the US on a speaking tour, and I
have been pondering what message I will bring. In other
places lately I have spoken on "The Coming Street
Revival", and I am sure I will be addressing that topic.
But God has been talking to me about something else.
Did you know that America is a "Land of Revivals"?
Are you aware that for centuries America has been
blessed with massive Revivals and Awakenings -
sometimes only 30 years apart? Do you know what
our world today would be like if this had not happened?
America and the world would be vastly different if
America's past was not full of Awakenings from God.
She is now living off that heritage. She has been living
off it for awhile. And the clock is ticking.
You see, in a "Land of Revivals" what God is able to do
is visit each new generation with a fresh move of His Spirit.
There is not a generation that goes by without a visitation of
God's glory in some way. That is what has kept a nation like
America so spiritually vibrant. While all of Western civilization
has slid into decay and spiritual bankruptcy, America has
still managed to retain at least a semblance of Christian
vibrancy. But what if this generation misses it's Revival?
What happens then?
Well, I want to tell you about another "Land of Revivals" -
one with a spiritual heritage just as glorious as America.
We are talking about the nation of Wales.
From the "Great Awakening" of the 1700's onwards, Wales
became truly a "Land of Revivals" just like America.
Famous Revivalists such as Daniel Rowland, Christmas
Evans, Howel Harris, John Elias and many more were
raised up by God to become the "John Wesleys" and
"Charles Finneys" of their day. Between 1762 and 1862
alone, the historians tell us that there were 15 outstanding
Revivals in Wales. Can you believe it? Just in the space of
one hundred years - fifteen sweeping moves of God!
People began to literally call Wales "The Land of Revivals"!
But then something changed.
There had been a massive Awakening in the UK in 1858
to 1860 (-it had spread there from America). An enormous
move of God, including Wales. But then there was a gap
of almost 50 years.
Next came the famous Welsh Revival of 1904. One of the
most powerful visitations of all time, with the anointed
preaching of 27-year-old Evan Roberts. The whole nation
was aflame for God. This was the birthplace of today's
Pentecostal movement worldwide. An amazing Revival.
But it lasted less than two years. And it's ending was
quite a mess. In fact, it was such a mess that many
Welsh people began to question if God was in it at all?
(-He definitely had been! Hundreds of thousands had
been converted and remained so). But counterfeits and
ugliness flooded in, ruining the whole thing.
Guess what happened next? The following generation
MISSED THEIR HOUR OF VISITATION. There was no
Revival in the 1940's, 1950's or 1960's. In fact, there has
been none to this day. Wales has now gone 100 years
without Revival. And she has lost almost everything she
had.
I read a tragic report this week from Carl Brettle of Mission
Support in the Rhondda Valleys, Wales. Here is what he
wrote:
"Even writing this makes me want to cry. For four years our
office has been in Treorchy, in the Rhondda Valley, Wales.
Rhondda was really touched by the Welsh Revival of 1904
but in the 100 yrs since, has turned its back on Jesus to
become a place where, for the vast majority, the Church,
Christianity and Jesus Himself have become totally
irrelevant. “So what’s different to the place where you live?”
you may ask.
Well, drug abuse is rife, crime is soaring and one-parent
families have become the norm. The economy is totally
impoverished and Rhondda has the smallest percentage of
population in the UK regularly attending church plus one of
the highest rates of teenage pregnancies and close to the
highest incidence of suicide, especially among the young.
In 2002, suicide & drug abuse claimed the lives of almost
1% of the male population, aged 15-30.
It’s amazing that in a place of such stunning beauty, there
is such incredible despair.
There is a glimpse of hope, in that some churches are now
working together... but if we don’t get prayer for this place the
whole thing is going nowhere.... we’re desperate – please
help."
**********
The above is what 100 years without Revival will do to a
place that used to be a "Land of Revivals".
So what of America? Could the same thing happen there?
Well, the last two major Revivals in America were the
Pentecostal Revival of 1905-1906, and the Great Healing
Revival of the 1950's. So it has now been 50 years since
a major Revival swept through the USA. We are at a
crossroads in history. Everything depends on whether or
not America can truly ENTER INTO HER NEXT HOUR OF
VISITATION. If she misses it then it is very probable that
all is lost. The next few years may decide. (-Yes, the
NEXT FEW YEARS).
The end of the Healing Revival (50 years ago) was actually
pretty "messy". It led to some good things, but some
bad also.
One good thing was the Charismatic renewal, which
basically grew out of this Revival. However, one of the
worst things was the preoccupation with MONEY
amongst a lot of the new preachers. "Seed-faith" giving
was invented during this period, and a dubious emphasis
on Prosperity and Money began to dominate much of
the Charismatic/Pentecostal scene.
There can be no doubt that this has caused a lot of
suspicion and antipathy from ordinary people towards
modern churches and 'Revival'-type preachers. The
things they see on Christian TV are undermining the
gospel for a lot of people. These excesses are not Jesus.
Let us hope that this general feeling does not lead to
the kind of disaster that occurred in Wales. The mess
that came about after the 1904 Revival there definitely left
a bitter aftertaste. And the nation MISSED IT'S NEXT
HOUR OF VISITATION. Surely we cannot allow this to
occur in America.
So what is needed for America to avoid missing her Hour
of Visitation this time? In my view, some of the answers
are as follows:
1)- DESPERATE PRAYER;
2)- REPENTANCE BY THE CHURCH from the excesses
that are causing masses of people to reject the gospel;
3)- A return to a simple, down-to-earth and pure Christianity.
(-The "common people" loved Jesus, after all. We need
to return to a Christianity for the 'common people').
Thus, as you can see, I will be bringing to America a far
more serious message than I ever thought I would on this
trip:-
AMERICA, COULD YOU MISS YOUR HOUR OF VISITATION?
IF YOU DO, THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE TRULY
DISASTROUS. AND TIME IS RUNNING OUT.
God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.
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